Qubani Ka Meetha (Apricot Dessert)

Qubani ka Meetha also known as Khubani ka meetha is a popular sweet dish from Hyderabadi cuisine. This tangy sweet dessert is made from dried apricots, sugar and nuts having a compote like jammy consistency. Being warming to the body it is a perfect dessert for a cold winter night. A vegan and gluten-free sweet that you will love.

What is Khubani ka Meetha

Khubani is the Urdu term for Apricots. Meetha means sweet. So in English, Khubani ka Meetha translates to apricot sweet or sweet dish made from apricots.

This dessert is made by stewing and slow cooking apricots in water with a touch of sugar to a jam like consistency. The dried apricots are soaked in water overnight or for some hours prior to stewing them.

There are no additional flavors added in this dessert as the floral, warming, sweet-tangy flavor of the apricots is the star here. You really do not need to add any flavorings or spices in this one.

I first had Qubani ka meetha in Hyderabad itself. Most of the restaurants in Hyderabad serve this delicacy. In other Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi etc you may or may not get Khubani ka Meetha unless the hotel or restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine.

I have been making this recipe for many years now adapting it from Vahchef’s video on youtube.

You will be surprised that the recipe is so simple, quick and easy to prepare. It does not require a lot of effort and time like most Indian traditional sweets. Even a novice cook can easily make this delish sweet.

I usually make it during the winters as apricots have a warming nature. Perfect to make during winters or cold seasons. Don’t you agree? So let’s start cooking this lovely dessert.

How to make Qubani ka Meetha

Prep Dried Apricots (Khubani)

1. Rinse a few times in fresh water and then soak 25 to 28 dried apricots overnight in 2 cups of water at room temperature or for 4 to 5 hours in 2 cups of warm water.

The next day the dried apricots will swell and become soft after having absorbed the water as you can see in the photo below.

You can use any variety of dried and pitted apricots but the taste will change slightly. I have used brown colored dried apricots which are not pitted.

2. Remove the apricots with a slotted spoon and keep the water aside. We will be using this water to make the khubani ka meetha. Press the softened apricots with your fingers and remove the seeds. You can also chop them if you prefer. Keep the hard kernels aside too.

Cook Apricots

3. In a frying pan, add 1 cup of water which we have kept aside. The water has a beautiful golden color. You can use 1 cup fresh water if you prefer.

4. Add the apricots to the water and allow to cook on a low flame.

Crack the Apricot Kernels

5. Whilst the apricots are cooking, break the hard kernel. I used my stone pestle to do this. You can even use a nutcracker. When you break this kernel, you will find a nut similar in shape and color similar to almonds but smaller in size.

6. Throw away the hard kernel and reserve these almond-like nuts. You can keep them whole or chop them.

Stew Apricots

7. The apricots in the meantime have started becoming soft and changing color. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the apricots whilst they slow cook.

8. If the mixture looks dry, then you can add some more of the strained water if you have it or use fresh water.

You can mash the apricots while stirring. The apricots become soft and you can easily mash them with a spoon while it is being simmered.

Make Khubani Ka Meetha

9. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar or as needed after 22 to 25 minutes. Stir and continue to cook till the mixture thickens a bit, approx 5 to 6 minutes on a low flame.

The addition of sugar is optional. I like this dessert to be more on the sweeter side. But feel free to skip or reduce or increase the quantity of sugar if the apricots are tangy. Here I have used raw sugar. If you skip sugar then it becomes a guilt-free dessert!

10. Lastly add the almond like nuts got from the hard kernels. Instead of these nuts from the kernels you can also garnish with sliced almonds that have been blanched, especially if you have used pitted apricots.

For a nut free dish you can skip adding any of the nuts.

11. Mix well. The Khubani ka Meetha is ready now. The consistency is neither too dry nor too runny.

12. Serve Khubani ka Meetha, warm or chilled, plain or with some whipped cream.

You can also pair it with gulab jamun, ice cream, custard or serve it as a dessert after a hearty meal of biryani. In some restaurants, I have this dish being served vanilla ice cream or rabri or malai. For best taste either eat it hot or warm.

Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for a week.

Few more sweets recipes for you!

• Bread halwa
• Sheer khurma
• Shahi tukda
• Badam halwa
• Double ka meetha

This Qubani ka meetha recipe post from the archives (first published in Feb 2010) has been republished and updated on 13 June 2021.