Phirni

Phirni is a popular dessert eaten among the Muslim community of North India and also in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. Today, restaurants offer phirni in a wide range of flavours including apricot, mango, fig, walnut,apple and custard apple. This is simple rice pudding made by boiling rice paste with milk and sugar, and flavoured with cardamom, saffron, cashew nuts, pistachios or almonds. It is typically served during a meal or also consumed alone as a dessert.

Prep time: 20-25 mins
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2cup Basmati rice
• 1 litre Full fat milk
• 10-12 saffron strands
• 1/2-3/4 cup Sugar or to taste
• 10 to 12 Pistachios(pista) - (finely chopped)
• 3 to 4 Elaichi(cardamon) - (peel and crush finely)
• 10 to 12 Cashew nuts - (cut into small pieces)

Cooking Directions

1. Clean rice, wash and soak in water for 30 minutes. strain rice and grind it to a li thick,coarse paste using little milk.
2. Heat milk remaining milk in a heavy based pan. Once the milk comes to boil put the rice paste in it and cook till this mixture comes to boil again(stir continuously)on a low flame t till Phirni becomes thick and rice gets cooked well.Keep stirring all the time to avoid burning.
3. Add sugar, cashew nut pieces and mix.
4. Cook Phirni till sugar dissolves completely.
5. Phirni is ready,now add saffron strands and turn off the gas.
6. Put Elaichi powder and mix well.
7. Take out Phirni in a bowl and garnish with chopped pistachios or pour Phirni in individual bowls and garnish with chopped pistachios and keep it in the fridge to cool.
8. Serve chilled.