Firni

This is an extremely simple desert, very basic and subtle in taste and extremely simple to make too. However I had messed this up the first time I made it when I had just started cooking while at college. It had turned out all lumpy…but I have come a long way since those days.

I made firni this weekend as my hubby is very fond of sweets and every lunch is followed by the question ‘Aur meethe main kya’. I have established this rule ‘no sweets or rice at night’ so I don’t have this question thrown at me post dinner.

Ingredients

1 litre milk,

1 cup good quality rice,

1 cup sugar or as per taste,

½ tsp powdered cardamom seeds or 1 tsp rose water,

Chopped pistachios

Method

Soak the rice in 2 cups of milk for about 4 hours. Grind the rice to a fine paste with the milk used for soaking.

Heat the remaining milk with the sugar. Once it boils gently fold in the rice paste. Be extremely careful at this stage as this is when the lumps form. Keep stirring it in one direction as you pour the paste with one hand. Cook for about 10 minutes stirring continuously. Switch off the heat and add the powdered cardamom seeds or the rose water.

Pour into individual serving bowls and garnish with chopped pistachios. Let cool and then refrigerate. This tastes best when served cold in earthen bowls.