How to make Malai Kulfi Recipe | Indian Malai Ice Cream

Malai Kulfi recipe with step by step photo and recipe video in Hindi. Malai Kulfi is our Indian version of ice cream also known as Malai Ice cream, and of course, one of the most celebrated Indian desserts.

There are hundreds of variants of kulfi, but this is the basic recipe. I am showing the classic recipe today, you can add your favorite fruit, nuts, even chocolate to customize it.

I have also made some more kulfi recipe such as Mango kulfi and icecream recipe corn rasgulla recipe. Also you can check some dessert recipes such as Bread Rasmalai, Fruit Custard pudding, Nariyal ki barfi, Kesaria Meetha chaawal and Mitha dalia

Circa Childhood, late evenings and at the height of homework stress, I would hear the sound of a bell and a call, “Malai Baraf” past bicycle bells, and car horns. And not as every day, but often, would my parents/guardians kindly allow me to answer to that call… and I would run to the window and shout out… “Aye Malai Baraf”! A grumpy man would appear at my window, with a red cloth covered luggage atop his head, from where he took out the silver colored metal containers, from which came out the meaning of my happiness, a block of Malai Kulfi, or Malai Baraf, which he cut into round slices, and served on sal-leaf cutouts. It was not only children’s treat; everybody at our home would order the rich, creamy dessert, which was incredibly cheap in price.

Kulfi is an ancient recipe, and used to be the royal treat of the Mughals, since the 16^th century, or maybe earlier. I used to wonder how they have Kulfi in the 16^th century, since there was no refrigerator at that time. So let me tell you how they used to make kulfi in the Mughal periods.

Kulfi is different from ice cream, by means of being denser and creamier. It is prepared by condensing the milk instead of whipping it. The result is a thick and rich concoction that is further flavored with selective spices. The condensed milk is then frozen in Mughal style, by putting it under iron or terracotta airtight moulds and then placing the moulds under a terracotta matka (pot) that has been filled with ice and salt.

The mouth of the matka is then sealed, like in Biriyani, thus creating an insulation for the ice, and slowing its melting process. Now you would wonder where the ice came from! It used to be brought from the Himalayas, and other cold areas that developed ice. Saltpeter, a mineral, was used for refrigeration that prolonged the ice’s melting process, common salt and wood shavings was also used for the same purpose. Blocks of ice and snow would be contained at the iceboxes of terracotta and metal, for days. There is a mention of this process in the ancient Mughal texts.

I made this kulfi without using condensed milk instead i used powder milk. So come let’s try this homemade kulfi recipe!