This is the BEST rabri recipe you’ll find on the internet. It is made with the traditional method (I know it is time-consuming, but it’s totally worth the time). The taste is out of the world.
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What is Rabri?
This is the classic North Indian dessert. The main ingredient is Milk (Whole milk or full-fat milk) which is thickened slowly on low flame till it is very thick. During the simmering process, the cream layer is formed on top. That is collected by sticking to the sides of the pan. In the end that collected cream is added back to the thickened milk. This adds the long, rich lachha malai (layers of cream) in the rabri. And this is the BEST part of this dessert. Hence it is called lachha rabdi malai too.
🧾Ingredients
Here is the pic of the ingredients used in rabri recipe (rabdi). You’ll need only 5 ingredients. This handful of ingredients make the best, creamy, rich, sweet with long strands of cream in every spoon.
Milk: It is the main thing here, so please use full-fat whole milk. Low-fat or reduced-fat won’t work here.
👩🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions
Blanching The Nuts
1) Take almonds and pistachios in a bowl and add boiling hot water to it. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Then discard the water.
2) Peel the skin and slice them. Keep it aside.
Making Rabri:
1) Take milk in a wide, heavy bottom pan or kadai and turn the heat on medium.
2) Once the milk starts boiling, lower the heat to medium-low. It will start to form a thin layer of malai/cream. Now using spoon or spatula, collect that.
3) And stick it to the side of the pan. Within some time, it forms again and similarly stick it to the sides. Continue doing the same till you reach ⅓ of its original quantity.
Few things to keep in mind: You have to stir it occasionally to make sure that it is not sticking to the bottom. But do not stir that often or quickly otherwise the cream layer will not form on top rather it will disintegrate into the milk.
4) Image (4) after 30 minutes of cooking time.
5) Image (5) after 50 minutes
6) Image (6) after 1 hour 10 minutes. It reached to ⅓ quantity of original volume.
7) Now add sugar and saffron.
8) Mix and continue cooking and collecting the cream for another 5-7 minutes. Saffron will infuse its flavor and color.
9) Now start scraping the sides and add to the thickened milk.
10) Mix gently, we do not want to break the large layers (aka malai lachha) and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
11) Turn off the stove. Add sliced almonds and pistachios.
12) Mix and you can see this thick and lachha rabdi.
💭Expert Tips:
Use heavy bottom and wide mouth pan (not deep like a saucepan). Wide pan helps the milk to evaporate quickly and heavy bottom will prevent the milk from burning and scorching at the bottom of the pan.
Cook on medium-low heat throughout the rabri making process. Doing to slowly makes a big difference vs boiling and reducing it vigorously.
Do not stir too often otherwise, the large layers of cream will not form.
The cooking time given is approximate. It may vary depending on the shape, size of the pan and intensity of the flame.
🥣 Storage Instructions
- In the refrigerator, it stays good for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- In the freezer, it stays good for up to 3 months. Thaw it on the counter for few hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
- If you freeze this into kulfi mold, you’ll have creamy, rich malai kulfi ready.
🍽 Serving Ideas
- It can be served warm or chilled. If serving cold, then let it come to room temperature and then chill into the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- It can be drizzled over a few sweets like malpua, gulab jamun, jalebi, shahi tukda, falooda, ghevar, etc.
FAQs
The similar ingredients are used in making Gujarati sweet Basundi and this rabdi. But the method is different and that results in a very different texture. But the taste is a little similar. While making basundi, we do not collect the cream rather we just mix in with the milk. So it creates the very little specs of cream in basundi unlike here we get long layers of cream.
Check Out Other Indian Sweets
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📋 Recipe Card
Rabri (Lachha Rabdi)
Ingredients
- 8-10 Almonds , Blanched peeled and chopped
- 8-10 Pistachios , Blanched peeled and chopped
- 1 ½ litre or 6 ¼ cups Milk (full fat or whole milk)
- 3 tablespoons Sugar
- 3-4 strands Saffron
Instructions
- Start by blanching the nuts. Take almonds and pistachios in a bowl and add boiling hot water to it. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Then discard the water. Peel the skin and slice them. Keep it aside.
- Take milk in a wide, heavy bottom pan or kadai and turn the heat on medium.
- Once the milk starts boiling, lower the heat to medium-low. It will start to form a thin layer of malai/cream. Now using spoon or spatula, collect that.
- And stick it to the side of the pan. Within some time, it forms again and similarly stick to the sides. Continue doing the same till you reach ⅓ of its original quantity.
- Few things to keep in mind: You have to stir it occasionally to make sure that it is not sticking to the bottom. But do not stir that often or quickly otherwise the cream layer will not form on top rather it will disintegrate into the milk.
- Now add sugar and saffron. Mix and continue cooking and collecting the cream for another 5-7 minutes.
- Now start scraping the sides and add to the thickened milk.
- Mix gently, we do not want to break the large layers (aka malai lachha) and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the stove. Add sliced almonds and pistachios. Mix and lachha rabdi is ready.
Notes
- Use heavy bottom and wide mouth pan (not deep like a saucepan). Wide pan helps the milk to evaporate quickly and heavy bottom will prevent the milk from burning and scorching at the bottom of the pan.
- Cook on medium-low heat throughout the rabri making process. Doing to slowly makes a big difference vs boiling and reducing it vigorously.
- The cooking time given is approximate. It may vary depending on the shape, size of the pan and intensity of the flame.
priya
its looks kind of rasamalai . but i really don't know whether it is or not? i was looking for rasamalai recipe and i found this too, i am gonna give a try , i will tell you comment once its done
Kanan
Rasmalai and rabdi are totally different dishes.
sure do give it a try.
Nj
It's looking very tasty am gonna try y it
Kanan
yes it looks and tastes tasty.
Do try and let me know how you like it
Zarana
Amazing!
Kanan
Thank you
Hari
Khup saras
Akhila
Simple process and delicious recipe....
Kanan
Thank you. Glad that you find it helpful