China Grass
Author: Alka
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 45 mins
A dessert made from agar agar (china grass), a soft creamy milk dessert that resembles panna cota
Ingredients
  • Milk about 11/2 lit. (yields approx five cups like above)
  • Agar agar strands 1 packet ( Generally of 10 gms)
  • Sugar as per taste (Mom just adds 5 tsp and it was sweet enough for diabetic people in family,but you can add more)
  • Water 1 cup
  • Cardamom pods (choti elaichi) 4-5
  • Nuts to garnish
Method
  1. Cut the strands into an inch long pieces(or even smaller) and soak them in water for about 10-20 minutes
  2. Meanwhile keep the milk for boiling, add cardamoms and let the milk reduce by approx. 600  ml (that means there should be less than 1 lit milk remaining)
  3. Squeeze out agar agar to remove water.
  4. Alternatively you can soak it in about a cup of warm milk and then use that mix to pour in boiling milk, without straining.Subtract that one cup of milk from 11/2 lit milk, which is kept for boiling.
  5. Let it simmer and cook till fully dissolved (if needed i.e if there are lumps, you can strain it at this step too)
  6. Add sugar and keep on stirring till thick rabri like consistency is achieved.This could take anywhere between 2-5 minutes so keep on checking
  7. Pour this mixture into ice cream cups or bowls or molds and let it cool and GEL at room temperature. Sprinkle nuts like almonds, walnuts and /or kishmish (raisins), charoli (chironji) etc.Again you can spread it on Flat plate (thali) and after setting, cut it into squares.
  8. Chill it in refrigerator and enjoy it cold or at room temperature
Recipe by Sindhi Rasoi |Sindhi Recipes at https://test.sindhirasoi.com/2008/12/china-grass/