Kulfi is an Indian style frozen dessert which is eggless and gluten free, but this kulfi is special as it has aroma of Indian Spices and kick of ginger in every single bite. It takes a while to prepare chai kulfi but I guarantee it is worth every single micro second you will spend in the kitchen.
I have been missing in action from Facebook for a while. I wrote and discarded this Chai Kulfi post five times. It took me two days to finish the styling and photographing Chai Kulfi – in a nutshell, this was not my best week.
Every artist goes through highs and lows, it’s quite common. In my long break, I painted some surfaces, shopped for props in antique market, browsed into Pinterest for hours and finally I was ready to photograph something this week.
Every single person I met says, it’s important to take break. Well, I agree; but it’s extremely difficult to come back from break. When I was styling my shot on Saturday, I was nervous and shaky. All my prop drawers were cracked open, about fifty plates and bowls were sitting on my living room floor. My husband kept saying “How can you create so much mess for 800 calories food.” But he knows me, he knows how messy I am when I am working.
I did not sketch my set, I did not look at Pinterest – I just went with the flow and kept photographing. It started at 10:30 am and I was done by 4:30, so you can imagine how long did it take for me.
When I started to prepare these chai kulfis, the milk curdled. So I sent Matt to get milk from whole foods and it started after he came back. After a long day, when I took a bite of my chai kulfi at 7 pm, with a utter shock I found out that I did not add much sugar. So I rang the phone to ma who suggested I make some syrups for it.
It was quite late so I did not bother doing anything that day.
Sunday we went for shopping pretty much whole day and Monday we got busy. Today, finally I got some time and I decided to make some syrup and let Matt have some kulfi.
The basil syrup was perfect for this kulfi!!
Since my childhood, I am a birthday shy person. I never celebrated birthdays with my friends. We never had a cake – but mom always prepared 8-9 kind of dishes, sweets and ice-cream (must) for me. I never share my birth date at Facebook and only a very few wishes me on my birthday (I feel quite blessed for that). So I request you to not comment “Happy Birthday” on this post or my Facebook post, please!
As ma always prepared some frozen desserts for my birthdays, it became a tradition to celebrate my birthday with frozen dessert. This Chai Kulfi has a perfect amount of spices, a very little sweetness and a very kick of ginger. But don’t forget to add the basil syrup which brings the best out of this dish.
One last thing I would like to mention for my non-Indian friends, Kulfi is an eggless, gluten free frozen Indian dessert. While researching and reading a dozens of articles about Kulfi in the internet, I found that there are several methods of making Kulfi, however I have simmered the milk for hours and made it the way mom does. It was not easy for me to overlook that caramelized flavor which comes from simmering the milk. If you’re preparing Kulfi for the first time, I strongly recommend you do that.
Before I speak more crap, let wrap this post up with some pictures and the recipe!
Recipe for Chai Kulfi and Basil Syrup
1/2 gallon (2 liters) whole milk (*Highlawn brand is preferred)
1 piece (2 inch) ginger
1 piece (1 inch) cinnamon sticks
5-6 green cardamom pods
5-6 black cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoon darjeeling tea (decaffeinated is also allowed)
1 cup water
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons tarbinado sugar (or granulated sugar)
1 tablespoon fennel, roasted and ground
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoon shelled roasted pistachio, chopped (1 tablespoon for garnishes)
- In a non-stick sauce pan, over high heat, heat the milk. When it starts to boil, reduce the temperature to medium-low and simmer for about 2 hours 30 minutes or more to reduce it to 1/3rd of the original quantity stirring occasionally.
Tips: You don’t need to stand in the kitchen for 3 hours or so, do something else but don’t forget to stir occasionally otherwise milk will burn at bottom.
2. Meanwhile in a mortar pestle add ginger, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, black cloves, nutmeg, black peppercorns. Crush them until it forms a nice smooth paste.
3. In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 cup water, ginger and spice paste, tea. When it starts to boil, add milk, sugar. Simmer it until tea starts to boil. After that close the flame and take it aside and let the tea steep until the milk is ready.
4. Chai Mixture should be cooled down completely before adding to the thickened condensed milk (which you’ve prepared) in step 1. Strain it before adding to the condensed milk.
5. In a mixing bowl, add condensed milk, stained chai, ground fennel, ground ginger and 2 tablespoons chopped pistachio. With a spoon mix it well and transfer it to a Popsicle or Kulfi mold.
It’a hard to find traditional Kulfi mold in States, alternatively you can use these from Amazon which are quite good.
Let it freeze 6-8 hours before serving.
Basil Syrup:
1 cup water
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Lemon zest from 1 lemon
4-6 fresh basil leaves
6 green cardamom pods
6 black cloves
- In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, heat water, sugar, lemon zest, basil leaves, cardamom, cloves. Cook it for 8 to 10 minutes or until it reduces to the half.
- Transfer it to a bowl and chill it in refrigerator.
Replacement of Fresh Basil: Saffron
How to serve Kulfi?
In a plate, take the kulfis out of the mold. Cut them into pieces, drizzle some sryup, sprinkle some chopped pistachio and serve it like that.
The kulfi looks awesome.
You spent so much time photographing kulfi thats sooo much pain with a frozen dessert.
Love blue and pink theme and ur approach to chai in anything 🙂
Loooved reading the post…i felt I was talking to you. Well I hear you, some days are not as productive and you run a blank. I agree…! I think this is beautiful and I do not see why you do not like it, in fact the one with blue plate is my favorite.
You have told us not to wish you…but you did not say – no Hugs :)) So big hug !! Stay blessed <3
Awesome recipe and gorgeous clicks.
Amazing photos Dolphi kudos to your patience, I am always in a hurry to photograph. I always make something in a whim and the rest of the family have no patient to wait for long!, I make kiulfi the same way, I like the traditional method. Basil syrup is very interesting I would love to give that a try.
Lovely photos…and very innovative Kulfi….
As it is, I am a fan of your photography and unique recipes…May God bless you with everything you want in life. …????
Lovely recipe and a nice write up Dolphia. Your pictures are beautiful as always. Enjoy your break while you have it.
The photographs are really great!! Great Job
Awesome styling Doly.
Not a fan of chai, but a huge fan of kulfis. I’m definitely going to try your recipe as soon as I’m back. Great story telling as always, Your posts are immensely enjoyable to read.
The Chai kulfi sounds really yummy! I think I lean more towards the basil syrup which can be a versatile syrup to use in different kinds of desserts. The flavor sounds so refreshing! The pink peonies complemented the boards :).
You’ve already wished and you have right to wish! <3 Love and hugs
I am a big fan of Kulfi and this looks too good .I am going to try it soon but as you said it is hard to find the molds.Thanks for the suggestion for them.I loved reading the post and pictures are stunning Dolphia.Stay happy.Cheers!