Happy birthday Mr. Riaz!!!!!! Yesterday was Mr. Riaz’s birthday so I decided to make this sugar free firni. This is a semiya custard and not shear korma. Shear korma is just semiya cooked with milk only and it is eaten on Eid just after Ramadan and Qurbani Eid and it is made first thing in the morning just so we all have our breakfast. I explained in an earlier post about this particular dish. What you did not know there is a custard version of this too and I already made a custard post too and the many ways of making it, I just do not want to confuse anyone and I am making this version.
I seen a YouTube video on how to make Firni and seen some that was made with rice just almost like you would make kheer. Kheer is another earlier post I did i think. If you want me to do a sugar free rice firni then just let me know in my group Benazir’s blog a cooking guide or down below here. I am welcome to any feedback. I also made a cake on which a small slice is a part of the ingredients. Sorry if you feel like I am over the place here but Mr. Riaz who was the birthday boy for the first time in his life wanted his birthday cake for dinner along with a cup of warm milk for dinner. Now we can get on with the recipe.
FOR THE SEMIYA CUSTARD:
Fist turn on the heat to high and I added vegetable oil. Corn, canola, sunflower, safflower, flaxseed, sesame seed, olive oil, grapeseed, peanut, coconut, almond or macadamia nut can be used also. Add 1 handful of either whole golden and or dark raisins. Also you can add 5 dates, figs or apricots diced in tiny pieces because the are wonderful too and add a lot of natural sweetness. Mix in 1 handful of whole charmargs which are shelled and unsalted pumpkin seeds. Almonds, frozen shredded coconut or desiccated coconut, peanuts, cashews, pistacios or even walnuts. The nuts can be can be chopped in a mini food processor before being added to the hot oil. Add 1 drop each of rose and kerwa essence, 2 green elachis {cardamoms} crushed in mortar and pestle, I added 1/4 cup of rice syrup from H mart however the same amount of sugar free syrup agave nectar, turbidano sugar, coconut sugar or 3 packets of stevia. Turn heat off to prevent burning for now.
Stir and add 1 bag of semiya which is sold in many Indian and Pakistani grocery stores. In English it is called vermacelli on the bag and the brand names are either National, Lazzat or even Shan. This gets crumbled in the bag before you open it and add to the pot in to the nutty oily mixture. Just besure to squeesze the bag gently. Add 1 pinch of powdered yellow food coloring, 1/4 cup of nido milk powder, 3 tbs of cornstarch, 4 cups of water a little at a time and keep stirring with the heat off until it gets mixed in without being lumpy. When you don’t see anymore lumps and it is very smooth then you can add the rest of the water remaining. Remenber this has to be a liquid and it should’t be thick even.
Turn the heat back on to high until it becomes lukewarm then shut off the heat once more. Crack and beat 1 egg in a small bowl then take a ladle and add the milky mixture from the pot and add to the egg in the bowl and mix it right away and add this to the milky mixture in the pot and once more turn the heat this time to low and cook until it thickens and turn the heat off for the last and final time. This part is on the stovetop and the next part of it which gets crumbled in to the semiya custard to complete the firni.
FOR THE SPONGE AKA THE CAKE:
For this you can either use the oven or the instant pot and the like to make the cake itself. The regular oven temp and instant pot and the like are 375F or 190C. In a small mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients like 1 cup of all purpose unbleached flour, 1 pinch each of pink salt, yellow food coloring, 2 tbs of cornstarch, 3 tbs of baking powder, This has the same sweetener of choice options as the semiya custard for this sweet dish so I added 1/4 cup of coconut sugar for the cake and look up ^^^^^^ for the sweeteners of choice options. Add 1 drop each of vanilla and almond essence. Other flavors of essences can be used also if you don’t want to use almond then you can use orange or even pineapple which also are free from alcohol.
These are available at many Indian and Pakistani grocery stores in your area. 1 used 1 capful of lychee vinegar which I bought from H mart or you can use other types of vinegars too such as balsamic, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or even cane vinegar, 1 egg, 3 cups of water a little at a time to make a smooth lump free batter. I added the same amount of vegetable oil that I have used in the semiya custard and you have to look up^^^^ for this option too. Spray the cake pan with cooking spray and cook this in the preheated oven or in the instant pot and the like for 30 minutes. If using the instant pot be sure to put 2 cups of water in to the inner lining and add the trivit and place this disk on top of it which will support the cake itself when you try to remove it from the instant pot and the like without it toppling over.
Add and this will be the water bath. Now place the air frying lid on top of the instant pot, select bake temp for 375 and the time 30 minutes and let the instant pot or the regular oven do their thing. When done either test to see with the fork or even toothpick comes out clean then it is time to remove the cake from wherever it was cooking in either the oven or the instant pot and let it cool slightly. Take a plate and place it over the cake plate and invert it to remove the cake itself from the cakepan itself then cut a piece to crumble inside of the semyia custard mixture and stir to combine and you have your firni. If you want you can garnish with extra nuts or even fresh fruit.
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