Easy Instant Rabdi with Ricotta (Under 20 Minutes)
Thick, creamy rabdi made with ricotta and evaporated milk in about 20 minutes of stovetop time. Chill for the best lachchedar texture, then serve over jalebi, gulab jamun, or on its own.
Equipment
- Wide heavy-bottom nonstick pan
- Blender
Ingredients
For the rabdi
- 425 g full-fat ricotta cheese 15 oz; about 1½ cups
- 354 ml evaporated milk 12 oz; 1 can, about 1½ cups
- ½ cup minus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar adjust to taste
- Generous pinch saffron strands
- 3 green cardamom pods or ½ tsp ground cardamom; crushed
- 1 tablespoon almond flour optional but helps thicken
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- ¼ cup slivered almonds and pistachios
- 1 teaspoon rose water optional
- Edible silver leaf and dried rose petals (optional garnish)
Instructions
Cook the rabdi base
- Add ricotta and evaporated milk to a wide heavy-bottom nonstick pan. Set heat to medium.
- Stir slowly with a nonstick-safe spoon until smooth with no large ricotta lumps.
- Cover and cook 4 minutes. Lift the lid halfway through and stir once so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Remove the lid and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Add saffron and cardamom. When it boils, lower the heat. Stir occasionally and scrape the sides of the pan. Those bits are the malai threads you want in the bowl.
- Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Keep cooking and stirring more often until the mixture thickens slightly. It should still look thinner than finished rabdi (like a pourable milkshake), because it thickens a lot as it cools.
- Stir in almond flour if using. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in ghee until mixed through.
Blend, finish, and chill
- Transfer rabdi to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
- Blend about ⅓ cup of the cooled rabdi until smooth. Pour it back into the bowl and fold until creamy.
- Add rose water if using. Fold in most of the slivered nuts; reserve some for garnish.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 6 to 8 hours (overnight is ideal). Serve chilled.
Notes
Use full-fat ricotta for the richest rabdi. Low-fat versions can taste watery after chilling.
If the mix looks curdled while cooking, keep going and trust the blend step. It comes together.
Do not over-reduce on the stove. Rabdi that is too thick hot will turn almost fudge-like cold. Stop when it still coats a spoon but pours easily.
Substitute evaporated milk with half-and-half and whole milk in a 1:1 ratio; expect about 10 extra minutes of cooking.
Substitute ricotta with finely grated fresh paneer (chenna) for a similar result.
Too thick after chilling? Thin with cold milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring well.
Store refrigerated up to 3 days. Always serve rabdi chilled.
Pair with jalebi, malpua, gulab jamun, or kulfi.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!