Kesariya Malai Rabdi

Kesariya Malai Rabdi, creamy rich Rabdi recipe with chunks of thickened milk flavored with saffron milk and cardamom powder. Serve it topped with chopped nuts for a delectable festive treat.

Make Kesariya Malai Rabdi at home with traditonal method by simmering milk until thickened to creamy consistency. No condensed milk, no cornflour, no bread Rabdi Recipe.

What is Rabdi

Rabdi is one of the most popular dessert from North India (believed to be it's place of origin), it is a popular street food and is also served on festive occasions and parties. It can be consumed on it's own and is also paired with various desserts like warm Gulab Jamun, Jalebi, Malpua . You can also make parfaits or dessert tarts with thickened rabdi, sweets (mithai) mixed nuts and various fruits.

The basic ingredient to make Rabdi is milk with additional ingredients nuts, fruit purees and flavour enhancers like cardamom, nutmeg, rose water.

Cultural beliefs related to Rabdi

In Hindu mythology, milk is considered as a symbol of purity and is used in religious ceremonies. Rabdi made from milk and so it is considered as pure and divine for special occasions and festivals. In many parts of India, it is also considered as a symbol of good fortune and prosperity. Eating rabdi is believed to bring good luck and so it served at wedding functions and many religious ceremonies.

Malai Rabri vs Laccha Rabri

Malai is Cream in Hindi and Malai Rabri is creamy rabri made with malai formed on milk while simmering it on low flame.

There are two main variations of traditonal rabri, one is Malai Rabri and other is Laccha Rabri.

To make Malai Rabri, we don't collect milk to the sides of pan, but keep on collecting it from the top and mixing with simmering milk. When we add saffron milk, we call it Kesariya Malai Rabri, Saffron also adds a nice yellow tinge to Rabri.

Laccha stands for layers in Hindi and here stands for "layers of cream". To make Laccha Rabdi, we simmer milk in large kadhai/heavy bottom pans, cream is formed at the top, which is collected by sticking to the sides of kadhai. When the whole milk is thickened and cooked to creamy consistency with coarse texture, the cream is scrapped from the sides, gathered and mixed with the creamy milk. This creamy milk is known as Malai. This form of Rabdi is known as Laccha Rabri.

Ingredients for Rabdi

We need very basic ingredients to make Rabdi.

Milk of course, is the main ingredient. For thick creamy rabdi, prefer Whole Fat Buffalo Milk as it has more percentage of fat. You can use cow milk also. Avoid toned milk as it has negligible amount of fat and less cream will be formed.

Sugar- Use raw cane sugar or any good organic sugar. You can also use jaggery it adds a caramel flavour to rabdi. You can also add castor sugar.

Saffron/Kesar- Adds a beautiful color to rabdi. It is optional. I like to add saffron along with cardamom powder. You can also add rose water, nutmeg or kewda water.

How to make creamy Malai Rabdi

Keep milk to boil in a heavy bottom pan/kadhai. Use a broad vessel as milk will cook faster when it gets more open area.

Take out about 2-3 tbsp milk and add few saffron strands. Keep it aside till it saffron infuses with milk.

When the first boil comes, lower the flame and keep milk for simmering. Layer of cream will start forming on top. Carefully collect the cream from the top and sides and mix it with milk.

Keep on collecting the cream as the milk simmers. When milk starts to get thick and creamy, add saffron milk and cardamom powder. Keep on simmering milk till it reaches the desired creamy consistency.

Mix sugar nicely and switch off the flame. Keep it cool and then chill it for a couple of hrs. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve.

Make this Instant Rabdi if you are pressed on time or want a time saving dessert for a big crowd.

How long can we store Rabdi

Rabri stays good for about a week in refrigerator and about 2 months in freezer. Thaw in refrigerator before consuming frozen rabdi.

Serving Suggestions

You can enjoy rabdi just like that or pair with desserts like Jalebi, Malpua, Gulab Jamun.

Make Rabdi Parfaits with different sweets, most popular is Boondi Rabri Parfait. It is one of the most popular Holi and Diwali party dessert.

In Western Uttar Pradesh, Rabdi is also served with Atte ke Pue/Gulgule made with whole wheat flour and jaggery, which is another version of Rajasthani Malpua.

You can also freeze Rabri in kulfi molds or small paper cups or any container to make Malai Kulfi. Add some finely chopped nuts for the crunch.

Serve it in small claypots (Matki) like in many places where it is known as Matka Kulfi.

More dessert recipes for festivals and special occasions

Chawal ki Kheer, Quinoa Kheer, Makhana Kheer, Gajar Ka Halwa, Sama Ke Chawal Kheer, Coconut Ladoo,

Click here for more traditonal Indian Dessert recipes

Recipe Card

Do make this creamy Indian dessert in traditonal way. It is quite easy but may take some time. You can present it in many different ways with different ways.

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