Kashmiri Dessert||PHIRIN /PHIRNI - Semolina Milk pudding

Phirin or Phirni is a dessert commonly made in kashmir and it is one of the dessert which you would find in every indian cuisine with little variations. Its so simple to make and very filling. No festive at my home goes without this dessert. There are different types of Firin today I will post the simpler version made out of semolina/sooji and dry fruits.

INGREDIENTS:

1 litre full fat milk

1  big cup sooji/semolina

1 1/2cups sugar

2 cardamoms crushed fine to powder

100 grams almonds(peeled and chopped)

100 grams cashew(chopped)

50 grams raisins/kishmish

1 tbsp white poppy seeds/khash khash

METHOD :

Bring the milk to boil in a thick bottomed vessel. Once it has got its first boil let it simmer for 10 minutes so the milk is little thickened. Once the milk is little bit reduced add in the sugar and stir well with a spatula until the sugar is completely dissolved. Next add in the crushed cardamom seeds powder and all the dry fruits,stir and let it boil for few minutes. Then add in the sooji slowly in one hand and on the other hand keep stirring the milk with spatula avoiding lumps. Once the sooji is completely added check for its smoothness and dissolve any lump formed with spatula and keep stirring for few more minutes. Check for sweetness if you feel like adding more sugar then you can add and stir until it's completely dissolved. Switch off the flame and let it cool a bit. Once it's warm transfer it into serving bowl and sprinkle poppy seeds on top and let it cool down completely and then place it in refrigerator and serve it chilled.

Yummy creamy Phirin is ready !!!  

Note:

You can also add few strands of saffron to give some color. 

TIP:

you can serve the phirin in mud bowls for creamy Earthy flavour.

Halwa

Very few desserts are there in menu of Kashmir cuisine. Phirin( semolina milk pudding) and halwa( semolina sweet) are most commonly made at home. Today I will share halwa recipe. You will find stalls near dargahs in Kashmir selling halwa with big huge pooris. Visitors always take a parcel and enjoy either in gardens or at home.

Ingredients:
1 cup sooji/ semolina
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup ghee
One small handful of cashews
2 green cardamom
Few strands of saffron
Few drops orange/yellow color

Method:
Take a pan add in 1 tbsp ghee and add in sooji and dry roast the sooji in low flame for 5 minutes then transfer it into a bowl and let it cool. In the same pan bring 2 cups of water to boil add in 1 cup of sugar to it and color and safrron. Let it all dissolve and then switch off. Now in a pan heat 1 tbsp ghee and fry cashews until golden and take them out in a plate.  In the same pan add the roasted sooji and mix well. Pour in the sugar syrup water slowly into this stirring continuously avoiding any lumps. The water will be absorbed quickly. Add in few more teaspoons of ghee. Stir well add crushed cardamom and fried cashews and keep stirring. Once all the halwa is thick and soft switch off. Transfer it into a plate and garnish with more nuts. Serve hot or cold.