Makhana Kulfi Recipe (Lotus seeds Kulfi)

Makhana Kulfi is a creamy ice cream style Indian dessert made with milk, sugar, makhana (lotus seeds), nuts & cardamom. It is an easy kulfi recipe, turns out absolutely delicious and that too without using any condensed milk, mawa (khoya) or cornstarch.

In this makhana kulfi, apart from cardamom, we will also be adding rose water to make it more fragrant and summer-ready. Some people add bread crumbs or cornflour to make kulfi creamier but in this recipe no such ingredient is used. The kulfi turns out perfectly velvety smooth with no ice crystals.

Ice cream vs Kulfi:

The summers are almost here and so is the season for ice creams & kulfi. They may appear similar but what sets them apart is the difference in texture. As kulfi is made using evaporated milk & nuts, it tends to be denser & richer in taste. Ice cream on the other is made with whipped cream, which makes it lighter & airier.

How to make makhana kulfi?

To make makhana kulfi, we first roast the makhana seeds till they puff up and become crunchy. They will then be powdered coarsely and added to the evaporated milk with crushed nuts and sugar. The aromatic ingredients of the recipe – cardamom (elaichi), rose petals and rose water are added towards the end as they tend to lose their aroma if cooked for longer.

Makhanas are also known as ‘lotus seeds‘ or ‘fox nuts‘ & make for a great healthy snack as they are a good source of  protein, calcium, fibre and magnesium etc. Being a great source of antioxidants, they are also known  for their anti-ageing properties.

I had shared a few Makhana Recipes in the past also. If you are looking forward to include Makhana in your everyday diet then checkout the links below:

Makhana Recipes:

• Makhana Raita
  
• Roasted Makhana
• Caramel Makhana
• Makhana Kaju Curry
• Makhana Kheer (Pudding)

For a richer creamier texture use full fat milk for making these makhana kulfis. I have used almonds & cashews here but you can add pistachios and saffron (kesar) too. The quantity of sugar can be adjusted as per one’s taste & preference.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: (Makes 5 pieces)

• Full fat Milk – 1 litre
• Ghee – 1 tsp
• Makhana (Lotus seeds) – 1 cup
• Almonds – 4 to 5
• Cashews – 4 to 5
• Sugar – 1/3 cup
• Cardamom* (Elaichi) – 2 to 3
• Dried Rose Petals – 2 tbsp (optional)
• Rose Water – 2 tsp

(*Peel the cardamoms and crush their seeds in a mortar pestle before using.)

Directions:

Step 1:
Add milk to a heavy bottomed pan & bring it to boil. Simmer & let the milk cook on low heat. Keep stirring in between. While it is simmering, let’s move to next step.

Step 2:
Heat ghee in a pan and add makhana to it. Roast on medium-low flame till they puff up and become crunchy. Keep shaking the pan in between for even roasting.

Step 3:
Cool down the roasted makhana. Add them to a grinder jar and grind coarsely. Keep this makhana-powder aside.

Step 4:
Add almonds & cashews to a mortar-pestle. Grind coarsely such that the nuts are not powdered completely. If you want smooth texture in kulfi, fine-grind them in a grinder jar. Keep them aside too.

Step 5:
Continue cooking the milk (from step 1) till it almost reduces to half. Stir in between while scraping the sides & bottom of pan. Add sugar, ground makhanas and nuts. Continue cooking for 5-10 min on low flame.

Step 6:
Once the mixture begins to thicken up, turn off the heat. After 1-2 min, add cardamom powder, rose water & dried rose petals. Mix well. Let the mixture cool completely.

(Tip: Cooling the mixture is important as otherwise it will lead to condensation inside the moulds leading to ice crystal formation.)

Step 7:
Transfer this milk to kulfi-moulds. If the moulds are not air tight, seal them with cling wrap first & then put their lid on. Freeze them for 5-6 hours or overnight until the kulfi sets completely.

Step 8:
To de-mould, dip lower half of the mould in room temp water for 15-20 sec. Then gently pull the stick upwards. The kulfi will come out smoothly. Garnish with chopped nuts or rose petals before serving (optional).

Recipe Notes :

1. While the milk is cooking on low flame, keep stirring in between to prevent it from sticking to the bottom or sides and getting burnt.
2. You can also add pistachios, saffron strands, rose syrup or thandai powder in above recipe to create different flavours of your choice.
3. Prefer using full fat milk for richer taste & texture. Feel free to adjust the sugar quantity as per your taste.
4. Instead of kulfi moulds, you can also set it in small clay pots or serve it with falooda in dessert bowls.

Hope you will like this easy makhana kulfi recipe. If you try it, do tag us on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.

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