PHIRNI WITH HONEY, ORANGE & SAFFRON SYRUP

from May's cookbook club pick: Indian Kitchens by Roopa Gulati

Indian Kitchens: Treasured family recipes from across the land by Roopa Gulati is out now. Recipe photography by Yuki Sugiura (Bloomsbury Publishing, Hardback, £26)

May’s cookbook club choice is Indian Kitchens by Roopa Gulati. Roopa has generously shared with us three recipes from the book and this is one of those.

Head here to find out how to join in with the digital discussion group for the book

This creamy, ground rice pudding is spiced with sweet cardamom and scented with rose water and is best served very cold, straight from the fridge. It’s often presented unadorned as a simple family dessert, butraisins, extra nuts, and glistening silver leaf can be added for special occasions. The credit for the orange and saffron syrup here goes to my dear friend and cookery writer, Diana Henry – it’s a beauty.

SERVES 8

FOR THE PHIRNI

8 green cardamom pods, seeds removed

90g caster sugar

1 litre whole milk

75g ground rice

100ml double cream

1 tsp rose water, or to taste

FOR THE SYRUP

100g runny honey

juice of 1 orange

pinch of saffron strands, soaked in 1 tbsp of hot water for 1 hour, to taste

In a mortar, using the pestle, grind the cardamom seeds with 1 teaspoon of the sugar to a coarse powder. Leave to one side.

Heat the milk and ground cardamom seeds in a heavy-based casserole on a medium heat.

When the milk comes to the simmer, whisk in the ground rice and continue whisking until it returns to the boil and thickens.

Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often until the rice loses its raw taste. Add the remaining sugar andcook, still stirring, for about 10 minutes, until it has a coating consistency.

Stir in the cream and simmer for 3–4 minutes, then turn off the heat and add just enough rose water for a light and floral flavour.

Spoon the phirni equally into 8 ramekins and cover, while still hot, with a baking tray, then leave to cool. Chill for 2–3 hours, orovernight if you have time.

For the syrup, heat the honey and orange juice in a small pan on a medium–low heat for 10 minutes, until the honey thickens and the syrupy bubbles become bigger. Take the pan off the heat and stir in just enough saffron and its soaking water to lend a delicate flavour, then leave the syrup to cool.

The syrup should now be a coating consistency – if it’s too thick, add a spoonful of hot water to let it down. Drizzle a little syrup overeach ramekin before serving.