Rice Phirni. Chawal Phirni. Basmati Phirni or Firni. Rice Pudding. Basmati payasam

This recipe was once prepared by my UnderGrad classmate Naazima. She prepared this dish for Talent show or something. I happend to taste it. Though she didnt win any prize on that day…it was appreciated by everyone. Though Basmati/Rice kheer is a common dish…she used green coloring agent, just a pinch….on that day. Well…that gave a faint green tint to the kheer, it was awesome! So….I was thinking of making this kheer for a long time and here it is today!

Ingredients:

Basmati(extra long rice) 1/4 cup
Sugar 1/4 cup
Whole Milk 2 cups
Half n Half 1 cup
Condensed milk few spoons
Saffron 1/4 + 1/4 spoon
Cordamom seeds powder 1 spoon
Kewra essence 1 spoon
Ghee/Clarified butter few spoons
Silvered/sliced almonds to garnish
Saffron few to garnish.

Method:

Soak 1/4 spoon of saffron in 2-4 spoons of milk for about 2 hours. Using mortar and pestle wet-grind it. Set aside.

Crack the rice in a blender(well its only optional).

In a large vessel, heat ghee. Toast rice for few minutes and set aside.

In the smae vessel, add sugar + 1/2 cup of water. Bring this to syrup like consisteny.

Now stir-in toasted rice and continue cooking.

Add whole milk, half n half and condensed milk to this. Continues boiling. Stir regularly.

When the milk is half the way reduced, add cardamom seeds powder, kewra essence and wet-ground saffron to it.

Cook over medium heat for a while. Maybe till the rice is done and the milk really thickens to pudding stage.

Transfer them to display dish. Garnish with saffron and silvered almonds. Chill and serve.

Serve chilled, warm or at room temperature.