Easy Hyderabadi sweet made using dried apricots – Khubani Ka Meetha recipe with step-wise pictures. Serve Qubani Ka Meetha with cream for a perfect dessert!
Khubani Ka Meetha is a very popular and traditional dessert from Hyderabad. Qubani or Khubani means apricot in Urdu and Meetha means sweet. Qubani Ka Meetha literally translates to Apricot sweet. Dried apricots are soaked in water to soften up and cooked in sugar syrup until they are juicy. It is believed that this recipe has Nizami influence, like the many authentic and emblematic recipes from Hyderabad. While Double Ka Meetha or Shahi Tukda is a much popular and a known Hyderabadi dessert, it is not very easy to find Khubani Ka Meetha in restaurant menus. The first time I tasted this sweet is in Paradise Biryani joint and truth be told, I hated it. With a slab of overtly sweet vanilla ice cream, it was not the best dessert. Sometimes, you have to try recipes on your own to enjoy them. And that’s what I did with this apricot dessert.
The husband who is a huge fan of Khubani Ka Meetha (having tasted good, tasty versions of the dessert) had been after me to make it at home. While I paid no heed to his requests, he brought home a pack of dried apricots. Honestly, the apricots lied low in the bottom of the fridge racks until I paid attention to them recently. So I finally decided to make the much procrastinated recipe and it turned out awesome! I don’t know why did even postpone it in the first place. In my world, Qubani Ka Meetha will not just be a dessert but it is very close to apricot preserve and in fact, I still have a bottle of it in my fridge. It works wonders on a slice of toasted bread and it also instantly satiates your dessert cravings! Check out other Hyderabadi recipes.
Do you know about Apricot Seeds?
The seeds of the apricot resemble almonds but are much smaller and taste exactly like the dried apricot. They are slightly tangy with a hint of fruitiness. Apricot kernels are powerful in that they are possibly used in cancer treatment. They have a component called as latrile that is effective in killing cancer cells. Raw apricot seeds contain a compound called amygdalin, which is an enzyme that your gut turns into cyanide. Cyanide is a toxic chemical that is naturally found in small amounts in apples, peaches, lima beans, and other foods. And that is also the reason why they are banned in certain countries. Anything more than the recommended consumption can be severely harmful too.
In Khubani Ka Meetha, traditionally apricot seeds or kernels are added but I skipped them in spite of having a huge pack of them (for reasons above). Instead I added almonds and pistachios. It doesn’t affect the taste of the dessert at all. So let us head to the recipe now.
How to make Khubani Ka Meetha | Qubani Ka Meetha –
Khubani Ka Meetha | Qubani Ka Meetha
Equipment
- Thick Bottomed Kadai/Pan
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
- 200 grams Dried Apricots
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- Water as needed ~3 cups
- 8-10 Almonds
- 8-10 Pistachios
Instructions
- Soak dried apricots in enough water for 2-3 hours.
- Remove the pit and chop them into smaller pieces.
- Meanwhile bring the water used to soak the apricots to a boil in a pan on medium heat.
- Add the soaked apricots. Cook on low flame for 15 mins. If the mixture looks dry, add more water as needed.
- Stir occasionally and keep cooking on low flame until the apricots are soft. Add sugar.
- The mixture looks runny, continue cooking it on low flame, stirring occasionally, scrapping the edges of the pan until it thickens again and comes together. Add chopped almonds & pistachios. Remove from heat.
- Serve warm or cold with cream or ice cream with chopped almonds & pistachios added on top. Store in an airtight container in fridge for longer shelf life.
Nutrition
Detailed step-wise picture recipe of making Khubani Ka Meetha | Qubani Ka Meetha –
Soak dried apricots in enough water for 2-3 hours.
Remove the pit and chop them into smaller pieces.
Meanwhile bring the water used to soak the apricots to a boil in a pan on medium heat.
Add the soaked apricots. Cook on low flame for 15 mins. If the mixture looks dry, add more water as needed.
Stir occasionally and keep cooking on low flame until the apricots are soft. Add sugar.
The mixture looks runny, continue cooking it on low flame, stirring occasionally, scrapping the edges of the pan until it thickens again and comes together. Add chopped almonds & pistachios. Remove from heat.
Serve warm or cold with cream or ice cream with chopped almonds & pistachios added on top. Store in an airtight container in fridge for longer shelf life.
Note –
- Adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness preference.
- Add water as needed when the mixture looks dry.
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