Kesar/Milk Burfi:) Lovely Diwali!

Wishing everyone a lovely, prosperous and safe Diwali:)

This recipe, which I got from some magazine I had read a few years back, has been changed a bit to incorporate saffron in it. It tastes lovely on its own without saffron.

INGREDIENTS:

Whole Milk - 1 litre
Vinegar - 3 tbsps mixed with 1/2 cup of water
Milk Powder - 4 and 1/2 tbps
Powdered Sugar - 5 tbsps (adjust according to your taste)
Saffron - a few strands (optional) soaked in VERY LITTLE warm milk
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp (omit, if you are adding saffron)
Ghee - 4 tbsps

Ice cubes - 20-30

METHOD:

Heat the milk and bring it to a boil.
As it starts boiling, add the vinegar mixed with water into it.
The milk will start curdling. Once it curdles add the ice cubes into it to stop the cooking process. Turn off the heat.
Immediately transfer the milk mixture into a muslin cloth. Show the milk solids (cheese) under a tap of water (carefully, not spilling the cheese) to wash away the smell of vinegar and to cool it down.
Hang it in the muslin cloth for 3 hours to let all the water drain.
Add milk powder, powdered sugar and saffron (if using) mixed in milk to the cheese and knead well.
Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add ghee to it.
Add the cheese mixture.
Stir fry over very low fire PATIENTLY till the ghee separates.
Take the mixture off the heat and add the cardamom (if not using saffron) powder to it.
Allow to cool slightly.
Mix properly by kneading again.
Pat the kneaded mixture into a flat plate and allow it to cool completely.
Decorate with sliced pistas/silver foil.

Lots of love and happiness:)