Beginning my journey with a sweet dish - Kesar Rabdi

I couldn't think of a better way to start my  journey than by sharing a favourite sweet dish of all in my family and one of the easiest Indian desserts -

 Lachchedar Kesar Rabdi

Its a very simple recipe and can be made as easily by a first timer as by an experienced cook and makes enough for 3 to 4 people and that too with ingredients that are easily available at home. 

Ingredients

• Milk - 1.5 ltrs
• Sugar - 2 tbsp initially *+ 1.5 tbsp 
• Kesar or Saffron 1/2 tsp each**
• Elaichi or Cardamom - powdered or whole
• Ghee (Optional)
• Almond and Pista for garnish
• *Initially put less sugar than required. Adjust according to taste when done as it may become very sweet once the milk reduces. 
• **Before you begin, soak kesar or saffron in milk and after it has softened mash it with a spoon...brings out a lovely flavour.

Method

1. Take a heavy bottomed Kadhai and just rub it with a little ghee (its optional) 
2. Pour milk and add kesar and elaichi either both or any one one depending on the flavour you prefer.
3. Keep the milk to boil on slow flame. Each time you leave it for a couple of mins a top thin layer of cream is formed, simply keep shifting it to one side of the kadhai with a knife. Keep scraping the surface of the vessel to avoid milk from sticking and burning.
4. Once half done add sugar and let it cook till it reaches thickness as per your liking.
5. Taste and check the sweetness and add more sugar if required.
6. Garnish with almond n pista..have chilled or warm.

You can try some warm rabdi with hot chapatis or toasted bread. 

It can also be used in the Shahi Tukda recipe where bread is fried and soaked in sugar syrup. But if you dont want to make it so rich, simply toast the bread and pour some warm rabdi and garnish it with dry slivered nuts. 

Let it cool at room temperature if not consuming immediately and keep it in the fridge. Tastes best fresh (warm or chilled) and should be consumed within 2 days preferably.
Rasgullas soaked in chilled rabdi make for a great dessert if you have guests for dinner at your place. Can be prepared a day in advance too. Sugar quantity in rabdi should be reduced to half as rasgullas are very sweet already. 

Try it and do share your feedback.  Any suggestions for improvement are welcome too. 💜