Elaichi Kulfi / Green Cardamom Flavoured Indian Popsicle

What can you do when your 3 year old follows you everywhere?? Even to the loo??? He stands in the corner quietly and hands you over the tissue paper?? What should one do when as the day passes the pressure feels heavier and you keep on standing and continue to do your job countless cups of black coffee??? 

Well...on those days a scoop of gelato or ice cream saves me. And if I happen to have some kulfis in my freezer...I know I will go to sleep tonight peacefully. This elaichi kulfi is pretty basic and not a lot of hard work. Simmer the milk on a very low flame so that the milk can never burn, and you will not to have to do anything else. The favours are very simple and not at all fancy. The kulfi can be pulled off anytime with simple pantry ingredients. And sometimes life demands simple, unglorified things to cherish forgotten moments. 

Elaichi kulfi / Green Cardamom flavoured Indian Creamsickles

Makes 12 kulfis

Ingredients :

1 litres of milk

250gm of white sugar

6-7 green cardamoms - pound them in a mortar and pestle to a fine powder and discard the skin.

A handful of almonds - roughly pounded to a coarse powder

A few almonds slives to garnish

Method:

Pour the milk in a pot, big enough to hold double the quantity of milk.

Switch the flame to low.

Let the milk come to a rolling boil.

Stir and simmer until it comes to another boil.

Now add the sugar and stir to combine.

Simmer on very low for about an hour or untik the milk becomes 1/4 th of it's original quantity. Stir often to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Because of cooking the milk and sugar for a long time, the milk will turn a little brownish in colour and it will have a caramel or toffee like taste. Much like the dulce de leche but subtle.

Let it cool down to room temperature.

If you want a smooth consistency you can give it a blend in the blender. 

Add the ground green cardamom powder.

Pour them inside the kulfi moulds.

Screw the lid and leave inside the freezer for 2 hours.

After two hours take them out and mix in the ground almonds. If you do not wait for the kukfi to thicken enough, the almonds will all sink to the bottom of the mould.

Freeze for at least 6-8 hours or preferably overnight.

Leave them outside in the room temperature for abput 10 minutes before taking them out if the moulds, 

Use a butter knife to slide them outside.

Cut the kulfis into slices.

Sprinkle slivered almonds on top of them.

Serve immediately.