Kulfi is one of the most popular traditional Indian ice-creams that are available in many flavors based on the main ingredients they are made of like to name a few malai (cream), mango, kesar (saffron) and the one made with Pistachios is called Pista Kulfi.
Pista Kulfi is a favorite in my home along with Malai Kulfi so I thought of sharing it first. Given an option to choose between different flavors, pista kulfi is always a winner.
Unlike regular ice-cream, kulfi is more solid and dense as there is no whipping involved. Traditionally Kulfi is made by slow cooking (i.e. boil and simmer) the milk to reduce (to half) thus thicken it. The cream layer formed by boiling milk also known as malai is scraped and added back to the milk as it gives great grainy texture and taste.
Mom adds some cornstarch to the milk to help the thickening process and some cream for richness, which I follow. For sweetener, sugar alone can do the job but I love the flavor, richness and creaminess given by condensed milk to the kulfi so I add both sugar and condensed milk. Last but not least generous amount of crushed or ground pistachios are added along with cardamom powder to get the signature Pista kulfi.
When you say Pista Kulfi, a green color ice-cream is what the mind pictures (as that’s how I have seen it while growing up). So I add a few drops of green food color, but that is completely optional and doesn’t change the taste if you opt not to.
Once this reduced milk mixture cools you freeze it in moulds of choice like a popsicle mould (I used This Popsicle Mould
- 3 cups of milk (using whole milk)
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- 15-20 pistachios roughly chopped
- ¾ can of condensed milk (using 14 oz can)
- 2-3 drops of green food coloring (optional)
- In a heavy bottomed pot add milk, cornstarch and sugar. Give it a good mix so that there are no lumps.
- On medium low heat get this mixture to a boil.
- Then add the cream, cardamon powder and pistachios and mix again.
- Bring this to a boil and keep simmering while stirring intermittently to avoid the milk from sticking to the pot.
- While the milk simmers, make sure to mix the layer of cream that comes on top and also scrape the sides.
- Once you remove the cream layer another will form in some time.
- Keep repeating steps 5 and 6 till the milk mixture reduces almost to half and thickens.
- Next add the condensed milk and green food color. Mix well
- Switch off the flame and let it cool completely.
- Once completely cool, fill in the moulds of choice and refrigerate for 6-8 hours
- For serving, just hold the moulds under running water for 10 seconds or so and the kulfi should slide out easily.
- Wait no more,enjoy!
Step by Step instructions :
In a heavy bottomed pot add milk, cornstarch and sugar. Give it a good mix so that there are no lumps. On medium low heat get this mixture to a boil. Then add the cream, cardamon powder and pistachios and mix again.
Bring this to a boil and keep simmering while stirring intermittently to avoid the milk from sticking to the pot.While the milk simmers, make sure to mix the layer of cream that comes on top and also scrape the sides. Once you remove the cream layer another will form in some time.Keep doing this till the milk looks till the mixture reduces almost to half and thickens.
Switch off the flame and let it cool completely. Once completely cool, fill in the moulds of choice and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. For serving, just hold the moulds under running water for 10 seconds or so and the kulfi should slide out easily.Wait no more,enjoy!
That’s it, our creamy, rich, dense and delicious Pista Kulfi is ready! Enjoy!
Happy Cooking!
Shweta
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