Rabdi Recipe
Rabdi recipe featuring slow-reduced full-fat milk, layered with thick cream flakes (malai), and flavored with saffron, cardamom, and crunchy nuts.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 500 ml Full-fat Milk it is better to use Buffalo milk which has more malai
- 3-4 tbsp Sugar adjust to taste
- 8-10 strands of Saffron wet in 1 tbsp warm milk
Spices and Flavourings
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder freshly ground
- 1 tbsp Almonds slivered
- 1 tbsp Pistachios slivered
- ½ tsp Rose water optional
Instructions
- Add the full-fat milk to a wide and heavy-bottomed kadai or pan. Heat the milk on medium heat and stir at intervals to prevent scalding the bottom.
- When the milk begins to boil, turn the flame to a low level. A layer of cream (malai) forms on the surface, and a spatula is used to push it towards the sides of the pan to attach it to the rim.
- Repeat the procedure of boiling and pushing the layers of the cream to the sides. Stir the middle of the milk periodically to make sure that it does not get stuck on the bottom.
- Continue simmering until the milk has been boiled down about one-third of its initial amount and the liquid thickens and loses its original dark yellow or pale cream color.
- Combine the sugar and the milk infused with saffron. Stir thoroughly between 2-3 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely.
- You can now remove all the layers of cream you have scraped off using the spatula on the sides of the pan to the thick milk again. These are the lachhas or the flakes that make rabdi its flavor.
- Add 1/2 of the chopped nuts and cardamom powder. Stir it lightly and turn off the heat. The cooling of the rabdi will also increase in thickness. Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
- Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pan to increase surface area for faster cream formation and to prevent the milk from burning.
- Buffalo milk is highly recommended for this recipe as its high fat content produces much thicker and more abundant malai layers.
- Avoid stirring the milk too vigorously; gentle movements are necessary to allow the cream to settle on the surface undisturbed.