Express Recipes: How to make Almond and Saffron Phirni

(Also read: How to make Chena Kheer)

Method
* Put milk on heat in a deep bottom pot.

* Drain the rice and blend it to a coarse paste using a little water. This step is best done if you have a small spice mixer. I don’t have a spice mixer, but my hand blender worked just fine. It took a little longer but the end result was same.

* Once the milk comes to a boil; add about a cup of it to the rice batter. Mix well and then add the rice mix to the remaining milk in the pot. This way there are no lumps formed. In case you still get lumps, you can just run a hand blender in the entire milk just enough to break the lumps.

* Simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the milk thickens.

* Meanwhile peel the soaked almond and cut into slivers.

* Add sugar and cardamom powder. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.

* Add in slivered almonds and saffron water. Mix well. Remove from heat and pour into earthen pots.

* Garnish each pot with just a strand of saffron. You can garnish with more chopped almonds but I like just a strand of saffron; make them look like small diyas or lamps.

* Set aside to cook. Once cool put them in refrigerator. Serve chilled.

Food is never just food. I believe it’s story telling, it’s conversation. It brings people together and it speaks a universal language! I love to play around in my kitchen. The thrill of being able to create something new and sharing it with others is what fuels my passion for cooking. The fact that dear husband is a foodie and an honest critique helps! I blog about my adventures in the kitchen at http://www.myweekendkitchen.in/