How to make it
6 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Pour the milk into a wide, heavy-bottomed pan
Pour the milk into a wide, heavy-bottomed pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to low
Once it boils, reduce the heat to low. As a layer of cream (malai) forms on top, gently push it to the sides of the pan using a spatula.
Continue the process of simmering and pushing the cream
Continue the process of simmering and pushing the cream to the sides, stirring the bottom occasionally to prevent sticking, until the milk reduces to about one-third of its original volume.
40 minAdd the sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron strands
Add the sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron strands. Stir well and cook for another 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves.
5 minScrape all the collected cream from the sides of the pan back
Scrape all the collected cream from the sides of the pan back into the thickened milk. Mix gently.
Turn off the heat
Turn off the heat. Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios. Serve warm or chilled.
A little kitchen wisdom
Using a wide, heavy-bottomed pan (like a kadhai) speeds up the evaporation process. Be patient and keep the heat low to prevent the milk from burning at the bottom.
