Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Malai Kulfi
Malai Kulfi (Mango & Pistachio Kulfi)

Malai Kulfi

Mango & Pistachio Kulfi
VegetarianMakes 8

Mango and pistachio kulfi is a rich frozen Indian dessert made from cream, mango pulp, condensed milk and evaporated milk, scented with cardamom and finished with pistachio. It tastes creamy, fruity and lightly spiced, with a dense, smooth texture.

Cardamom for the kulfi mixture

2 gStirred into the mango and milk mixture (step 2)
01
Ground green cardamom · Elaichi Powder
2 g1 teaspoon
spice
Keep ground; add it to the bowl with the mango pulp and milks.

Everything else

01
Double cream · Malai
298 g300 ml
dairy
02
Canned mango pulp · Aam pulp
211 g200 ml
fruit
03
Condensed milk · Milkmaid
260 g200 ml
dairy
04
Evaporated milk
108 g100 ml
dairy
05
Pistachio · Pistafinely chopped
~30 ghandful
nut/seed

Method

  1. Whisk 298 g double cream until soft peaks form, then set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, stir together 211 g canned mango pulp, 260 g condensed milk, 108 g evaporated milk and the cardamom for the kulfi mixture, then mix in 15 g of the 30 g finely chopped pistachio.
  3. Fold the whisked cream into the mango mixture until evenly combined and lump-free.
  4. Divide the mixture equally among 8 ice-lolly moulds, insert sticks and freeze for 7–8 hours.
  5. Dip the moulds briefly in hot water to loosen the kulfi, then turn out the lollies and press the remaining 15 g finely chopped pistachio onto them.

Don't have something?

Double cream
  • Heavy cream

    Use the same weight; whips and cooks almost identically.

  • Single cream

    Use the same weight in cooking, but it will not whip; reduce other liquid slightly.

  • Clotted cream

    Use 80% of the weight; richer and thicker, good for serving but not for whipping.

Canned mango pulp
  • Ripe mango

    Same weight of peeled, stoned flesh, blended smooth; add 10–20 g sugar if the fruit is not fully ripe.

  • Canned pineapple

    Same weight, blended with 20 g sugar; fine in lassi and drinks only — the flavour is clearly different, so not for mango desserts.

Condensed milk
  • Milk powder

    For 100 g condensed milk, whisk 30 g milk powder with 40 g sugar, 30 g hot milk or water and 5 g butter until smooth. It will be slightly less glossy but works in sweets and curries.

  • Full cream milk

    For 100 g condensed milk, simmer 250 g full cream milk with 75 g sugar until reduced to about 100 g, stirring often. Takes 20–30 minutes and gives a fresher, less caramelised flavour.

  • Milk solids or milk powder

    Use 100 g khoya with 40 g sugar and 2–3 tablespoons milk, heating gently until smooth; it is thicker and richer, so loosen with milk as needed.

Evaporated milk
  • Full-fat milk

    For 100 g evaporated milk use 75 g full-fat milk whisked with 25 g full-fat milk powder; same richness, slightly less cooked flavour.

  • Single cream

    For 100 g evaporated milk use 70 g single cream plus 30 g full-fat milk; richer and less sweet, so reduce added fat slightly.

  • Coconut milk

    Use the same weight in curries and reduce other liquid a little; it changes the flavour towards coconut and is not dairy.

Ground green cardamom
  • Green cardamom seed

    Grind freshly extracted inner black seeds finely; use equal weight (1:1). Greatly superior aroma with potent eucalyptus and citrus notes.

  • Green cardamom pod

    Lightly crack whole pods and simmer them in the gravy; use 150% of the weight of ground cardamom. Fish out the pods before serving.

  • Ground nutmeg

    Use 50% of the weight. Delivers warm, sweet aroma, but lacks cardamom's cooling, citrusy top notes.

Pistachio
  • Pistachio nut

    Use the same weight; blanch and peel for a brighter green paste. This is the closest match.

  • Almond

    Use the same weight; blanch and peel. It is firmer and less sweet, so grind a little longer.

  • Cashew nut

    Use the same weight; soak in hot water for 15 minutes for a smooth paste. It is sweeter and softer.

Similar dishes

Mango and Cardamom Barfi
Mango, Pistachio and Cardamom Fudge
Mango and Cardamom Barfi tastes sweet, creamy and fruity with warm cardamom, but it is sliceable and less cold than this dense, smooth frozen kulfi.
  • Same: Mango and Cardamom Barfi shares mango purée, ground cardamom, pistachio, condensed milk and double cream with this dish, and neither uses a souring agent.
  • Different: Mango and Cardamom Barfi sets a fudge with milk powder and cream and has no evaporated milk, while this dish is a frozen kulfi made with evaporated milk and more pistachio.
Aamras
Sweet Mango Drink
Aamras tastes fruitier and more refreshing and drinkable, while this dish is denser, creamier and lightly spiced.
  • Same: Aamras shares mango and dairy with this dish and is also served chilled.
  • Different: Aamras uses ripe mango, milk, sugar and cream, while this dish adds condensed milk, evaporated milk, cardamom and pistachio and is frozen rather than blended and chilled.
No-Churn Rose & Cardamom Ice Cream
No-Churn Rose & Cardamom Ice Cream tastes floral from rose water with light cardamom and pistachio, while this dish tastes fruity from mango pulp with creamy cardamom and pistachio notes.
  • Same: No-Churn Rose & Cardamom Ice Cream shares double cream, condensed milk, cardamom and pistachio with this dish, and both are creamy frozen Indian-style desserts set without an ice cream machine.
  • Different: No-Churn Rose & Cardamom Ice Cream uses rose water and dried rose petals instead of mango pulp, lacks evaporated milk, and uses cardamom pods rather than ground cardamom; this dish uses mango pulp, evaporated milk and ground cardamom.
Aam Ka Gola
Sour Mango Slushie
Aam Ka Gola tastes bright, tangy and sweet with lime and ginger, while this dish tastes creamy, fruity and lightly spiced.
  • Same: Aam Ka Gola shares mango pulp and a frozen dessert format with this dish.
  • Different: It uses fresh mango, lime, stem ginger and tequila instead of cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk, cardamom and pistachio, and it is scraped into icy crystals rather than frozen dense.