Glazed phirni with Scottish strawberries compôte
Phirni is a lovely sweet Indian pudding made with ground rice, and served here with berry compôte in a cardamom snap basket.
Ingredients
For the phirni
- 30 almonds
- 15–18 pistachios
- 1 litre/1¾ pint full-fat milk
- 130²µ/4½´Ç³ú basmati rice or long grain rice, dry grinder or coffee grinder until the consistency resembles fine semolina (or you can use ground rice)
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú caster sugar, plus extra to serve
- vanilla extract, to taste
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú unsalted butter
For the berry compôte
- 500g/1lb 2oz strawberries, hulled and halved
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 1 lemon, zest only
- freshly ground black pepper
For the cardamom basket
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú unsalted butter
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú brown sugar
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú golden syrup
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú plain flour
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- vegetable oil, for greasing
Method
Pour hot boiling water into a small bowl.ÌýAdd the almonds and pistachios and cover the bowl. Soak the nuts for 30 minutes, and then drain and peel the nuts. Slice into batons.
Heat the milk in a thick-bottomed pan until it reaches the boil. Lower the heat and add the ground rice. Stir and add the sugar. Cook on a medium-low heat. Keep stirring or it will become lumpy. Do not cover the pan. When the rice is almost cooked, add the nuts (reserve some for garnish), the vanilla extract, double cream and butter. Stir and cook for a further 5–6 minutes or more, or until the phirni thickens and the rice granules are softened and cooked completely.
Pour the phirni into four serving bowls. Cover the bowls tightly with a lid or secure firmly with aluminium foil. Leave to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate the phirni for about 4 hours or more.
To make the berry compôte,place two-thirds of the fruit into a large pan with 2–3 tablespoons of water, the sugar and the lemon zest. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 2 minutes. Don't overcook, or the fruit will not hold its shape. Fold in the remaining third of uncooked fruit and add 8 turns of the black pepper mill to the strawberries. Mix well. Serve right away or the compôte can keep in the fridge for up to 2 days (or in the freezer for up to 3 months.)
To make the cardamom baskets, preheat the oven to 180C/160 Fan/Gas 4 and line two baking trays with baking parchment (or a silicon mat)
Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter and sugar have melted. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the ground cardamom. Make a well in the centre and pour in the butter mixture. Gradually beat it into the flour until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
Use a teaspoon to dollop 2 heaped teaspoons on the prepared baking trays. Space them well apart as they will spread – ideally 3 per normal size domestic oven tray. Bake in batches for 8–10 minutes, or until set, golden-brown and lacy in appearance. Do not allow the baskets to go too dark as they will taste bitter. Leave for a minute before shaping – the snaps should still be pliable but set enough to move without tearing.
To shape the baskets, oil the base of small ramekins or narrow tumblers and drape the biscuits over them. Leave them to set. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Serve the phirni once cooled. Sprinkle with the sugar and brown the top using a cook's blow torch or under a hot grill. Garnish with the reserved nuts. Serve the compôte on the side in a cardamom snap basket.
