Rabdi (Rabri) is a traditional Indian dessert recipe in which milk is simmered on low heat until it reduces to a thick and creamy consistency. It is flavored with saffron, cardamom, and nuts. This rabdi dessert can be served alone or with gulab jamun, jalebi, shahi tukda, malpua, rasmalai, or even poori.
What is rabdi?
Rabdi is a classic and easiest Indian sweet recipe made by simmering full-fat milk on low flame until it reduces to half or one-third of its original volume. The milk is stirred continuously and scraped along the sides during this process, which creates malai (cream). Traditionally rabri is flavored with cardamom, saffron, rose and nuts and served warm or chilled on clay pots. This sweet is also similar to basundi.
These days to speed up the process, condensed milk, ricotta cheese, heavy cream etc are used to make rabdi. But believe me nothing can beat the rabdi made with slow cooking process. Every bite is packed with a depth of flavor.
Rabdi sweet is made during weddings, special occasions, and festivals like Diwali and Eid. Check out 100 + Indian sweets and traditional Diwali sweets recipes.
Ingredients
Milk: For best results, full-fat or whole milk is preferred. This will make your rabdi rich and creamy.
Cashews: Adds great flavor and texture.
Sugar: Adjust to taste.
Cardamom: Flavoring used.
Saffron: Traditional flavor and color.
Check out the recipe card for the full list of the ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
- Add cardamom and sugar in a mixie jar or blender and blend to smooth powder.
- To this, add cashews, saffron, and 4 tablespoon milk and blend it to a smooth paste.
- Add the remaining milk and cashew paste and mix well in a pot or pan on a medium flame.
- Simmer and let it reduce to half or one-third for a thicker rabdi. Keep stirring and, scrape the sides, and put it back into the mixture. This will make your rabdi more creamy and thick.
- The total process may take about 30 to 35 minutes. Switch off the flame.
- Serve this warm, garnished with nuts, or let it cool completely and then refrigerate. Serve chilled.
Tips
- Instead of cashews, you can use soaked and peeled almonds, condensed milk, or heavy cream.
- For best results, use whole milk or full-fat milk.
- To avoid burnt flavor, keep stirring and scraping the sides during the process, which will create a creamy layer.
Serving suggestions
- Serve rabri warm or chilled, garnished with nuts in glass jars.
- Rabri is served during festivals with desserts like jalebi, malpua, gulab jamun, shahi tukda, etc. Rabdi gulab jamun and rabdi jalebi are the popular ones.
- Once the rabdi cools down completely, you can add mango puree or strawberry puree for a refreshing twist.
- For a rabri falooda, add faluda noodles on a serving plate and top it with rabdi and rose syrup.
- For a sweet and savory combo, rabri is also served with poori and plain paratha (chapati).
Recipe FAQs
Rabdi is a traditional North Indian sweet recipe made with full-fat milk, sugar, cardamom, saffron, and nuts.
Both basundi and rabri are Indian milk-based sweet recipes. Basundi has a thinner and smoother consistency and is served as a drinkable dessert, while rabdi is thicker and richer and is served as a dessert or as a topping for other sweets.
Milk-based Indian desserts
Recipe card
Rabdi Recipe | Rabri
Equipment
- Pan or Pot
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon Sugar
- 3 to 4 Cardamom pods
- 20 Cashews
- 15 to 20 Saffron strands kesar
- 4 cups Milk divided 1 litre
Instructions
How to make rabri?
- Add cardamom and sugar in a mixie jar or blender and blend to smooth powder.4 tablespoon Sugar, 3 to 4 Cardamom pods
- To this, add cashews, saffron, and 4 tablespoon milk and blend it to a smooth paste.20 Cashews, 15 to 20 Saffron strands kesar
- Add the remaining milk and cashew paste and mix well in a pot or pan on a medium flame.4 cups Milk divided
- Simmer and let it reduce to half or one-third for a thicker rabdi. Keep stirring and, scrape the sides, and put it back into the mixture. This will make your rabdi more creamy and thick.
- The total process may take about 30 to 35 minutes. Switch off the flame.
- Serve this warm, garnished with nuts, or let it cool completely and then refrigerate. Serve chilled.
Video
Notes
- Instead of cashews, you can use soaked and peeled almonds, condensed milk, or heavy cream.
- For best results, use whole milk or full-fat milk.
- To avoid burnt flavor, keep stirring and scraping the sides during the process, which will create a creamy layer.
Nutrition
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