Coconut Barfi - (Sugar-Free Version Included)

INGREDIENTS

• Khoya (evaporated milk solids), 1 cup, crumbled into chunks at room temperature
• Grated coconut (sold as coarse coconut powder as well), 2 cups tightly packed
• Cardamom powder, 1/2 teaspoon
• Sugar, 1 cup or more according to taste (30 sachets Equal sweetener for Sugar free)
• Milk, 1.5 cups
• Cooking oil (canola used), 3 tablespoon
• Chopped pistachios, 3 tablespoons
• Greased 8 inch by 8 inch pan/dish (larger if you desire thinner pieces)

THE MAKING

1. Gently heat 3 tablespoons oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan and add grated coconut/coarse coconut powder (2 cups tightly packed), and mix well. 
2. Saute for about 3 minutes taking care not to brown the coconut. Reduce the heat according to your cooktop. It is preferable to cook on low flame with the goal of drying the moisture.
3. Add milk (1.5 cups), stir well, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Next, mix the sugar (1 cup) and conduct a taste test - if you like it more sweet, add more.
   Sugar-free version: Do not add sweetener at this step, it turns bitter when cooked long.
5. Throw in the chopped pistachios (2 tablespoons), and cardamom powder (1/2 teaspoon) and mix well.
6. Cook the mixture for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring continuously (breaks the arm!) to avoid burning at the base of the saucepan. The goal is to reduce the volume to half.
   Sugar-free version: somewhere around the point where the volume is reducing to half and is near to almost done and oil has separated, add the sweetener sachets evenly all over the mixture, stirring in well for even sweetness.  
7. The Barfi mixture will begin to thicken and leave the sides of the pan and come together like a batter. Oil will begin to separate. This is a sign that it is ready. 
8. Pour the hot Barfi mixture into the greased 8"x8" pan (larger if thin pieces are needed) and use a spatula (or back of a large serving spoon) to smooth it out for a even surface layer. 
9. Garnish with chopped pistachios and slightly press them in with the back of the spoon/spatula to set into the mixture.
10. Allow the Barfi mixture to cool down at room temperature, and then place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before taking it out and cutting pieces.
11. Serve cold!