Kulfi is the name given to traditional Indian ice cream. As a street snack, it is frozen in little tube-shaped terracotta pots and sold by vendors from large vats filled with crushed salted ice. Needless to say, the variety of flavours sold by such vendors is endless, but for a light and refreshing dessert I really like the subtle taste and fragrance of rosewater kulfi. It can easily be made at home and has the added bonus of not requiring an ice-cream machine, although if you have one feel free to churn the kulfi mixture to get a lighter, airy texture.

Ingredients

• 2 litres whole milk
• 3-4 cardamom pods, seeds finely ground
• 130g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp rosewater
• rose petals, to decorate (optional)

Directions
1 Pour the milk into a wide heavy-based saucepan and slowly bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, stir in the ground cardamom and simmer for an hour or until reduced by half. The milk must be stirred frequently to prevent it catching on the base of the pan and burning. If a skin forms over the milk, don't worry, simply stir it back in.

2 Once the milk has reduced, add the sugar and rosewater. Continue to simmer, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool completely, stirring every once in awhile to prevent a skin forming.

3 Pour the cooled milk into four kulfi or dariole moulds. Cover the moulds with cling film and carefully transfer to the freezer. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.

4 To unmould the kulfis, dip the moulds briefly in a bowl of warm water and invert on to shallow serving bowls. Decorate with rose petals, if you wish, and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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From Gordon Ramsay's Great Escape . Published by Harper Collins. Copyright 2010 by Gordon Ramsay. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of Harper Collins.