You need a magnifying glass to find one person who doesn’t love ice cream. If you want to search the history of inventing ice cream, you have to go to countries like Italy, Switzerland or Germany. But, there is a different version of ice cream in the South East Asian countries which is immensely popular worldwide and that is known as Kulfi. Today, you enjoy different types of kulfis; but do you know the origin of this cold dessert? Get a glass of kulfi in your hand and travel with us to find the history of this amazing dessert.
Origin
According to old beliefs, the Himalayan people used to have frozen
dessert, made of cow milk, ice or snow, and several other ingredients. Later,
during the Mughal Empire, the Mughals tasted this old form of the desert and
loved it. They transported this to Delhi and make it richer and creamier by
adding condensed milk, pistachios, cashews, and saffron. By this, kulfi got its
flavour, colour, and better taste. The word ‘kulfi’ is derived from a Persian
word that means ‘covered cup’. It is said that the recipe of kulfi was taken to
Italy by Marco Polo.
Is Kulfi and Ice Cream Similar?
This is the first question that comes to mind of foodies. If you have
tasted both, you will feel the difference. Ice cream is the fluffy version of
kulfi, you can say. Many people think kulfi is made of whipped ice cream as it
is quite dense. But, that’s not true. There are certain differences between
these two most lovable desserts-
·
There is less
air in kulfi than ice cream.
·
In case of
kulfi, milk and cream are more concentrated.
·
As kulfi is
denser than ice cream, it melts slowly.
These are the differences that make kulfi a completely Asian dessert.
The countries, where kulfi is immensely popular are, India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal.
Types of Kulfi
Many of you have childhood memories of buying kulfi from street vendors
while returning from school. That smell of cardamom, the taste of coconut, etc.
can make you go nostalgic. The ‘Matka
Kulfi’ in a covered earthen pot with a red cloth will only make you love
the dessert even more. Today, there are lots of different types of kulfis you
can have at restaurants or ice cream parlour.
1. Mango Kulfi
Though it is seasonal, mango kulfi can increase your love for mango many
times. There are many vendors who use mango essence. Instead of those, if you
go to any famous restaurants and have mango kulfi, made of real mango pulp, you
will never forget it.
2. Chocolate
Kulfi
Any dessert made of chocolate increases the taste of it a lot. You can
try chocolate kulfis which melt in your mouth and leave awesome test on your
palate. If you haven’t tasted it yet, try it.
Today, the kulfi makers are experimenting in different ways and
inventing kulfis with a unique taste. Trying all can be an amazing experience.
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