Narikolor sira l Assamese style candied coconut with cardamom and saffron

Sunita Bhuyan

An Assamese snack typically prepared during Bihu

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Course Snack

Cuisine Assamese

Ingredients

4 cups shredded coconut (see notes below)
1¼ cup caster sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom seeds
a large pinch of saffron

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well.
Transfer the mixture to a thick bottomed pan ( I used a non stick pan).- see notes below
Place the pan over low to medium heat and stir constantly for about 6-7 minutes (see notes below). The mixture will leave a lot of moisture and will be sticky.
Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for another 10-12 minutes or till all the moisture is absorbed and the mixture is dry. The coconut strands will not stick to each other and will be completely separate.
Remove from heat and transfer immediately to a dish; do not leave it in the pan, or else it will brown.
Cool completely before storing in air tight containers.

Video

Notes

Coconut-

I used readymade shredded coconut from the frozen section of our local Asian grocery store, which made life much easier. If you do not have access to it, you can, of course make it the regular way- grating the fresh coconut. Just don't forget to peel it before grating and use only the white part. Also use the side of the grater with bigger holes.

Adding the mixture to the pan-

Always add the coconut mixture to the pan and then place it over heat for cooking. Do not heat the pan and add the mixture to it.

Cooking the coconut mixture-

The mixture needs constant attention; so don’t be tempted to leave it on the pan and disappear. The mark of good narikolor sira is one with no brown bits.

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