Kesar Pista Phirni

Kesar Pista Phirni is originally an Awadhi recipe, which is a part of Lucknow cuisine and we can’t think of any better way than to end your meal with an poise Awadhi dessert.

Phirni is essentially prepared with milk and rice. Traditionally broken rice or coarsely grinded rice is used.

The saffron and cardamom powder enhances its rich flavor and aroma along with garnish of chopped almonds and pistachio gives this delicate chilled dessert a tempting look with divine taste which just melts in your mouth.

This sweet dish flashes back the memory of phirni eating during school days in Lucknow, especially during hot summer days, served in shikoras, earthen clay small pots sprinkled with aroma of rose water was just heavenly.

Kesar Pista Phirni

Kesar Pista Phirni is originally an Awadhi recipe, which is a part of Lucknow cuisine and we can't think of any better way than to end your meal with an poise Awadhi dessert.

Phirni is essentially prepared with milk and rice. Traditionally broken rice or coarsely grinded rice is used.

The saffron and cardamom powder enhances its rich flavor and aroma along with garnish of chopped almonds and pistachio gives this delicate chilled dessert a tempting look with divine taste which just melts in your mouth.

This sweet dish flashes back the memory of phirni eating during school days in Lucknow, especially during hot summer days, served in shikoras, earthen clay small pots sprinkled with aroma of rose water was just heavenly.

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Prep Time 7 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 37 mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 litre milk ( full cream whole milk)
• 50 grams basmati rice soaked
• 3/4 to 1 cup caster sugar or as required
• 5-6 green cardamom pods / hari elaichi
• 10-12 pistachios chopped
• 18-20 almonds/ badam chopped
• Generous pinch of saffron / kesar
• 5 drops Rose water (optional)

Instructions

 

• Blanched Almonds can also be used, if you prefer skinless ones.
• Procedure for blanching almonds;

  Place your raw almonds into the boiling water. Let them boil for exactly one minute. Don't boil for any longer or your almonds will start to soften. Drain the almonds immediately in a strainer and rinse them with cold water to cool them. Blot the almonds dry with a paper towel. ( Optional )
• Soak the rice grains for 30 minutes. Now rinse it a few times under running water and place it over the kitchen towel for drying.
• Take the rice grains in grinder and prepare them into medium coarse consistency. Coffee grinder can also be used for this purpose.
• One can always play with rice consistency as some prefer paste form, other coarse or medium.

  I personally prefer the above as gives a lovely texture of broken rice and consistency to the dish.
• Heat milk in a thick bottomed broad pan or kadai. Take 1 -2 tbsp of warm milk from the pan, dissolve the saffron strands and keep aside.
• Let the milk reach to a boil, then lower the flame and add ground rice. Keep stirring and add sugar also.
• On a low to meduim heat cook the ground rice in the milk without covering the pan or kadhai. Continue to stir to avoid lump formation.
• Remove the cardamom pods and powder the seeds in mortar and pestle.
• When rice is almost cooked, add the pistachios, almonds, cardamom powder and saffron milk. Reserve some chopped almonds and pistachios for garnish. Cook it for further 5-6 minutes or until it thickens
• Pour the Phirni in serving bowls, garnish with remaining chopped almonds and pistachios.
• Add 5 drops of rose water, once the phirni is done (optional)
• Cover the bowls and refrigerate the phirni

  Tastes awesome when served cool in !!

  Cook and share the sweetness of this traditional Awadhi cuisine with family and friends.