Coconut/Thengai Barfi

My brother was here for his christmas vacation and we had lots of fun together. He loves to eat as like my husband and they both enjoyed this barfi a lot. In fact I had little left to give to a friend of mine but am glad they wiped the vessel clean :-)) Nothing makes me happier than they joy I saw on their faces when they had this. So here goes the recipe.

Ingredients - 

1. Grated Coconut - 2 cups
2. Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
3. Cardomom powder - 1 tbsp
4. Water - 1/2 cup
5. Milk 1/4 cup (optional)
6. Ghee - As needed to grease the storage vessel

Method 1 - 

1. Pour the water in a sauce pan (kadai) and wait for it to heat up a bit. Keep the flame in between low and medium always.
2. Add the sugar and stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and starts to become a syrup. 
3. After sometime check the syrup for proper consistency (Take a drop in you hand and try and see if a string forms).
4. Now add the coconut and keep stirring for about 20 to 30 min.
5. Add some cardamom powder and stir it well.
6. Then pour down the mixture into a flat even surfaced storage vessel and let it cool.
7. Cut it into pieces and enjoy.

Method 2 - 

1. Take a sauce pan. Add coconut and sugar and mix well.
2. Keep stirring continuously. If using freshly grated coconut the water in the coconut will be enough to melt the sugar.
3. If using store bought dry grated coconut then add the milk to the mixture and keep stirring for 20 - 30 min.
4. Add some cardamom powder and stir it well.
5. Then pour down the mixture into a flat even surfaced storage vessel and let it cool.
6. Cut it into pieces and enjoy.