Sugar Apple Kulfi | Sitaphal Kulfi | Sharifa Kulfi

Three Sugar apple trees make the last row of the trees in our backyard. The trees fruit around the end of monsoons. Being almost at the end of the patch, we often forget about them. Incessant rains have turned our backyard almost into a dense jungle. Yesterday we braved the thick vegetation, lopped the wayward branches, pulled the tall grass and managed to reach our beloved trees. The branches were full of sugar apples. 

Birds and civet cats seem to have been feasting on them and we don’t mind sharing with them. We plucked the semi ripe ones.

A bald curry leaf plant had a caterpillar perched on the top. It would soon turn into a pupa, grow wings and fly away.

Sugar apples, known as Seetaphal and Sharifa in Hindi is full of Minerals, Calcium, and iron. It is an excellent source of energy. Sugar apples are also an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Ripe sugar apples have a very short shelf life. We had some and made kulfi from the overripe ones.   

Sugar apple pulp gives kulfi a gritty texture and chopped almonds give a nice crunch to it. It is a delectable dessert.

Sugar Apple Kulfi Sitaphal Kulfi |Sharifa Kulfi

Ingredients

• 500 ml + ¼ cup milk
• 2   teaspoons cornflour
• 5-6 medium size sugar apples
• ¼ cup sugar
• 5 green cardamoms
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds  

Instructions

1. Remove seeds from cardamom pods and powder them.
2. Blanch the almonds, remove skin and chop finely.
3. Take 500 ml milk in a thick bottomed vessel. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 20 -25 minutes or till it is reduced to half the quantity.
4. Add sugar and cardamom powder.
5. Add corn flour to ¼ cup cold milk. Add to boiling milk, keep stirring to get a creamy mixture.
6. Remove from heat and cool. Keep stirring occasionally to prevent skin formation on top.
7. Remove pulp of the sugar apples. Remove seeds and strain the pulp.
8. You will get a creamy pulp. Measure ½ cup.
9. When the milk mixture is cold, add sugar apple pulp and chopped almonds. Stir.
10. Taste sweetness at this stage. If you prefer a sweeter kulfi, add more sugar.
11. Pour mixture into kulfi moulds and secure the lids.
12. Place in the freezer for about 6 hours or overnight.
13. To serve, pour little hot water on the moulds, remove the lid,   and with the back of a spoon, remove kulfi.
14. Garnish with chopped pistachios. Serve.