INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup basmati rice
- 1 litre whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup khoya (mawa)
- 18 to 20 almonds (blanched)
- 6 to 7 green cardamoms, peeled and powdered
- 12 to 15 saffron strands
METHOD
- Wash and soak the rice for 2 hours. Then, drain the excess water.
- Make a rough, grainy paste by running the rice in a grinder.
- Finely chop the almonds, pistachios and cashews and keep them aside.
- In a saucepan, add the milk and heat it on a medium flame. Bring the milk to a boil.
- Add the rice and allow it to cook on a low flame, till the milk is reduced to half and the rice is completely cooked.
- Grate the khoya and add it to the rice and milk. Once it is completely mixed in, add the sugar and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Keep stirring continuously or your phirni will stick to the bottom.
- Add the finely chopped nuts and raisins. Reserve a little for garnishing.
- Once the phirni acquires a pinkish hue, add the cardamom powder and remove it from the fire. Add the saffron strands.
- Mix well and pour in earthen cups. Garnish with nuts and allow the phirni to cool before serving.
A teacher by profession and a passionate home chef and blogger, Antara Basu De is a Bengali who lives in Bengaluru with her family. Cooking is her stress buster. She loves to style her food and capture it on her camera. For her recipes, you can follow her Instagram page @antarabasu9 and YouTube channel MyCookMyBook.
