For me ‘Firni’ or ‘Phirni’ is the most comforting dessert. The name ‘Matka’ suggests that it needs to be served in clay pot serving dishes to infuse it with the earthy flavor. You can cook the dessert in any kind of heavy bottom pan. There is another version of a firni that my sister-in-law Asifa prepares. She is also an expert in making the most appetizing biryani and also finds pleasure in baking cakes and cookies. While preparing firni she likes to keep the ground rice mixture a bit grainy and this tastes equally amazing. She also adds chopped almonds while cooking the dessert which takes the firni to another level of perfection. Now you can very well guess looking at my cooking talents as I am surrounded by the best cooks in my family.
I have some lovely memories attached to this dessert, going down the memory lane when I had the most authentic and delectable firni made by my dearest Ishrath. She is an amazing cook and whatever she prepares is just so delicious. She had served us with this dessert which was chilled and served in small clay bowls like the ones shown in the picture. Her idea was to grind the rice as smoothly as possible such that we should not be able to feel the rice grains after grinding it. The proportion of the rice to the quantity of milk is the secret for the right consistency. It is through her I got to learn how to make a perfect firni.
You can also check my old recipe post of Traditional Rice Kheer which I call ‘old fashioned’ because I have not used any shortcuts as people normally do by using condensed milk but the milk is slowly cooked and reduced in a traditional way. I also have a Mango version of a rice kheer called Mango Rice Kheer which I prepare during the mango season.
Matka Kesar Firni ~ Rice Pudding ~ Phirni
Matka Kesar Firni is a traditional slow-cooked milk dessert with ground rice, flavored with rose and cardamom. Most refreshing dessert any time of the year.
Ingredients
- 1 liter fresh and full-fat milk
- ¼ cup basmati rice
- ¾ cup sugar
- 5 green cardamom
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- ¼ teaspoon saffron strands
- ¼ cup chopped nuts for garnishing
Instructions
- Soak the saffron strands in 2 tablespoons of warm water and crush them slightly to release the color and flavor.
- Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes. Grind the rice into a smooth paste with very little water (3 or 4 tablespoons or as required).
- You can either grind to a smooth paste or leave it a bit grainy as per your taste.
- Heat the milk along with cardamom on low flame till it starts to boil. Add the rice paste and keep cooking while stirring constantly.
- After 45 minutes the milk will be reduced and thickened, at this stage add sugar, soaked saffron with water, and rose water.
- Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or till the dessert thickens and sugar dissolves completely.
- Once you get the desired thickness, turn off the heat and let it cool for some time. Pour into the clay pot or small clay bowls to infuse the earthy flavor from the clay pot.
- Refrigerate the dessert for 4 to 5 hours.
- Garnish with nuts and serve chilled.
If you have any queries regarding the recipe, do mention it in the comments section and I shall get back to you.
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