Oats Burfi

Oats Burfi


Many times I feel sorry for diabetics or anyone who craves sweets for that matter. It is a shame how they would love to have sweet dishes but do not cope well with the effect it has on their health. For that reason I try to keep making dishes lesser in sugar and fat than regular sweet dishes. This oats burfi was created with the same intent. Oats is great as it is a wholegrain, high in fibre and has a low glycemic index (I am not referring to quick cook oats but traditional rolled oats). I have tried to reduce the amount of refined sugar and tried to capitalise on the sweetness from dry fruits. Refined sugar is called ‘free sugar’ as it is nothing but calories and no nutritive value. If you have a sweet tooth, add a touch more sugar or pureed fruits. Do bear in mind that people say it takes about 3 weeks for our taste buds to adapt and whether it is amount of sugar or salt you are trying to reduce, you may not like it immediately but eventually your body will learn. Remember, the mind controls the body and not the reverse. If you are not a oats person, don’t worry, you will not know this dish has oats unless I tell you. It literally takes a minute to put this dish together so you do not have to spend ages stirring.

1 cup oats, roasted and ground fine
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons pureed dried fruits (I soaked apricot, prunes and dates and ground)
2 teaspoons ghee
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon of coarsely crushed nuts like pista, almond and cashew

Heat a non-stick kadai and add the sugar and just enough water for it to dissolve. Heat the sugar solution until it forms a string when touched between thumb and index finger

Add the ground oats, dates puree, ghee and milk. Keep stirring and keep the flame low. It will come together in no time and once it leaves the sides of the kadai and comes together, it is done

Transfer this to a lightly greased plate and pat it flat and garnish with crushed nuts and cut into desired sized pieces