Saffron Milk Patties Recipes

SAFFRON MILK PATTIES

Steps:

• 1. In a small bowl, soak the saffron threads in the milk about 30 minutes. Then, in a large nonstick skillet or saucepan, mix the cream, dry milk, and ricotta cheese and cook, stirring, over medium heat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, mix in the saffron-infused milk and the saffron, and cook, stirring often, until the mixture (khoa) is almost dry and pulls away from the sides of the pan, 7 to 10 minutes.2. Remove from the heat. Let cool about 1 hour and shape the mixture into 1-inch patties. Then, with your thumb, press into the center of each patty to make a slight depression. Press some ground pistachios into the depression and serve, preferably at room temperature.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SAFFRON CURDLED MILK PATTIES

Steps:

• 1. In a small skillet over medium heat, dry-roast half the, saffron, stirring and shaking the pan, until crisp and a few shades darker, about 1 minute. Grind in a mortar and pestle or with the back of a spoon.2. In a heavy saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and cool about 5 minutes. Then add the vinegar and stir lightly until the milk curdles. The curds should be very tiny (unlike the big curds of paneer cheese). Drain through a very fine-mesh strainer about 1 minute. Discard the whey, transfer the curds to a bowl, and mash them with a fork until fine. If the curds are large, process in the food processor until minced.3. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, boil together the cream and sugar until it bubbles vigorously, about 3 minutes. Mix in the curds and dry milk and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan, 7 to 10 minutes. Mix in the remaining saffron threads and the roasted saffron during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking.4. Let cool at room temperature about 1 hour. Shape the mixture into 30 to 40 (1-inch) balls. Then, with your thumb, press down in the center of each ball to flatten them and make a slight depression. Serve, preferably at room temperature.VARIATION: To make cardamom-flavored sandesh, do not add any saffron instead, fill each depression with a scant pinch of thinly sliced pistachios and ground green cardamom seeds.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.