PHIRNI

Ingredients:----

Rice, Basmti, soaked for 1 hour - 3tbsp
Milk, full cream - 5 1/2 cups
Sugar - 1 1/3 cups
Rose water (gulab jal) - 1 tbsp
Almonds (badam), blanched finely chopped - 15
Pistachios (pista), finely chopped -10
Saffron (kesar), soaked in 1 tbsp water (see p.7) crushed - 4-5
Silver leaves (varq)

Method

1. Grind the rice with 1/2 cup water.
2. Heat the milk in a pan; add the rice paste and keep stirring till it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the sugar and cook till the mixture thickens again to coat the back of the spoon.
3. Remove from heat, transfer the thickened milk into individual earthen containers or glass bowls.
4. Sprinkle rose water and half the dry fruits.
5. Grind the saffron in a mortar and ;pestle. Sprinkle this over the dry fruits.
6. Garnish with the remaining dry fruits, green cardamom powder and silver leaves. Refrigerate to set. Serve cold.