Spring arrived in Los Angeles with heavy, cold rain. In India it rained too, but in full color, as revelers doused each other with colored waters and bright powders. This is the way the spring festival Holi is celebrated.
The merrymaking can sometimes get too rowdy, and when I was in India during Holi, I was told to stay in my hotel.
A better part of the holiday is eating sweets. In Calcutta, my base one Holi, these would be the famous Bengali milk sweets. Daily, I would ransack the sweet shops, starting at breakfast. And one time I ate delicious firni, a milky rice pudding, in an Islamic restaurant there.
Firni is softer than other rice puddings, because the rice is broken into bits before it is cooked. I found a recipe that tells how to do this in “The N.I.A.W. Cookbook,” put out by the National Indian Association of Women in Calcutta.
Ira Chakravarti, who edited the cookbook, provided the recipe. She calls for pulao rice, for which you can use either basmati or jasmine rice. Firni is easy to make but does require patience, as you have to stir the mixture constantly until thickened, which can take quite some time.
Mrs. Chakravarti's firni is strongly flavored with rose water, but you can reduce the amount for a more subtle taste. I've decreased the sugar too, because her pudding is intensely sweet. She suggests topping it with pistachios and raisins. You could just as well use slivered almonds and dried cranberries or cherries.
I like firni at room temperature. It's also delicious cold, which means you're safe making it ahead of time for a party.
FIRNI
Adapted from "The N.I.A.W. Cookbook"
1/4 cup basmati or jasmine rice
½ cup water
1 quart whole milk
½ cup sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons rose water
2 tablespoons pistachios, crushed
2 tablespoons raisins
Rinse the rice, then soak it in the water for at least 1 hour. Drain the soaked rice, reserving the water. Place it on a work surface or in a heavy mortar and crush it with a rolling pin or pestle until broken into crumbs.
Place the soaking liquid and milk in a 2-quart saucepan and add the rice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly and boil gently, stirring, until the rice is cooked and the mixture starts to thicken. Add the sugar a third at a time, and stir until dissolved.
Continue to boil gently, stirring, until the mixture is thickened but still fluid enough to pour. The total cooking time can be 40 minutes or longer, and you must stir constantly so that the mixture doesn't stick to the pan. Remove from the heat and stir in as much rose water as desired.
Pour the firni into 6 individual serving dishes or one large bowl. Sprinkle the surface with the pistachios and raisins. Cool to room temperature before serving.
Makes 6 servings.
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