Mango Saffron Kulfi (Ice-cream)

Nothing like the taste of cold ice-cream on a hot, sultry summer afternoon, right? When I heard the jingling of a popsicle cart in the streets outside my house, I craved for some ice-cream. But I was not looking for the standard flavors that we get in grocery stores. I wanted something Indian and was soon nostalgic about the mango ice-cream my parents would make during my childhood. I remember that it was a whole day ordeal, back in those days, with prepared grocery list atleast a week ahead. We would longingly wait the whole day for dessert after dinner….Well, I don’t have the luxury of time here and also needed to use things that I get at my nearby grocery.

Ingredients:

Fresh mangoes (pulp) – 4
Condensed milk - 1 can
Cool whip – 8 oz container
Sugar (depending on the sourness of mangoes)
Saffron - few strands
Yellow food color – a pinch or few drops(optional)

Serves 12

I blended everything in a blender and poured them into traditional aluminum kulfi moulds which I already had. This was frozen overnight. You can also freeze in individual disposable ice cream cups or paper cups but be sure to seal them air-tight before freezing. Just cover with a press-n-seal film.

The mangoes I used were not ripe enough. So, I used some sugar to counter the sour taste. You can also use canned mango pulp to save some time -- however nothing like the flavor and taste of fresh mangoes.

This was a simple dessert that we savored for days, taking out one at a time from the freezer whenever we wanted to beat the hot summer temperatures! And sometimes had to compete with my toddler to prevent her from putting big chunks of cold ice-cream directly in her throat. My Ma told me she had to do that too when I was a kid ☺