Kulfi is an amazingly delicious cold dairy dessert from Indian kitchens. Kulfi can be served on a stick, in a leaf bowl or in a dessert plate. You can have it as it is, or you can top it with falooda strands (a type of cold noodles) and garnish with the syrup of choice. You can have it plain or fruity or nutty.

Have it any way you like, a well made kulfi is a true gourmet delight.

To most people, kulfi will seem like the Indian version of ice cream. Indeed it is very similar, yet very different as well. Like ice cream, kulfi too is frozen dairy dessert. Like ice cream, it can be made in numerous flavours. On the other hand, kulfi is not whipped or aerated like ice cream and hence it is denser, creamier and richer. It melts far more slowly than ice cream, and to be honest, many gourmands with a pronounced sweet tooth find it more satisfying than ice cream. Actually speaking, a small helping of kulfi can satisfy hunger pangs and yet leave taste buds hoping for more.

Traditionally kulfi was made in traditional Indian flavours like cardamom, almond, saffron, pistachio, kewra, rose and gulkand (rose petal preserve). Now innovative chefs and home cooks have developed fruit based versions as well and fruit kulfis are very popular in India.

At Tandoori Flames, we serve kulfi in several delicious flavours – both traditional as well as innovative- in the banquet as well as the restaurant section. All our kulfis are made using real and authentic ingredients for the best possible taste. As kulfis are hugely popular among our patrons, we have created a large kulfi menu. Here’s a look at our very enticing offerings:

Kesar pista kulfi– the centuries-old saffron and pistachio combination is an all-time favourite with kulfi lovers. The rich sweetness of real saffron (known as the King of Spices) and crunchy nuttiness of pistachios together create an inimitably rich flavour in this sumptuous yellow-green kulfi that is the pride of aristocratic Indian households and a must-serve on summertime feasts’ menu.

Traditional stick kulfi– The slim, tapered and very creamy and slurpy stick kulfi is made using the centuries-old cone and ice bath method to bring you the authentic Indian taste. Watching a stick kulfi come out of the mould to be served is a delightful experience in itself that kids especially love to watch.

Mango kulfi– Mangoes are called the King of Fruits in India and are treasured for their richly exotic sweetness. In summertime, the high season for mangoes, Indians prepare a lot of sweets using mangoes. Mango kulfi at Tandoori Flames comes flavoured with loads of real mango pulp. Its pale golden yellow colour, sweet fruity fragrance and delicious taste are totally a not-to-be-missed treat.

 Falooda kulfi– Falooda kulfi is the traditional way of serving kulfi. Falooda are a kind of ice cold starch noodles that are sprinkled atop kulfi chunks to add texture and volume to the dessert and to enhance the experience.

 Paan Kulfi – Hottest (or shall we say the coolest!) and the most popular flavour from our dessert range, it is inspired and falvoured by paan – a small betel leaf wrap filled with rose petal preserve, fennel, cardamom, areca nut and other exotic ingredients.  Paan is the traditional mouth-freshener finishing note to a perfect meal in India and its flavoursome infusion into kulfi is a marvellous combination of two all-time favourite exotic preparations.

 Tutti frutti – The perfect modern fusion kulfi, it marries western and eastern flavours in its wholesome deliciousness and carries sweet and colourful bits of tutti-frutti in every spoonful of a very traditional Indian dessert.

Arriving soon:

On popular demand from our customers, we are adding two all-new flavours to our kulfi menu this summer.

Orange Kulfi – Served in real orange halved cups, this is a flavour that’s a perfect blend of sweetness enhanced by hints of tanginess. Every delicious spoonful of orange kulfi delivers milky sweetness of kulfi along with bits of juicy orange pulp.

Chilli Kulfi – An absolutely smashing kulfi with tiny specks of chilli flakes embedded here and there, the chilli kulfi will give you a perfectly contrasting dual flavour that delights the taste buds and leaves you yearning for more.

The traditional recipe of making kulfi involves slow boiling whole milk in a heavy bottom wok till it thickens considerably and reduces to less than half the original quantity. The layers of cream (called malai) that float on the top and are carefully scraped and added at the end are especially prized for the texture they impart to kulfi. Once milk is reduced to the desired quantity, sugar, chopped nuts and flavourings are added. Then the cooled mixture is poured into individual moulds with lids (nowadays steel or aluminum but traditionally in earthen cylinders or cones) which are then sealed using whole wheat flour dough. Coarse chunks of ice are placed in a large earthen pot with salt and the kulfi moulds are placed in it. Then the pot is shaken to first cool and then freeze the kulfi mixture. The salt in the ice brings down the melting point and keeps the ice solid and chunky for longer. In a few hours’ time, the kulfi solidifies and is taken out from the pot and the mould and served.

Kulfi-on-stick is another form of kulfi that’s very popular. In case of kulfi-on-stick, the kulfi mixture is poured into long and slender cone shaped moulds kept in a large box with ice in it. Once the mixture is semi-frozen, sticks are inserted in it. To take out the kulfi, the mould is dipped in water for a few seconds and then kulfi is pulled out using the protruding end of the stick. It is then enjoyed lick by lick and bite by bite like a candy stick.

We bring you an easy-to-make but very authentic tasting kulfi recipe to try out at home.

Ingredients

Condensed milk – 1 cup

Full cream – 1 cup

Almonds – 1 cup

Cardamom pods – 4

Recipe

Soak almonds in boiling water for half an hour. Drain and run under cold water to make peeling easy. Fine grind the almonds. Mix well with condensed milk and cream. Peel cardamom pods. Fine grind the seeds. Add to the mixture. Fill this mixture in ice candy moulds and freeze overnight. To serve, carefully loosen the kulfi from mould using a sharp knife. Serve cold.

Emperors’ dessert of choice

Kulfi’s history goes back to the great Mughal Empire days when it was a much favoured summer dessert in royal kitchens. In the pre-electricity, pre-refrigeration era in a tropical India, it was created using Himalayan ice especially brought to plains and kept preserved interred in cellars.

So today when you bite into your delightful kulfis, you are actually enjoying a royal treat!

Tandoori Flames 15 Vernon Street, South Kingsville and 583 Barkly Street, West Footscray