What does the name Kulfi mean?
Celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee says that the roots of the word Kulfi are related to the Persian language. In Persian, ‘Kulfi’ means ‘covered cup’ or ‘closed cup’. In the old times, Kulfi was covered by putting it in a metal cone and then used to be in snow. Today Kulfi is found in many forms- in pot, in steel mold, on leaves and even on sticks like chocolate bar.
Tamoghna Chakraborty, executive chef Tamoghna Chakraborty of Double Tree bye Hilton, Bangalore, said that Kulfi started in the 16th century in the Mughal period. At that time, the royal cooks had deep wells to collect the snow brought from the mountains. They used to put a mixture of coarse milk, dry fruits and saffron in metal molds and then used those molds in snow. It was the early cold storage system of that time.
In the world, where ice cream is made by whispering repeatedly, ie by ‘churning’, Kulfi is made directly with thick milk, without mixing any air. For this reason, its texture is thick and creamy, which slowly melts in the mouth. The taste of Kulfi is full of milk depth, sweetness of dry fruits and the fragrance of saffron. This is the reason why it gets a different satisfaction after eating.
The way of making real desi kulfi is a little time and hard work, but its taste is equally special. In this, full-fat milk is cooked continuously on low flame until it remains half. Then sugar, cardamom, saffron, rose water or kevra and chopped fruits are added to it. This thick mixture is poured into a kulhar or mold and then kept for freezing. In the olden days it was used in snow-shine pot, nowadays it is kept in the freezer. Ananya Banerjee said that nowadays some people have started using condensed milk and cream, which saves time but does not know the real kulfi -like taste and texture.
Sweetness related to childhood memories
Kulfi is not just a dessert, it is a feeling. This reminds that the voice of Kulfiwala walking in the streets of the locality, the cold kulfi found from the grandmother’s hands during the summer holidays, and the sweet moments eaten with family on festivals. This is the reason why Kulfi is not just a taste, an emotion.
Why did International Star become Kulfi
This ranking of Kulfi is proof that the desi taste is now making its mark on the global stage. It is a matter of pride not only for Kulfi but also for the heritage of Indian kitchen in the top 10 in the international list like Tasteatlas. When the world talks about ice cream, gelato and frozen yogurt, then India is winning everyone’s heart with the taste of its Kulfi.
