Phirini / Saffron Indian Rice Pudding … think spice, think SAFFRON!

PHIRINI/RICE PUDDING

Looks like it’s time again for ‘beyond baking’, and this time I’m hitting the saffron trail! This recipe has finally been typed and blogged thanks to Sunita’s World, who runs a really interesting spice event every month. I think it’s a pretty neat idea, and also a great learning experience. I missed the last few spices due to the ‘tension’ of trying to blog. I feel a little more confident now, and a bit more organised of course! Got a loooooooooooooong way to go, but am getting there.

Strands of Saffron…with the flowers of the Indian ‘Haar-Singaar’ tree

This months’ spice is ‘SAFFRON‘…the world’s most expensive spice by weight. I’ve just used a few strands, and they seem to work the magic. The recipe is for a creamy, delicious pudding/phirini made out of ground rice. A great vegetarian dessert option which can be set it in individual bowls too!! This is a recipe I have made over and over again, and is a firm favourite after dinner. A bowl of this was always reserved for a dear friend who LOVED it…but sans raisins. She is now in Babushka land for a while, and gets her bowl over the net!! The flavour of saffron is gentle and complements this dish beautifully. I make this with condensed milk too…another of my own recipes, which I will post another day.

Ingredients:

Rice – 3/4 cup (I use Basmati)
Milk – 1 1/2 litres (full cream/whole fat)
Cardamom – 5-6 (seeds ground in pestle & mortar)
Saffron strands – 1 pinch (soaked for 10 mins in 1 tbsp warm milk)
Raisins – ¼ cup (optional)
Almonds – ¼ cup
Sugar – ¾ cup (Start with ½ cup and increase if required)
Cream – ½ cup (optional for a GREATER tasting phirini /pudding)

Method:

• Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and peel them. Reserve for later.
• Wash the rice well, drain, and run in a blender with about 1 cup of cold milk.
• Mix this into the rest of the cold milk, and put to boil. Stir constantly, to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the vessel.
• Once it comes to a boil, add the cream if using, reduce to low heat, and cook for about 30-45 mins till the rice is cooked, and the pudding starts to thicken. Stir now and then…
• Meanwhile, crush the cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar to release their fragrance. Once done, add a few strands of saffron, and about 1 tbsp of warm milk (I took it out of the pan while cooking); grind gently, and then leave to soak. This enhances the flavour of the saffron.
• Once the rice is cooked, take off the heat. When this isn’t very hot, run the hand-blender through it. This will grind the rice completely, and thicken the pudding too.
• Put back on low heat. Add the saffron mixture, raisins and almonds, reserving some raisins and almonds for garnishing. Also add the sugar and adjust taste as required. At this point if you think the pudding is too thick, you can add some more milk.
• Take off heat, and allow to cool for 15-20mins. Turn either into 1 big serving bowl, or individual bowls. Garnish with almonds, raisins, saffron strands, beaten silver parchment (chaandi ka vark) etc.
• Chill well for 4-6 hours (or overnight) before serving.. (Keep covered with wrap/foil in fridge).

Note: Varieties of rice differ…one kind may have more starch than the other. If you want the pudding thicker (or if it doesn’t thicken enough), add a tsp of cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp of cold milk once the rice is cooked. Give it a rolling boil. Do remember though that the phirini/pudding will continue to thicken as it cools once done.

And yes, you guessed it! Am on the THINK PINK trail still…