Firni
For making firni, I have
used Gobindobhog Rice, which is a typical flavourful short grain rice from Bengal,
and we mainly use Gobindobhog rice for making Kheer / Payesh. Using almond
flour is an option and you can skip this step totally. I got this idea from a
cooking show and this almond flour really enhances the flavour to the next
stage. Even the quality of milk is vital for making firni as well. By rule or
recipe...you can use any kind of milk. But I highly recommend using good quality
whole milk, or otherwise it’s very hard to get that desired creamy texture.
Ground the soaked rice to a coarse powder. |
Ground the cashew buts and almonds until they turn into powder. |
The nuts should be of this texture. Do not grind too mush or else they will start to release oil. |
In a bowl take the ground rice, ground nuts and some milk. |
Mix to make a paste. |
Simmer the milk until it is reduced to half of its quantity. Add the saffron strands. |
Add the green cardamom powder and ghee. |
Add the ground rice and ground nut paste. Stir continuously and cook until the rice is almost cooked. |
Add the sugar and mix them well. |
Simmer until the rice is cooked and the consistency of the firni reaches a thick and creamy consistency. |
Firni
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 litres of whole milk
¼ cup of gobindobhog /
basmati rice
A handful of cashew nuts
A handful of peeled almonds
3 green cardamoms
1 tbsp pure desi ghee
¼ cup or more sugar
10-12 saffron strands
Method:
Dry roast the green
cardamom for some seconds and then peel of their skin. Take the seeds and grind
them using a mortar and pestle. Keep aside.
Wash and soak the rice in
water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes grind the rice in a grinder to a fine
coarse powder. It should not be too fine. Transfer this coarse rice to a bowl.
In the same grinder put the cashew and almonds and grind them to a fine powder.
Transfer them to the same bowl along with the rice. Add ¼ cup of the whole milk
and mix them well. Keep aside.
Pour the rest of the milk
in a heavy bottomed saucepan and put it on low simmer.
Stir the milk often and
scrap the sides and the bottom of the pan.
Simmer on low for 30-45
minutes, or until the milk is reduced to the half of its previous quantity.
Add the ghee, saffron and
the green cardamom powder.
Add the ground rice and
nuts paste to the reduced milk and stir to mix.
Stir this mixture on a
continuous basis, as the rice and nuts paste can stick to the bottom of the pan
very easily. Scrap the bottom and the sides of the pan as well.
Stir and cook on low flame
in this way until the rice is almost cooked.
Add the sugar as per taste
and stir to mix.
After the addition of
sugar the firni will lose the consistency a little.
Continue simmering and
stirring until the rice is cooked.
Taste and adjust the
sweetness.
Switch off the flame and
put the firni into individual clay pots / bhanr.
Cover them with a foil to
avoid the formation of the thick skin on top of the firni.
Let them cool down to room
temperature and pop them inside the fridge for a good 4-6 hours.
Serve chilled with chopped
pistachios, almonds and saffron on top of them.
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