COCONUT BARFI

1. In a thick bottomed pan, heat 1 teaspoon ghee and add the cloves. As they puff up. add coconut, milk and sugar.
2. Cook this mixture, stirring constantly over medium flame for 30-40 minutes. Cook patiently until the milk thickens and the mixture becomes a thick fudge that rolls off the spoon easily. Switch off the flame.
3. Grease a metal tray with ghee. Transfer the coconut mixture to the greased tray and press it down evenly using the bottom of a flat bowl.
4. Sprinkle cardamom powder. When cooled, cut into bite-size squares.
5. The sweet and ripe coconut, an auspicious fruit in Indian ceremony is heavy, strengthening and nutritious. Its cooling and unctuous properties reduce vata and pitta, but increase kapha. Used extensively in Indian food in its tender, ripe and dried forms, coconut is used in the preparation of the traditional 'coconut burfi', referred to in Ayurvedic texts as narikela khanda, a sweet dish said to be prepared by Dhanvantri, the God of Ayurveda himself. We end the sweet platter with this recipe made colourful and tridoshik with the addition of spices.