Rabri, A Condensed Milk Dessert from North India
Rabri
Mamta Gupta
This is a delicious, old fashioned dessert from my part of India, the north/central. It is easy to make. Rabri can be made as Fruit Rabri, simply add chopped fruits of choice. Soft and sweet fruits like mangoes are better for adding to the Rabri, It can be used just like custard with many other desserts.
The top picture shows the Rabri with Saffron, hence the yellow colour. Serves 6
Ingredients
2 litre full cream milk
200 gm. sugar or as needed (diabetics can use sugar free sweeteners or reduce amount of sugar)
4 green cardamom seeds, powdered (or use 1 level tsp. cardamom powder)
5-6 threads of Saffron or 6-8 drops of Kevra (screw pine) or Rose essence (adjust to taste)
Instructions
Bring the milk to boil in a heavy bottomed pan. I make it either in a pressure cooker base or a heavy, non-stick wok or in a slow cooker. Slow cooker is the easiest, because you don't have to keep stirring it. But a slow cooker gets the least authentic, rough, Rabri texture.
Once the milk is boiling, turn heat down to keep it simmering gently, forming milk skin on top and sides of the pan. Stir it frequently, to stop it from boiling over or sticking to the pan and burn.
Keep scrapping down the sides and bottom of the pan with a flat spatula, to get any milk skin that sticks to the side/bottom back into the milk. It is the layers of this skin formed during the boiling process and the scrapping from the side of the wok/pan that give a Rabri it’s traditional rough texture. Using a 'milk watcher', a small disc that stops milk from boiling over, is also very useful here.
When it is reduced to custard like consistency, almost 1/3rd, turn the heat off.
Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
Add the Saffron threads or Kewra/rose essence, 2/3rd of the Pistachio or other nuts and cardamom seed powder. Mix.
Allow to cool completely.
Transfer to a serving bowl.
Garish with remaining chopped nuts.
Serve chilled on its own or with fruits or Falooda.+
Notes
Making it in a slow cooker is the easiest, because then you don't have to keep stirring it.
