By Rajlakshmi
March 19, 2026
Traditionally, basundi is made with full-cream milk and garnished with dry fruits like almonds and pistachios.
1 litre of milk A pinch of nutmeg A pinch of cardamom A few strands of saffron ⅓ cup sugar 2 tbsp almonds, chopped 1 tbsp pistachio, chopped
In a pot, add milk. Grate the nutmeg on the milk. Add cardamom and saffron strands, and mix well.
Stir the milk continuously on high flame till it begins to boil. This usually takes five to seven minutes. Once it’s boiling, lower the flame to medium.
Stir till the milk is reduced by half. Add sugar, stir till it gets dissolved which will take about 2 minutes.
Once done, turn off the heat. In a pan, roast chopped almonds and pistachios until they are a light brown.
Add them to the basundi and mix well. You can also garnish the basundi with some more roasted dry fruits and saffron strands.
Basundi is rich in carbohydrates and fat, and is best avoided by those suffering from diabetes or lactose intolerance.