Strawberry Rubdi - rich and creamy

I'm a total dreamer, who actually lives in a bubble. Not sure if it is something to be proud of, no judgement here...but this is who I am. Somedays I just want to melt into the wilderness. I look at the wild lady-lace in the fields and envy their existence...freedom ! All they need is sunshine and rain and  they bloom till winter casts it's cold spell...some spring they rise again...!! Life was meant to be so simple...just like the life of the lady lace and yet we humans have complicated it in the pursuit of comfort and luxury.  It's such a comforting feeling to walk and be part of this big creation ...! Well, I do get into this 'abstract -philosophical' side of me ...every now and then. I inherited it from my dad, I cherish it. But, I also inherited his love for food and desserts.

I love Indian dessert and if calories were free, I would just live on desserts. I do a mini version - tiny mason jars desserts. They are a wonderful way to enjoy the richness and keep the calories in check. I do not like to make fat-free versions of rich desserts, I rather reduce the portion size. Keep it real !

This is an old recipe and was meant to be shared on a different platform.  For some technical reason that did not work out and I thought I should share it here.

Make sure the strawberries are not tart - they will spoil the milk. Tip : add the strawberries after the milk has cooled.

Strawberry Rabdi 

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk 
• 1 cup full fat cream 
• 1 tsp rose water or rose extract
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp chopped pistachio 
• 1 tbsp honey
• I cup fresh strawberries chopped 

Serves 6 - 6 oz mason jars.

Instructions

1. In a pan mix the diced strawberry and 1/4 cup sugar and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, the juices from the fruit will mix with sugar to make a strawberry syrup. Do not crush the strawberries, we want the syrup to be transparent and not pulpy.
2. Let the syrup cool - strain - refrigerate.
3. In a sauce pot pour the milk and cream and let it simmer for about an hour. Add the remaining sugar and almond paste, let it simmer ( on low flame) for another couple of hours, keep stirring every 10-15 minutes. The milk will begin to thicken and resemble a custard consistency. Add the cardamom powder and rose water. Let it cool and then refrigerate.
4. When both the syrup and rabri are cold, mix them. Keep one third of the syrup aside for garnish.  Remember they have to be chilled, else the rabri can go bad as strawberries are sometimes tart. Whisk them well till integrated. You will have a nice pink color.
5. Take a handful of chopped  fresh strawberries and toss them into 1 tbsp honey and chopped pistachio.
6. Dish out the rabri into serving size containers and garnish with glazed strawberries and pistachio and a bit of the syrup poured on top.
   You can also serve them like an ice-cream by freezing it for 3 hours, do not freeze for more than 3-4 hours, they become hard and you will loose the rabdi texture.
Note : a friend of mine (vienna) told me that - A small amount of scorn starch - helps hold the protein and stops curdling.