Qubani ka meetha is a thick, glossy compote of dried apricots, soaked overnight and slowly stewed until jammy and deep amber. It is served topped with cool malai or cream and almonds, balancing the fruit's natural tartness. Makes 6 servings in about 10 hr 20 min.
Prep15 min
Cook35 min
Cooling9 hr 30 min
Total
10 hr 20 min
Servings
6
DietGluten free
Ingredients
Adjust yield
servings
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
10 ½ oz (300 g)dried whole apricots (Hunza or Afghan, with pits)
Rinse the dried whole apricots and soak them in the water, covered, at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight, until plump and soft.
Lift out the apricots, keeping all the soaking water. Press each apricot to pop out the pit and tear the flesh into pieces.
Put the apricot flesh and 500 ml (2 cups) of the soaking water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat, stirring and mashing with a spoon now and then, until very soft and pulpy, 20 to 25 minutes. Add a little more soaking water if it starts to stick.
Stir in the sugar and saffron threads and simmer, stirring often, until the compote is thick, glossy and deep amber and a spoon drawn through it leaves a trail, 8 to 10 minutes. Leave some small pieces of apricot for texture.
Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour (it thickens further as it cools).
Spoon into small bowls, top each with a spoonful of the malai or heavy cream and scatter with the blanched almonds.
Tips
Hunza apricots with pits give the most authentic flavor; their natural sweetness means you may need less sugar.
Some cooks crack the pits for the kernels; use only sweet apricot kernels and only a few, or stick with almonds as here.
Taste before adding all the sugar, as dried apricots vary a lot in sweetness.
Apricot kernels contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide in the body; never use bitter kernels, and if using sweet kernels, eat only a few. Almonds are a safe substitute.
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How long does it take to make qubani ka meetha (hyderabadi apricot dessert)?
Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, plus 9 hours 30 minutes to chill and rest. The recipe makes 6 servings.
How should I store qubani ka meetha (hyderabadi apricot dessert)?
Refrigerate the compote in a covered container for up to 5 days; add the cream and almonds just before serving.
Can I make qubani ka meetha (hyderabadi apricot dessert) ahead?
Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.
Qubani ka meetha is a Hyderabadi dessert of dried apricots soaked, stewed in their soaking water to a thick compote and served with malai or cream, often at weddings after biryani. Serve it with cardamom tea.
Variations
Pitted Turkish apricots: use 300 g (2 cups) pitted dried apricots, soak only 2 hours in hot water and simmer 15 minutes before adding the sugar.
Rose and pistachio: stir 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) rose water into the cooled compote and top with 20 g (2 tbsp) chopped pistachios instead of almonds.
Custard-topped: serve over 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) chilled vanilla custard instead of cream, as many Hyderabadi caterers do.
Date and walnut: add 50 g (1/3 cup) finely chopped pitted dates with the sugar and top with 20 g (2 tbsp) chopped walnuts; time unchanged.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 6 servings this recipe makes.
166Calories / serving
10.8gFat
16.9gCarbs
2.0gProtein
15.4gSugar
Whole recipe (6 servings):
~996 cal ·
65g fat ·
101g carbs ·
12g protein ·
92g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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