Phirni

This is an excellent summer sweet – cool for Pittas, wet for Vatas and usually light enough for Kaphas to digest. When the outside feels like 90 °F, this will comfort you on the inside. It's easy to make and delicious.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice
• Organic 2% milk or organic full-cream milk
• Organic evaporated cane sugar
• Blanched chopped organic almonds
• Crushed, ground cardamom

Directions

1. The night before, soak the rice in water, after washing it. Rice, like lentils or dahl, should always be washed before using.
2. Submerge the rice in water and, with your fingers, mix the rice in the water, so that it does not clump.
3. Drain the water by cupping your hand and letting the water drain through it. Do this at least 3 times. 
4. Then submerge the rice in the water, covering it about 1-2". You will use about ½ cup of rice per 1 liter of milk.
5. The next day, blend the rice and water in a blender to a semi-fine consistency. It should not be very fine. Set aside.
6. Boil the milk in a high-sided, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat. Bring to a boil at least 3-4 times, quickly, and reduce heat each time.
7. Take a little of this milk in a bowl and add the blended rice to it and mix. This is done so that the rice does not form clumps in the milk.
8. Once mixed, add this mixture to the still-boiling milk on low heat, stirring all the time.
9. Bring back to medium-high heat. As the rice cooks, the milk will start thickening. 
10. At this point, add sugar and turn off the heat. Usually about 2 tablespoons of sugar per cup of milk is sufficient.
11. Keep stirring this, even after the heat has been turned off, to avoid clumps.
12. Stop stirring when this mixture reaches close to room temperature.
13. Serve in individual bowls, sprinkle ground cardamom on top and the almonds and cool, in the refrigerator.

I try very hard to make a large batch of this and have small bowls in the fridge, which I cover with saran wrap. But, no matter how much I make, it is usually gone within 24 hours! This is an excellent summer sweet — cool for Pittas, wet for Vatas and usually light enough for Kaphas to digest. When the outside feels like 90 °F, this will comfort you on the inside. Enjoy! 

The Influence of Tastes 

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