Monday 4 July 2011

Kulfi Ice Cream


Kulfi Ice Cream


Like most kids, we loved spending time at our grandparents’ place. We were closer to our maternal side than paternal grandparents. My maternal grandfather used to work in the railways and lived in the railway quarters. Like many quarters, this one was buzzing with people almost all the time as there was always someone coming off shift. The most exciting part of our stay there was in the night time as that is when a kulfi ice vendor would come. He would come on a tricycle with a big metal pot in which he would keep the ice cream and would have put ice cubes and water surrounding the pot and insulate it with red cloth. He would them remove them from the mould and slice them and sell on banana leaf. I could never get enough of them but was always restricted as my parents feared we will catch a cold. To tell you the truth, I may not buy kulfi from such a vendor now fearing hygiene (I had no data to say they are unhygienic but it is just my fear) and make a fuss about it but back then, I never knew about all these and ignorance was bliss. I am glad I did not fuss then and enjoyed those yummy kulfi.

Apart from bringing back lovely memories, it is now extra special because this is the 200th recipe on my blog. What a journey it has been; so much learning, so many successes and so many failures in my kitchen; so many people I reach out to. Although my husband prefers to have ‘usual’ dishes and does not really like to have my experiments for a meal, he has been quite supportive by tasting almost everything I make and criticising it. My mother is not just a good cook but she does things in a jiffy and I have kept her as my benchmark for that. My grandmother shares loads of ideas especially traditional recipes of those days. My brother is quite critical about my whole blog itself but my sister-in-law tries recipes from it and once he says it is good, reveals it is from my blog. If one has got to do more than the routine chores and everyday duties, there has to be support and encouragement. I sincerely hope I will be given the strength and energy to achieve more milestones.

Anyway, here is the recipe...

1 tin sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3-4 tablespoons chopped nuts (pistachios, cashew, almonds)
1 pinch saffron

Heat the milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan until it reduces to about 75% and remember to stir every now and then

Add the condensed milk and mix well and simmer for about 15 minutes so it thickens and also add the saffron and nuts and simmer for few more minutes. I used couple of spoons of milk to wash down the condensed milk tin as well.

Cool completely, pour into moulds of your choice and freeze for atleast 12 hours.

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