Santra Barfi

T he Maharashtrian city of Nagpur, also known as the city of oranges is expectantly going to have lip-smacking orange flavoured dishes. One such culinary wonder is the Santra Barfi or Orange Barfi. This dessert is typical of the region and has gained enough popularity to not only woo the locals but be one of the main attractions for tourists visiting Nagpur city. 

Santra Barfi is nothing but a plain Barfi infused with the flavour of Nagpur oranges. To prepare the dish, freshly squeezed orange juice (with bits of pulp in it) is added to the boiled milk along with some cardamom powder and heavy cream. The citrus flavours of the orange undercuts the dense body of the milk and cream blend.

Once prepared, the sweetmeats are amply garnished with pista and almond shavings. In fact, the popularity of the dish is such that in 2019, there were reports of Mother Dairy wanting to launch its own brand of Santra Barfi to aid orange cultivators of the region. 

Many food experts prefer the Santra Barfi to the normal plain variant since oranges are a rich source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), thiamine, folic acid (vitamin B6) and potassium. The dessert has also gained ground due to commercial food chains promoting it. Haldiram’s Santra Barfi has long since lured customers for years, especially with the chain claiming that it uses pure desi ghee while making the sweet. The presence of a Haldiram’s outlet practically all across India has further bolstered sales for the dish.