THANDAI PHIRNI

Phirni is a easy traditional Indian rice pudding like dessert which is prepared with full cream milk, basmati rice and sugar as main ingredients. The cooked rice milk mixture is poured into small earthern clay pots garnished with mixed nuts and edible silver leaf. You will find this easy sweet dessert prepared in the homes of Hindus and Muslims to celebrate festivals like Eid, Holi and Diwali. Phirni  has got it’s origins in the Middle East and has made its way to the Indian sub continent through the Mughals. 

I shall never forget the first time I had made Phirni. I had never tasted anything quite so delicious, I remember thinking when shall be the next occasion where shall I be able to make this dish once again. The first time I made it I had set it in ceramic ware but later I learned that if Phirni is set in clay, it  absorbs some of the fluid from the Phirni and helps it set, contributes a very special flavor of its own, and also helps keep the Phirni cool — important because this is one Indian dessert that should always be served chilled. You can make a lot of variation with this Phirni by adding almonds, saffron, rose, Pistachios, Mango, strawberry and even chocolates. 

While Holi is all about colours, like every other festival the celebration is incomplete without some delicious sweet dishes that will  keep your mood upbeat. Different delicacies are prepared in various parts of India to bring in the festival with great zeal and enthusiasm.  On the onset of Holi, the festival colors, you can try this Thandai Phirni to serve your family and guests. 

Ingredients

• 1 liter full cream milk
• 1/4 cup rice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoon Thandai Powder* 
• Pistachios,  almonds, rose petals and few strands of saffron for garnishing

*Thandai Powder : 1/3 cup almond ,2 tbsp cashew nuts, 1 tsp fennel seeds , 1 tbsp poppy seeds , 1 tbsp melon seeds, 1 /2 tbsp black pepper, 4 to 5 green cardamom, . Dry roast everything , coo and make a fine powder of it.

Let's learn how to make the Thandai Phirni: 

• Wash and soak the rice for 1 hour. Drain and pat dry on an absorbent cloth. Once dry, blend the rice into a coarse powder.

• In a heavy bottomed pan; add the milk and bring it to a boil. Once it begins to boil, turn the heat to low and add the ground rice to milk. You will notice that the milk will begin to thicken.Keep stirring the milk while it is simmering. Once it starts thickening, add the sugar, cardamom powder .

• Add the Thandai powder and keep stirring for another 5 to 10 minutes till the mixture attains its full flavor and has an almost pudding-like consistency.

• Turn off the heat and allow it to cool completely. 

• Pour this mixture into small earthen pots and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

• Serve with chopped pistachios, almonds, rose petals and saffron.

Sending this Thandai Phirni to Holi Collective Recipes by Sonal Gupta of Simplyvegetarian777.