Rabri (Clotted Cream in Condensed Milk)

Necessity is the mother of all inventions or in my case all new recipes! Debarshi and I keep going back and forth on the low carb high fat diet. This really helps us to keep our weight in check. The downside, I continuously have to try new recipes because most of the recipes I know are high on carbs. Dessert after a delicious meal is a must in our home and I frequently prepare Chocolate Ganache. However, a few months back I realized that I have to come up with another option before Debarshi says, ‘I am bored of eating Ganache!’. So, I decided to try Rabri. This sweet creamy dessert is prepared by simmering milk and separating the creamy layers (Malai). Those layers are pushed to stick at the sides of the pot. This process is repeated till all you are left with is a little condensed milk. At this stage all the collected cream is added back which by this time has clotted making the dish deliciously rich. I asked my mom for the recipe and tried it. It turned out so good that I decided to try it again. Only this time I added my own twist in it. Instead of using only whole milk, I decided to add some Heavy Cream as well. This created a thick custard/ ice cream like texture and it turned out super delicious!

I may have tried this recipe just a month back but Rabri and I go a long way back. Rabri is a traditional Indian dessert. It is often served in weddings, festivals and other special occasions. I read somewhere that Rabri can be prepared using a variety of flavors. I have not tried any flavors yet but I will continue my experiments and whenever they do succeed, will share it. In my hometown (Allahabad), we have a local and old market place - Lok Nath Gali. Located in the bustling part of Chowk this particular street has many shops who make Rabri from scratch everyday.  Every evening you will see liters of milk getting reduced in huge woks to delicious creamy Rabri. It is available at all sweet shops plus at the Lassi and Jalebi shops. Ah! A glass of cool lassi topped with Rabri is absolutely divine! The good news is, now you don’t have to crave for that sweet flavor. With this recipe you can prepare mouth watering Rabri at home whenever you want. I say, be your own Rabri wala!

Eating Rabri is a delightful experience. The thick creamy layers dipped in condensed milk are so tempting that you wont be able to stop. I have never met anyone who doesn’t like eating Rabri. So do savor every spoon and relish the taste. If you have ever had Rabri before (in India), I do hope this recipe brings back all those sweet memories back to you.

Rabri is also the best way to use up dairy products right before going for another grocery run. I actually prefer to use up all the milk and cream before buying new packs and Rabri is the best way to do that. However, please make sure not to use any expired products.

Rabri is not incredibly sweet so be cautious while adding sugar. Because of its high fat content, Rabri also makes an ideal dessert for our Keto diet. The dish gets its natural sweetness from the milk and heavy cream. If you prefer adding Truvia add just a little (1-2 packets) for a hint of extra sweetness. I also add some green cardamom powder in it because it infuses a beautiful aromatic flavor which instantly lifts our senses. You can also add rose water or saffron. The nuts are added to bring a delightful texture in the Rabri. Remember, without a little something to chew on, this will just be a creamy pudding so do not skip the nuts. 

If your kids have sweet tooth, then this is also a very good option for them. Homemade dishes are a great way to ensure that we are not compromising on the quality of food. Have guests coming over? No problem. This sweet creamy and rich dessert is perfect to serve after a special meal. I love that it is prepared only with a few ingredients and tastes totally out of the world! Making Rabri is easy but a time consuming process and so I recommend maintaining an even low heat. This ensures that the milk does not stick/ burn. The milk should continuously simmer and reduce till it reaches a thick consistency. I wish there was a shortcut to this process but there isn’t. So, my suggestion is to start the Rabri as soon as you start prepping the lunch or dinner. That will give an early start to the Rabri and by the time you have finished cooking, it will be ready. If you feel that you may get absent minded, then set timers. I prefer to prepare it in the afternoon. This gives it ample time to cool down and chill. Then I serve it for dinner and voila! Delicious Rabri every time.

Please try this recipe and post in the comments section how it turned out. Any ideas/ feedback/ suggestions are always welcome.

Ingredients:

• Whole Milk - 2 cups 
• Heavy Cream - 2 cups 
• Sugar – 1 to 2 teaspoons (or 1-2 packets of Truvia) 
• Green Cardamoms – 3- 4, powdered or crushed in Mortar Pestle (skins removed)
• Handful of chopped nuts of your choice (I used walnuts and raisins)

Optional toppings: Rose Water/ Saffron

Directions:

• Pour the Milk and Heavy Cream in a wide big non-stick pot.
• Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure the bottom layer hasn’t burned.
• Soon you will see a layer of cream forming on the milk. Let it thicken a bit.
• Push the cream layer towards the sides of the pot away from the center. Stir the milk lightly scraping the bottom of the pot.

• Keep repeating the above step, till the milk reduces to half. Now add the Sugar. Keep in mind Rabri is not insanely sweet.
• Keep repeating the cream collection process till only about ¼ of the original quantity of milk is left (here 1 cup). Add the Cardamom Powder (or Rose Water/ Saffron). At this stage, the milk will be in a condensed form and its color will change to beige-cream.

• Now scrape the layers of cream which were collected on the sides of the pan and mix them gently in the condensed milk.

• Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish.

• Garnish with nuts.

• Chill and serve.

Tips:

• You may double the recipe but it will take longer to cook.
• Use a wide deep non stick pot. A big deep pot ensures that the milk does not boils out. Wide pot will reduce the milk faster. Non stick pot will prevent the milk from sticking on the bottom.
• If you have to step out while the Rabri is cooking, switch off the heat and allow it to cool. Then cover the pot and place it in the fridge. When you are ready to cook again, just collect all the cream in a serving bowl and start again.
• Mistakes happen. If you accidentally mix all the collected cream in the milk while it is reducing, switch off the heat and allow it to cool. This will bring a thick layer of cream on top. Just transfer that layer to a serving bowl and start again.

Recipe Courtesy: Mamma

Other Indian Desserts you may like:

• Chaler Payesh (Bengali style Rice Pudding)
• Allahabadi Fruit Cream
• Gobindobhog Chal diye Patali Gurer Payesh (Bengali Rice Pudding with Date Palm Jaggery)
• Moong Dal ka Halwa (Indian Yellow Lentils Dessert)
• Sevai ki Kheer (Semai Payesh / Vermicelli Pudding)
• Dry Fruit Laddu (Mamma’s homemade sweets with dry fruits)
• Gujiya (Crispy Flaky Indian Sweet Dumpling stuffed with Milk Solids and Nuts)
• Gajar ka Halwa (Indian Carrot Dessert)