Badam Phirni

Ingredients for Badam Phirni :
15 to 18 badam/almonds
3 cups milk
5-6 tbsp basmati rice
5 to 8 tbsp or more sugar
Saffron - a few strands
Few slivered almonds - for garnish
4-5 green cardamon, peel & powder the seeds

Method :
1.Clean, wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 20 minutes. Drain and grind them to a coarse rawa (semolina) consistency with little water.
2. Soak the almonds in hot water for few minutes and then peel the skin (i.e blanch the almonds). Then grind them to a smooth paste with about half a cup milk.
    Mix together both the rice and almond paste in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a heavy bottomed pan heat the remaining milk over low heat. Slowly stir in the almond-rice mixture while stirring constantly. Else the paste will stick to the bottom of your vessel. Mix and cook on low flame.
4. When the milk turns a bit thick, add the sugar and stir till it dissolves. Now check for sweetness and add more sugar if required. Keep stirring in between and add the ground cardamom and saffron. Cook over low till it attains the right consistency, i.e when it coats the back of a spoon/ attains a custard-like consistency.
5. Let it cool a bit and then chill in the refrigerator.