Paan Flavored Ice Cream

My husband and daughter are very fond of ice cream. Its summer here, and every weekend we see the ice cream van going by in our neighborhood. The moment my daughter (just 18 months old) hears the music  played by the ice cream van, she runs to the door, points outside, nods her had and says "Srishti..Ice Cream...Yes" "Srishti...Ice Cream...Yes". I can't stop the ice cream van from coming in my neighborhood, but I can make some ice cream at home, so that when she wants it, she can have homemade ice cream without added food color, artificial sweeteners or preservatives.

I usually make fruit flavored ice creams for her. One of her and my husband's favorites is my Blueberry ice cream. 

This time I was looking for some other ideas for making ice cream, and found these beetle leaves in the desi store:), so I thought of making ice cream using them.

Ingredients:

For the Ice Cream

4 Cups Low Fat Milk

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup cornflour

For the paan flavoring 

4 Beetel Leaves(paan)

1 Tablespoo Lemon Juice

6 Dried Dates (Kharek), Soaked Overnight

1 TablespoonFennel Seeds (Saunf), 

1/4 Teaspoon Cardamom (Elaichi) 

1/4 Cup Gulkand (Sweetened Rose Petals)[You can use Rose syrup if you can't find Gulkand)

4-5 Mint Leaves

Method

Wash the paan leaves. Add them to the blender along with the rest of the pan flavoring ingredients and grind them into a very fine paste.

Dissolve the cornflour in ¼ cup of cold milk. Keep aside. Place the rest of the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and bring it to a boil. Add the sugar and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the dissolved cornflour and simmer for another 5 minutes while stirring continuously, till it is of a coating consistency. Remove from the fire and allow it to cool completely. Add the paan flavouring mixture. 

Mix well and pour into a shallow dish. Freeze till slushy. Remove and beat with a whisk until smooth and creamy (or use a blender).Freeze again until firm. Scoop and serve.


Needless to say my husband and daughter loved it. My parents, brother and sister visited me about a week later, and it was a big hit among them too.

I think my husband took some pictures before he finished up the ice cream. I will get the pictures from him and post them soon.

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