rinse ¼ cup basmati rice a couple of times in water. drain and let them dry on their own or wipe the grains dry. grind the rice in a dry grinder or coffee grinder, till the consistency resembles Sooji or Rava or fine semolina. Keep aside.
Heat 1 litre milk in a sauce pan or kadai till it begins to boil.
Whilst the milk is heating, take one tbsp of warm milk in a small bowl and dissolve 12-15 saffron strands in it.
When the milk begins boiling, add the ground rice. Stir.
Next add ¾ to 1 cup sugar or as required and stir again.
Cook the rice on a low flame. keep on stirring in breaks so that lumps are not formed. Also, scrape the sides often and add it to the simmering milk. Below pic is 7 mins after adding sugar.
The milk will thicken as the phirni is getting cooked. The consistency in the next 6 mins.
When the rice is almost cooked, add the cardamom powder (6-7 green cardamom crushed and powdered in mortar-pestle), the saffron dissolved milk and 16-18 blanched sliced almonds.
Cook firni for a further 5-6 minutes or till you get a creamy pudding like consistency. However keep in mind that On cooling the phirni will thicken more. I cooked for a total of about 25 mins after the rice was added, on a low flame. Pour rice phirni in serving bowls. Sprinkle some sliced almonds on the top.
Cover the phirni bowls with lids or aluminum foil. When they cool down, keep them in the fridge.
Phirni is always eaten cold. so you have to wait sometime to enjoy this delicious sweet pudding. once they are set and are chilled, Serve the phirni bowls with a garnish of rose petals.
