Khubani Ka Meetha
Veg
Dried Afghani apricots (khubani) simmered slowly in sugar syrup until they dissolve into a jammy, amber-coloured compote — served warm with a spoonful of fresh cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. One of the Nizam's favourite desserts and a staple at Hyderabadi weddings. The apricots are always pitted and sometimes the kernels are cracked and added back as a garnish.
Cuisines
Hyderabadi
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 250 grams | dried apricots (khubani) |
| 1 cup | sugar |
| 1 cup | water |
| 1 tablespoon | lemon juice |
| 1 tablespoon | rose water |
| 1/4 teaspoon | cardamom powder |
| 2 tablespoons | blanched almonds |
| 2 tablespoons | pistachios |
| as needed | whipped cream or vanilla ice cream |
Instructions
- 1 Rinse the dried apricots thoroughly under running water.
- 2 Soak the apricots in 1 cup of water for at least 4-5 hours or overnight until they become soft.
- 3 Once soaked, remove the apricots from the water, reserving the soaking liquid.
- 4 De-seed the apricots, chop them roughly, and set aside.
- 5 In a saucepan, add the reserved soaking liquid, chopped apricots, and sugar.
- 6 Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency.
- 7 Add lemon juice, rose water, and cardamom powder to the apricot mixture and mix well.
- 8 Continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes until the flavors meld together.
- 9 Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- 10 Garnish with blanched almonds and pistachios.
- 11 Serve chilled or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Tips
For a richer flavor, you can add a few strands of saffron while cooking the apricots.