Nimish

Ok yes, I admit it- here we have yet another creamy flavoured dessert.  I am on a bit of a roll with these lately- and guess what!  There will surely be more.  This one is an Indian-inspired recipe made famous by Rick Stein in his TV series Rick Stein's India.  I am a big fan of flowery notes like rosewater and lavender, (I know not everyone is as keen, as it reminds them of their grandmother's facepowder)  and I love how saffron gives such a gorgeous yellow colour with a tangy undertone.  I thought Rick was being a bit cautious about leaving it overnight in the fridge, but it does allow the flavours and colours to develop most wonderfully.
It has been a very sad week in the Pickings household with one of my oldest and dearest friends passing away unexpectedly. I am still reeling, but it is a comforting thing to have a cherished memento sitting on my desk.  She was a very spiritual person, always seeking the answer to the purpose of life.  She spent quite a lot of time in India, seeking spiritual fulfillment.  I hope she has now found the answer.  I picture her at the feet of some guru thumbing her nose at the rest of us, saying, "ha ha I know what it is all about now, suckers!"  I am going to savour this rich and creamy sweet, and contemplate my navel for a while.  And I wish my dear friend all the love and peace in the world.

Ingredients:

100mls milk
pinch of saffron threads- very generous- and not saffron powder or the fake stuff
450mls thickened cream
50g icing sugar or icing mixture
1 tsp rosewater
pistachios and organic dried rosebuds to decorate

Method:

Warm the milk gently in a small saucepan; do not boil- you want it just a bit more than lukewarm
Add the saffron threads to the warmed milk and let steep for 20 minutes
Whip the cream while you wait for the milk to cool down.  Don't go crazy here-  you want very soft peaks; make sure not to overwhip
Sift in the icing sugar
Add the rosewater and the cooled saffron milk (with the saffron threads still in it)
Whisk it all together for a minute or 2 till it is smooth and softly peaked and a lovely creamy-yellow colour
Leave in the fridge for at least 8 hours but overnight is better
When you are going to eat it, sprinkle some chopped pistachios and rosebud petals over the top

(And for something different, I think orange blossom water could ring a nice change next time.)

(photo by Saeed Akhtar-public domain)

(stock image)

Luba's plate from Turkey sitting on my desk as I write