Summer is the time of enjoying chilled desserts after meals. May be you are short of time at the end of a long day but this sweet dish will compel you to spend some time in kitchen to enjoy a delicious treat that will cool you down and make you feel rejuvenated. You can prepare it and refrigerate for two to three days.

Shahi phirni is a milk based sweet delicacy that is made with coarsely ground rice and lots of dry fruits. Saffron and rose water are added to enhance the flavour. The texture is extremely creamy-rich. This milk dessert owes its origin to the Mughlai cuisine. Though this royal sweet dish is served and loved in almost all parts of India, it is a famous delicacy and specialty of Punjab region. When you visit this region, you will see from every roadside dhaba to big and famous restaurants serving this dish with great pride.

Shahi phirni is very much like the simple Indian kheer prepared with milk and rice. The difference is only that in kheer whole rice is used but in phirni crushed rice is used. The shahi dish is best served after a lavish meal. It has a cooling effect on the stomach and the rest of the body which is helpful especially in summer when we feel really hot due to the subtle energy that controls metabolism.

Phirni can be served hot or chilled. But its actual taste can be relished only when it is served chilled in a clay pot or an earthen bowl. Clay pot infuses it with the earthy flavour and it also gives an authentic feel. However, you can use your regular serving bowls too.

Serves: 4-6

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

Full cream milk: 1 litre

Basmati rice: 1 handful

Sugar: 8 tbsp

Almonds: 12

Cashews: 12

Pistachios: 12

Raisins: 20

Rose water: 2 tsp

Saffron strands: 10-12

Method

Wash rice and soak in water for an hour. After an hour drain the water and coarsely grind the soaked rice in a food processor to turn it into a grainy consistency. Soak almonds for three to four hours. Peel and chop them. Chop cashews and pistachios also and keep aside separately. Soak saffron strands in little milk for an hour. Take a thick bottom deep pan. Add milk to it and give a boil on high flame. Take out one cup of hot-boiling milk and add coarsely ground rice paste into it. Mix well. Add this mixture to the simmering milk stirring continuously on low flame so that no lumps are formed. If you find some lumps, run a handy mixer twice or thrice just to break the lumps and give it a smooth consistency. Add chopped almonds and cashews. Mix well stirring it. Cook it for 45 minutes stirring occasionally. It will become almost half in quantity. Then add rose water, soaked and crushed saffron strands and sugar. Give a good stir. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off flame. Add raisins and mix well.Turn it to a big bowl and let it cool at room temperature.Once it cools down, transfer it into small clay bowls and let it set for half an hour.

Garnish with chopped pistachios and refrigerate for four to five hours. Serve chilled.

Enjoy this festive Indian dessert infused with delicate flavours, dry fruits and saffron. Try making it in your own kitchen and give a sweet surprise to your family with your culinary skills.

Tips to make perfect phirni

Use only full cream milk to give the phirni a perfect creamy texture.

Use only basmati rice to give the dish the perfect royal flavour.

Add rose water and saffron strands of high-quality to give the phirni a tempting natural aroma.

Cook the dessert in a heavy bottom pan.

Keep the rice mixture a bit grainy.

Add cashews and almonds while cooking the dessert to take the sweet dish to another level of deliciousness.

Soak the saffron strands in little warm milk for an hour and crush it slightly to make it release its best colour and flavour.

After cooling phirni, pour it into clay bowls, garnish each bowl with chopped pistachios and refrigerate. It will help in infusing the earthen flavour more strongly and giving the dish the perfect authentic favour.

To avoid the lumps follow the step of mixing rice paste in one cup of boiled and hot milk first and then mixing it into the rest of the boiling milk.