Tender Coconut Kulfi

Kulfi, the Desi Indian ice cream mostly sold by street vendors, has won global acclaim today as a traditional dessert. Master chefs and ice cream manufacturers have introduced kulfi in their menu. A Mumbai based ice cream manufacturer has created record for selling kulfi based natural ice creams and today Natural Ice Cream has become a house hold name in nooks and corners of India. Kulfi is made with creamy milk, sugar and some fruit pulp or chunks. Dry fruits are added to make it more rich and also add to the crunchy taste. Tender Coconut Ice Cream by Natural's has won my heart, the success of making Tender Coconut Pudding has inspired me to try making Kulfi with tender coconut malai at home.

Some years ago, we have ventured into making vanilla and pista ice cream at home. It works out very expensive and also does not come out as smooth as Ideal Ice Creams, which are also cost effective. Hence we stopped making ice cream at home. I was not much into eating Kulfi in the past. Once or twice I had tasted kulfi at the Gajalee Restaurant Mangaluru. Ideal Ice Creams also make kulfi, but I have not tried it as yet.

I love tender coconut, and I drink water from one everyday. We also have coconut trees in our garden, and obtaining the malai(tender coconut kernel) is not a difficulty. I reserved one full malai from a tender coconut for making kulfi. It was slightly grown and I minced it lightly by running in pulse mode in the mixer. I also added half a cup of very thin malai chopped into tiny bits. That gives a better taste if added along with thick malai. I don't boil the malai along with milk like suggested in some online recipes. That changes the taste of kulfi. Malai better be added after the milk cools down completely.

Whole milk with full cream is recommended for making this. I used 1/2 liter packet of Nandini Good Life milk. Also added 1/2 can of condensed milk for that rich creamy taste. If you add condensed milk, cut the amount of sugar because condensed milk is already sweetened. Avoid adding cardamom, vanilla, saffron or other flavouring, as the flavour of tender coconut blended with rich creamy milk gives a better feeling. You may add some cream if you want, to make the kulfis more smooth. Adding some chopped nuts like almonds or pistachios gives that crunchy taste as you bite into this wonderful creamy cool dessert. As the kulfi melts in your mouth, tit bits of coconut malai make chewy bites and that also adds to fun. Kids will definitely love eating these.

My friend Shibrur Mukund Kamath, Managing Partner of Ideal Ice Creams has tasted this Kulfi and has approved it as perfect. What more can we ask for!

Ingredients:
Whole Milk - 1/2 Liter
Sugar - 1/4 Cup
Condensed Milk - 1/2 Can(200 Gm)
Tender Coconut Malai - 1 cup

Method:
Chop tender coconut malai into tiny bits.
If the malai is thick, chop into small pieces and run in a mixer in pulse mode twice.
Mix milk and condensed milk thoroughly and heat in a thick bottom pan.
Bring to a boil and on slow heat, stir the milk and cook for 10-15 minutes or until milk thickens and gets a custard like consistency.
Take care not to burn the milk.
Add sugar and continue stirring for another 5 minutes.
Switch off the flame, keep the pan for cooling and allow to cool dwn to room temperature.
Add the coconut malai and mix well.
Pour into kulfi moulds or muffin moulds and freeze for 8-12 hours.