Cardamom & Pistachio Kulfi

Step 1

Open each green cardamom pod by placing it on the cutting board and pressing down firmly with the flat side of a knife until the shell cracks open.

Step 2

Remove the small black seeds from inside the cardamom pods and discard the green shells.

Step 3

Crush the cardamom seeds into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle, grinding for about 30 seconds until fragrant and no large pieces remain.

Step 4

Roughly chop the pistachios into pieces about the size of small peas, then finely mince half of those pieces until they are powdery; keep the chopped and minced pieces separate.

Step 5

Pour the heavy cream into a large bowl and whisk for 3 to 4 minutes until soft peaks form (when you lift the whisk, the cream holds a shape but the tip curls over).

Step 6

Add the sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, ground cardamom, minced pistachio powder, rose water, and salt to the whipped cream in the bowl.

Step 7

Fold the ingredients together using a rubber spatula by lifting the cream from the bottom and gently turning it over the top mixture; rotate the bowl and repeat for about 1 minute until no streaks remain and the mixture is uniform.

Step 8

Divide the mixture evenly among 4 kulfi molds or small cups (or use 4 small yogurt containers), filling each to about 0.5 inch below the rim.

Step 9

Sprinkle the remaining chopped pistachios on the surface of each mold, dividing equally.

Step 10

Cover each mold with a small piece of plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then insert a wooden stick (or ice cream stick) through the center of each if using traditional molds.

Step 11

Place all molds on a flat surface in the freezer and freeze for at least 8 hours or until solid, checking by tapping the side (a solid kulfi will not move when you tap it).

Step 12

To serve, dip the outside of each mold briefly (2 to 3 seconds) into room-temperature water, then push from the bottom to unmold the kulfi onto a plate, or eat it straight from the cup if using containers.