Phirni - A Traditional Rice Custard

PHIRNI - A SMOOTH AND SILKY TRADITIONAL RICE CUSTARD FOR
A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
 Though rice and milk are  common ingredients used in preparing various sweets and desserts, each one has its own texture, flavour and taste. A creamy, smooth and silky traditional Rice Custard called Phirni  is prepared using rice and milk. The joyful experience when a scoop of the richly flavoured Phirni  slides down one's palate can not be described in mere words!

INGREDIENTS
Rice - 1/4 cup
Milk - 4 cups
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts - 6
Cardamom powder - 1 pinch
Chopped nuts, raisins and saffron strands for garnishing
METHOD
1. Wash and soak rice for at least 2 hours.
2. Grind the soaked rice, cashew nuts and cardamom powder together into a very smooth paste adding little water if required.
3. Blend sugar and the rice and cashew paste together.
4. Boil 3 cups of milk in a thick bottomed vessel.
5. Lower the flame and blend the paste into the boiling milk stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed.
6. Cook the mixture till  it thickens and becomes shiny.
7. Add the 4th cup of milk and stir well and cook for another one minute.
8. Switch off flame and allow the custard to cool down to room temperature.
9. Pour the custard into a blender and whisk till it becomes smooth and light, for about 30 seconds.
10. Pour back the custard into a bowl and refrigerate for four hours.
11. Soak saffron strands in one teaspoon of warm milk and pour over the now set custard / Phirni along with the milk used for soaking.
12. Soak raisins in warm water to plump them up. Top the Phirni with plumped up raisins and chopped nuts.

Enjoy the creamy, smooth and silky Phirni / Rice Custard  with the Christmas feast.


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