Feature photo by Farsai Chaikulngamdee.
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There are two ways to make kulfi, the easy way and the four-hours-of-simmering-instead-of-using-concentrated-milk way. I had never done either, but in pursuit of “authenticity” I spent a long afternoon and evening in the Little Egg basement with pots of milk on multiple burners, stirring regularly to prevent scorching while allowing a slight toastiness to infuse from the heat of the pan.
I questioned my decision to not just buy cans of condensed milk several times over those hours, but like cooking often does, it felt a little like writing—stirring one pot, stirring the other, back and forth, watching them slowly reduce towards the thickness I needed (and I did add a touch of condensed milk for extra richness anyway . . . a blending of techniques!). All that patience was rewarded the next day when Asha praised its texture and flavor. Apparently the slightly toasted flavor that comes from the slow reduction of the milk is lost in the industrial process used to make canned condensed milk, so the traditional approach really does make a difference here.
Photo by Farsai Chaikulngamdee.
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1.5 quarts whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup condensed milk
¼ cup sugar, adjust to your sweetness
½ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped, divided
A pinch of saffron threads
½ tsp ground cardamom
¹ ∕ 8 tsp salt
In a thick bottomed pan bring the whole milk, heavy cream, and condensed milk to a boil. Turn to a simmer and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring regularly to avoid scorching on the bottom of the pot. Take a 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture and pour over the saffron threads in a small cup.
Add the sugar and simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by at least half and thickened quite a bit. At this point, strain the saffron milk back into the pot, add ¼ cup of chopped pistachios, cardamom, and salt, and simmer for a few more minutes.
Pour milk into a glass bowl or heatproof container, cover, and cool in an ice bath or in the fridge until completely cold. After the milk is cooled completely, transfer them to popsicle molds or small plastic cups to set. Put the molds in the freezer and freeze completely.
To serve, remove kulfi from the freezer and insert a popsicle stick into the center of each mold. Warm the molds with a bit of warm water or your hands to release, and roll the slightly softened edges of the kulfi in the remaining chopped pistachios.
Photo by Farsai Chaikulngamdee.
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