“Malai ka Baraf libeeee didiji”! There was a little girl who used to wait for those lines coming from a mobile vendor having a big handi covered with red cloth and filled with “Malai ka Baraf” as he called the “Kulfi”, the famous Indian milk-based Ice cream loaded with nuts and flavored with saffron! Back in the late 90s, in the summer evening, Kulfiwala’s or Mallai ka Baraf-walas were quite famous in Kolkata! To get rid of the summer heat; the curse of power cut Kulfi was like heaven to her. She used to request her mother for two rupees each day and her mom started negotiating for half an hour extra study time! The girl was clever enough and was aware that it is priceless if compared to the extra study time.
Coming back to the evening of 2016, that girl, now fully grown and a mother herself missed those days and eventually ended on making Kulfi at home. She tries to recreate that creamy, Pista loaded cardamom flavored Indian Ice cream to cater herself and her little munchkin and her partner ended on having it virtually over Skype.
So let me now get back to the first person from the third person and share further details. So it is not only the Malai ka Baraf”-wala but there were and still today famous places for Kulfi in Kolkata. I used to visit Rally’s with my parents to grab a plate full of Kulphi with rose syrup and Falua Sev. Apart from that, having it in marriage receptions were also fun and each time I used to ended on having more than one like a shameless! It is such a thing I just can’t resist myself.
Coming to the recipe, I prefer to use loads of Khoya or Mawa while making Kulfi; greater the amount of Khowa, creamer the Kulfi is. Apart from that, other ingredients are common; Sugar, nuts, Keora water, Saffron and some rice Flour which I consider the magic ingredient for making perfect Kulfi. Rice Flour gives the body to the delicacy. For garnishing, I have opted for only Rose syrup this time.
- Full Cream Milk: 500 ml
- Khowa / Mawa / Solidified Milk: 500 g
- Rice Flour: 3 Tbsp.
- Pistachios: 15-20
- Almond: 10
- Saffron Strand: few
- Green Cardamom: 3
- Keora Water: 2-3 drops
- Sugar: 8 Tbsp.
- Chop Almond and Pistachios and keep those aside.
- Grate Khowa / solidified milk and grate it and keep aside.
- Now take mil in a deep bottom pan and start boiling it in medium flame.
- Keep 4-5 Tbsp. of milk separated and mix Rice flour with the milk and mix vigorously so that no lump formed.
- Keep boiling remaining milk until that reduced to half.
- Now mix rice flour mixture with the milk and mix that well using a spatula.
- Add grated Khowa and mix it properly with the milk.
- Keep cooking over medium flame.
- At this point mix chopped Almond and Pistachios and after mixing properly add sugar to the mixture.
- Now add Crushed Green Cardamom, crushed saffron and Keora water to the mixture and keep mixing everything.
- Boiling the milk, the color of Khowa and Saffron will give the mixture a natural creamy yellow color.
- Now switch the flame off and using a ladle fill molds with the mixture.
- seal the top either with a cap or with aluminum foil.
- Fridge Kulfi in the deep fridge for 2-3 hours or until set completely.
- Using a spoon or knife de-mold Kulfi and serve it after sprinkling some Rose syrup and Faluda Sev (if available).
Chilled delicacies apart from Kulfi from Debjanir Rannaghar:
Do try the Mango Mastani or Rum and Raisin Ice Cream or Strawberry Lemonade or Banoffee Panna Cotta with Cherry Compote.
