Method

• Wash and soak rice in water for about 1 hr.
• Dissolve saffron strands in 2 tbsp of warm milk and keep aside.
• Make a fine powder of pistachios, almond and cardamom in a mixer. Set aside till required.
• Drain soaked rice in a colander and pat it dry on an absorbent kitchen towel.
• Blend rice in a mixer to a coarse powder. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Add ½ a cup of milk (at room temperature) to the powdered rice and mix well to make a paste. Keep aside.
• Boil remaining milk in a heavy-bottomed pan, reduce the heat to low once the milk starts bubbling.
• Stir in the rice paste, saffron mixture and dry fruits powder.
• Keep stirring frequently until the pudding starts to thicken.
• Now add sugar. At this stage, it is always better to taste phirni and adjust the amount of sugar accordingly. Once all the sugar has dissolved and rice is cooked through, the pudding is ready.
• Turn off the heat, let the phirni cool down for some time. Stir it every once in a while to prevent a thick layer from forming on the top.
• Once the phirni has cooled down, pour it into an earthenware bowl. Refrigerate it for at least 1 hr before serving.
• Serve this yummy summer dessert chilled garnished with chopped nuts and saffron strands.