Wheat Milk Pudding

Wheat Milk Pudding

This traditional Gujarati dessert transforms simple wheat starch into a glossy, trembling pudding with a delicate texture similar to a firm blancmange. The wheat milk is painstakingly washed to remove acidity before being slow-cooked with rich buffalo milk and sugar until it achieves a luscious, thick consistency. Perfumed with aromatic rose water and optional saffron, this elegant sweet sets into a moldable form that melts in the mouth, making it a soothing and sophisticated treat.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Wheat starch (dried wheat milk) (Originally '1 pasher' (approx 250g). This refers to dried wheat starch/extract.)
  • 6 cups Water (Originally '1.5 seer' for cooking, plus extra for washing.)
  • 2 cups Whole milk (preferably buffalo milk) (Originally '0.5 seer'. Use high-fat milk for best results.)
  • 1 cup Sugar (Originally '1 pasher'.)
  • 3 teaspoons Rose water (Originally '3 small spoons'.)
  • 1 pinch Saffron strands (Optional. Originally '3 val' (approx 1g). Soak in rose water before using.)

Instructions

  1. 1Take the weighed wheat starch and place it in a clean vessel. Mix it with enough cold water to submerge it. Allow the mixture to stand until the starch settles completely at the bottom and the water rises to the top. Carefully pour off the water without losing any of the starch. Repeat this process two more times (three times total) with fresh cold water. This washing process removes any sourness from the wheat milk, ensuring it is perfectly clean.
  2. 2In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan (originally a tinned vessel), combine the washed wheat starch with 6 cups (1.5 seer) of cold water. Mix thoroughly. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat. Stir continuously without stopping to ensure the mixture does not stick to the bottom or form any lumps. Cook until the water evaporates significantly and the mixture thickens.
  3. 3Once the mixture has thickened, add 2 cups (0.5 seer) of fresh buffalo milk and 1 cup (1 pasher) of sugar. Mix well to combine into a uniform consistency. Continue to cook and stir constantly until the mixture becomes very thick and glossy.
  4. 4When the pudding has reached a very thick consistency, stir in 3 teaspoons of rose water. If using saffron, it should be soaked in rose water for 2-3 hours beforehand, rubbed well, and strained through muslin before adding. Remove the pan from the heat immediately after mixing. Pour the mixture into individual soup plates or molds. Allow it to cool completely until it sets firm. Serve once it has solidified.
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