With the start of the holy month of Sawan, followers of Bolshnatha observe a fast on Mondays and consume plant-based food after worship. Often during the fast, people are hesitant to eat imitation sweets from stores, and if mawa or a large amount of milk is not available at home, there is a problem with preparing desserts.
If you want to prepare an exclusively pure, delicious, and nutritious plant-based dessert for worshipping Shiva on the first Monday of this Sawan, peanut baffi made without using mawa or milk is the best choice. This baffi, made from roasted peanuts, a small amount of chopped nuts, cardamom, and sugar, is so delightful that it will overshadow even expensive kaju katli. A simple instruction for its preparation is presented below.
You will need:
- Raw peanuts — 2 cups (about 250 grams)
- Kaju — 8–10 pieces (optional, to give a royal taste similar to kaju katli)
- Sugar — 1 cup
- Water — 1/2 cup
- Green cardamom powder — 1/2 teaspoon
- Distilled oil (GI) — 1 teaspoon (to give smoothness to the baffi)
- Almonds and pistachios (crushed) — 2 tablespoons (for garnish)
First, roast the peanuts in a thick-bottomed pan over low heat for 7–8 minutes. When the shells begin to easily separate, turn off the heat. Place the peanuts on a cloth and gently rub them to easily remove all the shells.
Place the shelled peanuts and kaju in a food processor bowl. Pulse the processor (for 2–3 seconds with pauses) so that the peanuts do not release oil and turn into a fine dry powder. Sift the resulting powder through a sieve.
In a saucepan over medium heat, mix 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water. After the sugar dissolves, boil for 2–3 minutes to form a first-degree sugar syrup. Then reduce the heat and add the peanut powder, cardamom powder, and 1 teaspoon of distilled oil to the syrup. Stir constantly with a spoon to prevent lumps from forming.
Cook the mixture over low heat for another 3–4 minutes. When the mass begins to pull away from the sides of the pot and gather into one mass, turn off the heat.
Grease a plate or baffi mold with distilled oil. Spread the prepared mixture evenly in the mold. Sprinkle with crushed almonds and pistachios on top and lightly press down with a spoon. After cooling for 20–30 minutes, cut the baffi into diamonds or squares. The finished soft and delicious baffi for the Sawan fast is ready.