ACK 10.15: Kulfi

Kulfi

Indian ice cream

Until the advent of refrigeration, kulfi was made only by kulfi wallas (professional kulfi makers). Now, however, anyone can make kulfi in his own home. In our temples, we often make it as a special treat for Lord Krsna. Kulfi is the devotee's ice cream because ordinary ice cream often contains eggs. Kulfi is harder than ice cream, so transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator two or three hours before serving to let it soften.

Preparation and cooking time: 1 hr 15 min
Freezing time: 2 hrs

2 tablespoon rice flour
4 tablespoon ground pistachio nuts
10 cups (2.3 liters) whole milk
1 tablespoon rose-water
2/3 cup (125 g) sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Mix the rice flour and 4 tablespoons of the milk in a bowl to make a smooth batter; then set aside. Boil the rest of the milk and cook it down for 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until it reduces to no more than two thirds of its original volume. Now stir the rice flour mixture into the milk along with the ground pistachio nuts and sugar. Boil for another 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat.

Flavor the mixture with rose-water and ground cardamom. Cool it to room temperature; then pour it into forms and put it in the freezer. Every 20-30 minutes, stir the kulfi to break up the crystals that form. When it becomes too thick to stir, leave it to freeze solid. Serve individual portions of kulfi on small chilled plates.

For a variation, try flavoring kulfi with chicory, carob powder, vanilla, ground hazelnuts or cashews, or crushed berries.

An easy way to make Western ice cream is to combine 6 cups (1.4 liters) of well-chilled liquid cream, 1 cup (200 g) of sugar, and some flavoring in an electric blender. Blend for just a few seconds until the mixture thickens to the consistency of whipped cream and the blades run freely. Scrape the mixture into cups and freeze. (If you don't have a blender, you can whip the mixture by hand).