Name: Thengai Burfi Recipe (Coconut Burfi)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (heaped) Fresh grated coconut ((approx. 50 g / 1.8 oz, only white part without brown skin)); 1/2 cup Sugar ((approx. 100 g / 3.5 oz)); 2 nos Cardamom seeds ((crushed)); 1 tbsp Milk ((approx. 15 ml)); 1/2 tsp Chiroti rava ((completely optional)); 1 tbsp Fried gram dal ((or roasted cashews)); 1 drop Ghee ((to grease the plate))

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Thengai burfi (South Indian coconut burfi) is an easy traditional sweet made with fresh coconut, sugar and cardamom. Learn how to make soft, melt-in-the-mouth white nariyal barfi in just 15 minutes with step-by-step photos.

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Coconut burfi/Thengai barfi in Tamil & Nariyal barfi in Hindi is one of the easiest burfi recipes that can be made within 10 minutes using three main ingredients. Just a drop of ghee is enough to make this sweet. I started making this burfi last year just to finish off the excess fresh coconut shells (thengai moodi) I got as prasadam from temples. But nowadays our family has become a big fan of coconut burfi and I make it very often. You can find many versions for this coconut burfi using milk, condensed milk (milkmaid) etc. Here I have shared a very easy recipe with easily available ingredients in our home.

Though its cooking procedure is really easy, there are certain things that need to be followed to get a white, juicy, soft coconut burfi. No worries, even a beginner can try it! I have used little milk, Rava & fried gram dal as per my MIL’s suggestion. You can skip it always.

Ok, lets see how to make South Indian coconut burfi/thengai burfi recipe with stepwise pictures! Do include this easy burfi in your Diwali menu and treat your family members. As I say in all my sweets posts, do have a look at my “Notes” section if you are a beginner! Check out my Easy coconut ladoo if interested.

Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens

Coconut Selection: Frozen grated fresh coconut (from brands like Swad, Daily Delight or Deep) found at Indian grocery stores works wonderfully. Defrost completely and pulse once in a food processor or mixie without water so the gratings are uniform and snow-white.
Keeping Burfi White: Cook strictly on low heat (setting 2 or 3 on electric coil/glass stoves). The sugar should melt and bubble gently without caramelizing so the burfi stays pure white.
Kadai Choice: A heavy non-stick kadai or hard-anodized pan prevents scorching and makes it easy to spot when the coconut mixture pulls away cleanly from the sides.
Setting & Scoring: Have your greased plate or parchment-lined tray ready. Transfer the mixture while still slightly soft and glistening; score into squares within 2 minutes before it hardens.

Thengai Burfi Recipe (Coconut Burfi)

Chitra

Easy South Indian coconut burfi (thengai burfi) recipe made with fresh coconut, sugar and cardamom. Juicy, soft festive sweet for Diwali!

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Course Sweet

Cuisine Indian

Servings nos

Ingredients

½ cup (heaped) Fresh grated coconut (approx. 50 g / 1.8 oz, only white part without brown skin)
½ cup Sugar (approx. 100 g / 3.5 oz)
2 nos Cardamom seeds (crushed)
1 tbsp Milk (approx. 15 ml)
½ tsp Chiroti rava (completely optional)
1 tbsp Fried gram dal (or roasted cashews)
1 drop Ghee (to grease the plate)

Instructions

Grease a plate with a drop of ghee and set aside. Grate coconut carefully without scraping the brown part of it. This is the first most important point to get white coconut burfi. If you find some small pieces of coconut while you grate, dry grind the coconut gratings to a fine powder. But this step is not necessary if you have fine coconut gratings without any pieces.
Its better to use a non-stick kadai to know the right finishing stage. Aluminium or iron kadai also works great but if you are a beginner, use non-stick kadai. In a wide non-stick kadai, take the grated coconut, sugar, milk and rava (if using). Switch on the flame, keep it medium and mix it.
As you mix, sugar will melt and the mixture becomes watery. Keep the flame completely low and keep mixing the coconut mixture (mixing in low flame is the second important thing to get white burfi). White foamish bubbles will form all over the mixture.
Keep stirring the mixture by staying nearby. Mixture will start to become thick. Bubbles will form in the sides of the pan and mixture will leave the sides of pan.
As soon as the mixture starts to leave the pan, add cardamom powder and mix well for a minute. Mixture will start to form a lump. Lastly add the fried gram dal pieces and give a stir. Remove in the ghee greased plate. No problem if the mixture is slightly wet (the last important point). It will harden in few minutes as it cools down.
Press and level the mixture with back of spatula or butter paper. Then leave it untouched for 2 minutes. Now draw lines using a sharp knife and mark squares or diamond shapes. Let it cool. Remove and enjoy! You can store this burfi in a box and use it for a week. (Initially burfis look half white but it changes to white as time proceeds).

Notes

The 4 important points to be noted are:
1. Brown part of coconut should not be used. Use only white part to scrape off.
2. Use low flame throughout the entire cooking process for the mixture to remain white till the end.
3. Remove the mixture as soon as it thickens a bit leaving white bubbles in the sides and becomes a lump. Do not wait for the mixture to become dry completely.
4. After you drop the mixture in ghee greased plate, level it/smoothen it using a spatula or butter paper to give a smooth look to burfi. Burfi will set in 2-3 minutes.
Draw lines & make shapes immediately after 2 minutes else it will be hard to make shape.
Tips for troubleshooting:
1. Suppose if you remove the mixture a bit early, it won’t set. It will remain wet for long time. In that case, again transfer it to the kadai & cook it for 1-2 minutes till it thicken a bit.
2. If you over do the mixture and if it becomes dry and crumbly, no worries. Add 2-3 tbsp of milk and again mix it in the kadai for a minute. It will absorb the milk & become slightly wet. Remove spread and make pieces.
You can use dessicated coconut instead of fresh coconut. But grind it using milk before adding sugar.
You can skip rava and milk while cooking if you don’t like but I used it as per my MIL’s suggestion.
You can use roasted cashew pieces instead of fried gram dal.