Phirni

Ingredients

• 50 g basmati rice
• 1 litre whole milk
• 100 g sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground green cardamom
• 15 saffron strands
• 1 tbsp warm milk, for the saffron
• 12 almonds, blanched and slivered
• 12 pistachios, slivered
• 2 tsp rose water

Before you cook

• Rinse the rice twice, then drain it and spread it on a tray to dry for 30 minutes.
• Grind the dry rice to a coarse, semolina-like texture.
• Steep the saffron in the tablespoon of warm milk.

Steps

1. Pour the milk into a heavy pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring so it does not catch.
2. Lower the heat and sprinkle in the ground rice in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
3. Cook on low heat for 18 minutes, stirring every minute, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
4. Stir in the sugar and cook for 5 minutes more.
5. Add the ground cardamom, saffron milk and half the nuts.
6. Cook for a final 3 minutes until the phirni drops thickly from the spoon.
7. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the rose water.
8. Divide the phirni between small earthenware bowls or ramekins.
9. Leave the bowls to cool to room temperature for 30 minutes.
10. Chill them in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
11. Scatter the remaining nuts over the top just before serving.