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Kulfi - A wonderful Ice Cream


Kulfi is a traditional Indian-Ice Cream with supreme taste in its  class.  It  is  a  perfect   Indian -  summer  dessert  and  the pristine taste of Kulfi can be cherished in all kinds of weather. Especially, if Kulfi is home-made, then it's more healthy & tasty! So, relish kulfi while cheering for your favorite team in Indian premiere League (IPL) of T-20 cricket.....:)

Milk is the main ingredient in Kulfi. A choice of flavor twist can be given to the Kulfi - a fruit flavor or the nutty flavor. Another important ingredient - Rice flour that helps water-crystallization in Kulfi, though cornstarch or arrowroot powder works best depending upon the availability. The only thing to be kept in mind regarding any starch thickeners is that it should have a neutral taste and that works best in low temperatures. Finally, Kewra Water or Rose Water is added for a special aroma. Traditionally for freezing, Kulfi is filled in moulds and then these moulds are kept in earthen-pot filled with ice cubes.

Traditional method is quiet different to prepare Kulfi. Milk is boiled in deep cast iron pot, which is similar to a wok or kadahi. The milk is left to boil and cream formed on the top layer of milk is collected to the sides of pan with the help of fine metal stick; this process is repeated until all the milk is converted to cream. The cream formed in the process is also called - Rabdi and the Rabdi can be garnished by adding chopped nuts (cashew, Almond, Pista), sugar and saffron strands. Many Indian desserts include Rabdi as a base of the recipe and Kulfi is one of such preparations. The Kulfi served on leaf does not melt faster, which is also thought to be a authentic way of serving. 

Summer vacation - when kids are involved in many recreational activities and also develop inclinations towards certain tasty treats like- ice cream, cake and chocolates. It's all the more fun when you involve them. Like in Kulfi preparation, I asked my little-one to scoop the kulfi-mixture in the cone / Popsicle and stuff them into the freezer. Believe me! it would be a treat to watch them excited with full of  avidness to see the mixture forming into the Kulfi-ice cream.

In this hot summer- relax, relish and chill-out with homemade "kulfi" to soothen your senses and sweet-tooth ;)-


home made ice cream

Ingredients:

1. Milk - 1 litre
2. Kowa or Khowa - 100 grams                                                                                    (Evaporated milk similar to Ricotta cheese)
3. Almonds and Pistachios nuts - 1/2 cup
4. Kewra water - 1 tsp.
5. Rice flour - 2 tbsp.
6. Saffron / Kesar strands - a pinch

Method:

1. Soak the almonds and pistachios in water, preferably warm water to skin out the nuts to have a nice texture in the Kulfi. 

2. Mix rice flour in little milk to avoid lumps and keep it aside.

3. Boil milk in a thick wide bottomed wok and boil until the cream is well-formed. Place the cream to the sides of the pan using a metal-stick / spatula. Whisk the milk continuously keeping the temperature at low-to-medium for 15-20 mins.

4. Now add sugar to this creamy-thick milk while keeping the flame to low temperature.

5. Pour rice flour in the mixture and allow all ingredients to incorporate well.

6. Grate the Khoya finely and add this into the mixture while whisking it continuously. 

traditional ice cream without eggs vegan7.  Add fine-chopped nuts and saffron strands (kesar) in the milky mixture; to see the color changing very light brown, giving the perfectness to the mixture. 

8. Switch off the flame and allow mixture to cool. 

9. Pour it into a container and then freeze it around 3 hours. Remove it from freezer and churn the solid mixture in an electric or hand blender. Repeat this process twice to get creamy and tasty Kulfis!

10. In the meantime keep the moulds ready in which this milk mixture would be freezed to get shape of Kulfi.
kulfi moulds
11. Now slowly pour the mixture in the prepared moulds and freeze it around 8 hours. 

Kulfi is ready to relish!!


Serving suggestion

1. Freeze the mixture in the Kulfi moulds and insert a stick for the ease. 

2. If there are no moulds, the Mixture can also be freezed in any containers suitable. This can be cut into pieces and served. 

3. The Kulfi is also served as a dessert called Falooda. This can be prepared by adding some boiled noodles, fruit syrup and basil  or Subja seeds (from the sacred basil plant). The Subja seeds has a great health benefit and also provides authenticity to this traditional dessert. In the recipe, I have added the Kiwi syrup on top of the Kulfis to give a fruit and color twist instead of the regular rose syrup.


kulfi falooda sabja seeds, holy basil seeds

Notes:

1. Alternative to Kowa or Evaporated milk is the condensed milk. Avoid sugar in the recipe if using the condensed milk.

2. For a Fruit-flavoured Kulfi, add desired fruit pulp to the mixture and follow the recipe accordingly.

3. The Kowa used in the recipe is sugarless.

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