Kulfi is a frozen dairy dessert from the Indian subcontinent.
It is often described as "traditional Indian ice cream".
Kulfi originated in 16th-century Delhi during the Mughal era.
Kulfi is denser and creamier than regular ice cream.
It comes in various flavours, including cream, rose, mango, cardamom, saffron, and pistachio.
The mixture of dense evaporated milk was already popular in the sweet dishes in the Indian subcontinent.
During the Mughal period, this mixture was flavoured with pistachios and saffron, packed into metal cones and immersed in slurry ice, resulting in the invention of kulfi.
Ain-i-Akbari, a detailed record of the Mughal emperor Akbar's administration, mentions use of saltpeter for refrigeration as well as transportation of Himalayan ice to warmer areas.
Although Delhi has been described as the birthplace of kulfi, Australian food historian Charmaine O'Brien suggests, "...it is likely that [kulfi] originally evolved in the cooler climates of Persia or Samarkand and that the Mughals appropriated the concept and elaborated on it to create the creamy, perfumed dessert that it now is."
To prepare kulfi, sweetened, flavoured milk is slow cooked.
The slow cooking caramelises the sugar in the mixture and browns its milk proteins, giving kulfi its distinctive taste.
The mixture is then poured into moulds and sealed.
The moulds are removed from the freezer 10–15 minutes before serving to allow the kulfi to melt slightly.
Kulfi is then removed from the moulds and garnished with ground cardamom, saffron, or pistachios.
Kulfi is also served with falooda.
Throughout the Indian subcontinent, kulfi is sold by street vendors known as kulfiwallahs.
It is also commonly served in Indian restaurants.