Kesari Thandai Rabdi
A rich creamy dessert prepared with thickened milk, flavoured with home made Thandai Mix powder or thick paste and saffron , laced with silver leaf and garnished with saffron strands, slivered pistachio nuts ,almonds, lightly toasted fennel, melon and pepita seeds and edible dried rose petals.
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Prep time
20mins -
Cooking time
90mins -
Serves
4people
Ingredients
| Full cream milk- | 5 cup/s |
| Sugar- | 60 gram (g) |
| Saffron strands, steeped in 1/4th cup of warm milk | 2 pinch |
| Pistachio nuts, lightly roasted and chopped / slivered- | 15 gram (g) |
| Almonds, lightly roasted and slivered- | 15 gram (g) |
| For the Flavoring: Thandai Mix powder or thick paste, prepared at home- | 60 gram (g) |
| For the Applying: Silver leaf- | 1 piece/s |
| For the Garnishing: Saffron strands ,steeped in 1 tbsp. lukewarm milk- | 1 pinch |
| For the Garnishing: Fennel seeds, lightly toasted- | 2 teaspoon/s (tsp) |
| For the Garnishing: Pistachio nuts, lightly roasted and chopped / slivered- | 10 gram (g) |
| For the Garnishing: Almonds, lightly roasted and slivered- | 10 gram (g) |
| Rose petals, dried and edible- | 1 teaspoon/s (tsp) |
| For the Covering of the Earthenware pots: Muslin cloth, food grade- | 1 piece/s |
Method
In a heavy bottomed non-stick pan, add milk, bring to a boil.
Simmer over low flame / heat.
Add the steeped saffron.
Do not stir too often, as a layer of cream should form over it.
After the layer is formed, keep pushing it away from the sides towards the center with the help of a wooden spatula
Keep stirring the milk below it gently to avoid scorching / burning.
Repeat the process till 1/3 rd of the volume of milk is left.
Add sugar.
The wider the vessel and the richer the milk, the faster it will thicken.
When done, the color changes to a beige-cream / off white, and the cream that was pushed aside, collect in layers. Add the nuts.
Remove from the flame. Add the thandai mix powder or paste and mix well.
Let it cool.
Transfer to earthenware pots.
Cover and tie the top of the earthenware top with a muslin cloth
Refrigerate to chill for at least for 03 hours.
For the Serving:
Serve chilled laced with silver leaf and garnished with saffron strands, slivered pistachio nuts, almonds, lightly toasted fennel, melon and pepita seeds and edible dried rose petals.
Chef Tips:
1. Make sure that the milk does not burn as, then it is next to impossible to rectify the burnt milk.
2. You may add a few drops of natural screw pine water / Rose water when the Rabri is done.
Note
Story of the Broken Earthenware Pot: With Holi just around the corner, I prepared Kesari Thandai Rabdi. Wanted to style it in the earthenware pot my husband got few days back. To my surprise it was chipped ,I felt disheartened. Reminded me of Kintsugi, which is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold built on the idea that in embracing flaws & imperfections, one can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. Styled Kesari Thandai Rabdi in it.
