Rabri

Rabri is an Indian and Pakistani sweet dish. Rabri is mostly made in north, central and western India. Basically rabri is thickened sweetened milk having layers of malai or sor or cream in it. It’s flavoured with cardamoms, saffron with the addition of dry fruits like almonds and pistachios. This version of rabri is called as Lachha Rabri in Hindi.

The preparation is easy but takes time. Milk is continuously simmered and evaporated on a low flame till it reaches a semi thick consistency. Rabri is usually prepared in a kadai as the broad shape of the kadai helps in evaporation of the milk faster .Preparing rabri is easy but you have to give it attention. There is no short cut method to this traditional recipe.
Rabri can be served warm or chilled. You can also serve rabri with Gulab Jamun, Jalebi, Malpua, Baked Rasgullas and Falooda. Rabri tastes good with pooris too. For the multipurpose use and taste of it, Rabri stands out as the best dessert for me.

Ingredients:
• Full cream milk – 2 litre
• Sugar – 4 tbsp or as per taste
• Cardamoms – ½ tsp powder
• Saffron strands -15 ,crushed
• Rose water – 1 tsp
• Almonds – 15 – 20
• Pistachios – 50 gm (optional)
Method:
1. Take 2 litre full cream milk in a thick bottomed kadai .Heat the milk on a low to medium flame, till the milk starts to froth or form a layer of malai on top.
2. When you will see the malai floating on top, then with a spatula, gently move the cream layer. Bring it towards the side of the pan and stick it to the pan.
3. Keep simmering the milk and collect the cream layer on the sides.
4. Meanwhile soak almonds and pistachios in hot water for 20 minutes, and then remove their peels.
5. Slice or chop them and keep aside. Do keep a check on the simmering milk when soaking as well as slicing the almonds, pistachios.
6. This process of collecting the cream layer has to be done many times. Continuous simmering of the milk will bring the cream on top and you have to bring and stick it to the sides. In between also stir the milk gently on occasions, so that the milk does not get burnt from the bottom. If you do too much stirring then you won’t get layers of cream in the rabri
7. Once the milk reduces to half, add 4 tbsp sugar or as per taste.
8. Stir gently after adding saffron, cardamom powder. After adding saffron, a gradual change of colour to yellow happens, as the milk keeps on reducing.
9. Continue collecting the malai and bringing it to the sides of the pan, also do stir the milk gently after you bring the cream towards the sides of the pan. To prevent milk from getting browned or burnt from the bottom, you have to stir the milk continuously.
10. When the milk gets reduced to 1/3 of its original quantity, switch off the flame.
11. The cream layer will be collected on the sides’.
12. Stir gently, add the sliced almonds and pistachios and 1 tsp rose water .Stir gently again.
13. Garnish with some whole almonds and serve rabri hot or warm.

Chakum Chukum got featured in a Bengali-English Durga Puja Special e-magazine +Jhaal Muri
Check the e-magazine here: http://www.jhaalmuricorner.com/jhaalmuripuja2015.html