rabdi or rabri recipe details below:
rabdi or rabri recipe
prep time
cook time
total time
rabri recipe - a traditional indian sweet of thickened sweetened milk with layers of cream. also known as lachha rabri in hindi.
author: dassana
recipe type: dessert, sweets
cuisine: north indian
serves: 3-4
ingredients (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
- 1.25 litres full fat whole milk, 5 cups
- 2.5 to 3 tbsp sugar or add as required
- 5 to 6 cardamoms, crushed or ½ tsp cardamom powder
- 12 to 15 saffron strands, crushed
- 1 tsp rose water or kewra water/pandanus extract
- 2 tbsp almonds and 2 tbsp pistachios, blanched & sliced
how to make the recipe:
- take 5 cups or 1.25 litres of full fat whole milk in a thick bottomed kadai or pan & begun to heat the milk on a low to medium flame, till the milk starts to froth or form a layer of cream/malai on top.
- so when you will see the cream floating on top, then with a spatula, gently move the cream layer.
- bring it towards the side of the pan and stick it to the pan.
- keep on simmering the milk like this and collecting the cream layer on the sides.
- meanwhile soak almonds and pistachios in hot water for 30 minutes. then remove their peels.
- slice or chop them and keep aside. do keep a check on the simmering milk when soaking as well as slicing the almonds, pistachios.
- this process of collecting the cream layer has to be done many times. continuous simmering of the milk will bring the cream on top and you have to bring & stick it to the sides. in between also stir the milk gently on occasions, so that the milk does not get burnt from the bottom. if you do too much of stirring and if quickly, then you won't get the layers of cream in the rabri. you can also just thicken and scrape the milk solids from the sides like i have done for shahi tukda rabdi. but in this case you won't get the layers of cream or malai in the rabri. but both versions taste good.
- once the milk reduces to half, then add 2.5 to 3 tbsp sugar. you can add sugar as per your taste.
- then add a 12 to 15 strands of crushed saffron and ½ tsp cardamom powder. stir gently.
- continue collecting the cream and bringing it to the sides of the pan. also do stir the milk gently after you bring the cream towards the sides of the pan. if you don't stir the milk then there is a possibility of the milk getting browned or burnt from the bottom.
- after adding saffron, the color will change gradually to a yellow color as the milk keeps on reducing.
- when the milk gets reduced to ⅓ or ¼ of its original quantity, then switch off the flame. it took me about 1 hour 15 minutes on a low flame initially and medium flame towards the latter stage.
- the cream layer will be collected on the sides. scrape off the entire cream layer as well as dried milk solids and add to in the thickened milk.
- stir gently. then add the sliced almonds & pistachios and 1 tsp rose water or kewra water. stir gently again.
- garnish with some sliced almonds and serve rabri hot or warm or chilled.
lets start step by step rabdi or rabri recipe:
1. take 5 cups or 1.25 litres of full fat whole milk in a kadai & begun to heat the milk on a low to medium flame, till the milk starts to froth or form a layer of cream/malai on top.
2. so when you will see the cream floating on top, then with a spatula, gently move the cream layer.
3. and bring it towards the side of the pan and stick it to the pan.
4. keep on simmering the milk like this and collecting the cream layer on the sides and sticking it to the pan.
5. meanwhile soak almonds and pistachios in hot water for 30 minutes. then remove their peels.
6. slice or chop them and keep aside. do keep a check on the simmering milk when soaking as well as slicing the almonds, pistachios. you can even use either almonds or pistachios.
7. this process of collecting the cream has to be done many times. continuous simmering of the milk will bring the cream on top and you have to bring & stick it to the sides. in between also stir the milk gently on occasions, so that the milk does not get burnt from the bottom.
if you do too much of stirring and if quickly, then you won’t get the layers of cream in the rabri. you can also just thicken and scrape the milk solids from the sides like i have done for shahi tukda rabri. but in this case you won’t get the layers of cream or malai in the rabdi. but both versions taste good.
8. here the milk has reduced to half about 30 minutes later. and you will see the layers of cream collected on the sides has thickened also.
9. once the milk reduces to half, then add 2.5 to 3 tbsp sugar. you can add sugar as per your taste.
10. then add a 15 to 18 strands of saffron, which have been crushed and ½ tsp cardamom powder. stir gently.
11. continue collecting the cream and bringing it to the sides of the pan. also do stir the milk gently after you bring the cream towards the sides of the pan. if you don’t stir the milk then there is a possibility of the milk getting browned or burnt from the bottom. after adding saffron, the color will change gradually to a yellow color as the milk keeps on reducing.
12. here the milk has got reduced to ⅓ of its original quantity. you can even reduce the milk to ¼ of its original volume. switch off the flame. it took me about 1 hour 15 minutes on a low flame initially and medium flame towards the latter stage.
13. the cream layer will be collected on the sides.
14. scrape off the entire cream layer as well as dried milk solids and add to the thickened milk.
15. stir gently.
16. then add the sliced almonds & pistachios and 1 tsp rose water or kewra water (pandanus extract). stir gently again. reserve a few dry fruits for garnish.
17. then garnish rabri with some sliced almonds, pistachios, crushed saffron and serve rabri hot or warm or chilled.
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