Kashmiri Phirun Recipe

Ingredients:
Rice - 3/4 cup, cleaned
Milk - 5 cups
Green Cardamom - 4, crushed
Almonds - 3 1/4 tbsp, blanched, slivered
Saffron - a few strands
Sugar - 1 1/4 cups
Clay Bowls - 8, soaked in water
Sliver Leaf, for garnishing

Method:
1. Soak the rice in water for 4 hours.
2. Drain the water and let the rice dry.
3. Then either crumble it to grind coarsely for 10 seconds.
4. Heat the milk in a heavy bottomed pot.
5. Bring to a boil; add the rice, green cardamoms and almonds.
6. Stir frequently with a ladle.
7. Lower the flame and cook till the rice softens and the milk thickens.
8. Stir continuously to ensure that the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom.
9. Crush the saffron and soak in a few spoons of hot milk.
10. Add to the milk mixture followed by the sugar.
11. Stir for a few minutes and remove from the flame.
12. Remove the clay bowls from the water, and let them dry.
13. When the phirun is ready, serve in separate bowls.
14. Decorate with silver leaf (optional) and serve chilled.