Forced Rhubarb Kulfi with Pistachio Praline, Cardamom Syrup and Rose

1. 01

   Reduce the milk base

   Pour whole milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Simmer low and slow for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes so it doesn't catch. You're looking for it to reduce by half, turning a shade richer and thicker. Add the sweetened condensed milk in the last 10 minutes, fold through gently. It will smell toasty and sweet — that's when you know.

   ~95 min
2. 02

   Infuse with cardamom

   Crush your cardamom pods lightly with the side of a knife — don't pulverize. Stir into the hot reduced milk. Let it sit 20 minutes off the heat; the milk will cool slightly and drink in the spice. Strain out the pods through fine mesh. The liquid should be silken, pale brown, fragrant.

   ~25 min
3. 03

   Freeze the kulfi

   Pour the cardamom milk into kulfi moulds, lolly sticks, or small ramekins. Freeze for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. If you're using ramekins, freeze solid then run briefly under warm water to unmould. This is the long breath — don't rush it.

   ~360 min
4. 04

   Make the cardamom syrup

   Heat 300ml water with 100g caster sugar and 4 lightly crushed cardamom pods. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer 8 minutes. The syrup will be pale and fragrant. Strain, discard the pods. Let cool to hand-warm.

   ~15 min
5. 05

   Poach the rhubarb

   Cut forced rhubarb into 5cm batons. Poach gently in the warm cardamom syrup for 8–10 minutes — it should soften but keep its shape and that violent pink. Don't stir; let it sit. The rhubarb will leach into the syrup, turning it rose-coloured. Cool completely.

   ~12 min
6. 06

   Make pistachio praline

   Heat a dry pan over medium. Spread 120g pistachios on it, toast 3 minutes until fragrant — listen for them to crackle. Tip into a bowl. In the same pan, melt 100g caster sugar slowly (don't stir, just swirl) until amber and smoking faintly. Pour over the nuts, stir quickly with a wooden spoon, then tip onto baking paper. Cool completely, then bash into shards with a rolling pin.

   ~12 min
7. 07

   Plate and serve

   Turn out your kulfi onto a chilled plate. Arrange poached rhubarb batons around it. Spoon a little cardamom syrup over. Scatter pistachio praline shards across the top, then add a small pinch of dried rose petals. Serve cold.

   ~5 min

Cold, creamy kulfi with a mouth-filling milky sweetness that coats the tongue. First spoonful takes you to cardamom, warm and spiced. Then the rhubarb — sharp, tart, almost clean against the silk. Praline shatters and brings nuttiness and a whisper of burnt sugar. Rose petals add a whisper of scent, not flavour. Finish is a cool cardamom echo with rhubarb tartness hanging back.

• ·The milk reduction is not quick — resist the urge to heat it hard. Slow and low avoids a burnt caramel taste.
• ·Forced rhubarb is pale and tender; it needs only 8–10 minutes poaching or it collapses into jam.
• ·Make the praline on a dry day if you can — humidity makes it weep.
• ·If you can't source culinary rose petals, skip them entirely rather than use soap-scented ones. The dish stands alone.