Coconut Burfi (Thengai Burfi)

I made this on the occasion of Thiruadi Pooram - "Andal's birthday". I was contemplating on what to make ..with so many festivals following the suit...namely Avani Avittam (Aug 24, 2010), Sri Jayanti (coming up on Sep 1,2010) ...hence I resorted to preparing the coconut burfi for Thiruvadi Pooram - "Our dear Andal's birthday"...(it reminds me of the coconut macaroons on the list of recipes to be tried...I will have to put it off for a while I guess). This was my first attempt in making the burfi...it turned out pretty simple and easy. I did not have to bother about the quality of the coconuts, breaking them or scraping it carefully without getting the shell part...I skipped all that since I used the coconut which comes in a packet....packetaiy pirithal podhum (it is enough to open the cover). I know there are lot of versions for making the coconut burfi - like some add condensed milk or plain milk or even rava...but I took the version which is normally made by my patti...this used to be made in our house whenever the nuts were cut from the tree like once in six months or so.. do you know that person who is dextrous at the art of climbing can only climb and cut it!! ...the person who usually used to come for cutting them used to remember his next visit and will be there for his next climbing expedition ....and will be there at our door a step right on time...we had so many coconuts cut from the trees that surrounded our house...we made lot of items with coconut as the main ingredient - burfi was the one, then thengai podi was another...I am not able to recollect the other stuff we made using coconut..and we also got some coconuts that just had coconut water in it ...it used to be so sweet (I do not like the ones we get here...they aren't that tasty)!! It used to be so much fun...counting them and segregating them....we used to have a store room with just the coconuts in it!!

Ingredients:
2 Cups Coconut (fine powder swad brand)
11/2 to 2 Cups Sugar (based on how sweet your sugar is and also your taste buds)
4 - 5 Cardomom (roast it in ghee and then powder it)
Nuts (Roasted in ghee)
Few Strands of Saffron
1/4 Cup Water
Few Tsp's Ghee

Start by greasing the plate with ghee. Keep it aside.
Take a heavy bottom pan and add the sugar and dissolve it with little water (1 Tbspn). Turn on the stove.
Add the coconut and stir it well.
When it is comes frothy (they actually say it as pora poranu varambodu) add ghee. This burfi does not require a lot of ghee. Add the cardomom and the saffron. Pour it on the greased plate. Spread the nuts (roasted in ghee) and pat it on top with wax paper/parchment paper if needed (to hold the nuts). Cut into pieces when they are warm itself. Enjoy! It does not take more than 15 minutes to make this burfi. I know this is one of H's favorites and my son had couple of pieces too....."Andal Thiruvadigale Charanam".