Badam Phirni

Every once in a while , the sweet cravings kick in . Sometimes you have the privilege of time and leisure to indulge in it. Or sometimes a quick stroll down 2 blocks brings you to a street with 3 Mithai Stores ( Yayyyyyy) . But sometimes a lovely sweet treat is just at hand. You have soaked some rice for dinner and are in the kitchen for another 15 minutes. All you need is to sneak out a bit of the soaked rice and get to work. This simple yet delectable sweet is so easy to make.

B for Badam Phirni.
1 litre milk
1/4 cup raw rice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
12 pieces almonds , blanched and coarsely crushed.
1 pinch of kesar

Wash and soak the rice for an hour. Then drain and
allow to dry slightly. Using 1/2 cup water grind the
rice to a coarse paste. In a heavy bottomed pan ,
Bring the milk to a boil. Add the wet rice paste to the milk ,
lower heat and cook for about 15 minutes , stirring frequently
so that the rice doesnt form lumps ans stick to the bottom of the pan.
Add sugar and cardamom powder . Cook till the rice is soft and mushy.
Add the crushed almonds , and take off the heat.

Crush or soak the kesar in 2 spoons of hot milk. Add to the phirni.
Serve hot or cold .

P.S: I have been rescued once at a dinner party , where till 6.30 I had not figured out what I was going to serve for pudding. A nick into the soaking rice , came up with a cupful , ground and into some boiling milk. Voila. There was a dessert , just around the corner!