RAWALPINDI: You could almost always see a white kulfi cart around any corner you turned in Rawalpindi. The rich, creamy dessert was once the people’s favorite.

Made from milk, khoya, sugar and dried fruits, kulfi could attract people of any age, in any season.

Over time though, the once popular frozen delight had lost its market to new, shiny ice-cream parlours.

But kulfi lovers need not worry: the lush, gooey frozen goodies are making a major comeback.

Kulfi’s popularity goes as far back as Mughal Times. Ain-e-Akbari, the Mughal emperor Akbar’s administrative records, details the use of salt for refrigeration of the treat.

Even till a few years back, the dessert was largely famous with Nihari and Sri Paye eaters. Kulfi vendors would roam the lanes of bazaars which served heavy food. Kulfi carts were always a regular feature in Kartarpura, Bhabra Bazaar, Raja Bazaar and Saddar.

People would crave the cold, velvety dessert after a heavy meal to cool their heart burns. After years of losing out to branded ice cream, people are once again turning to the sub-continent’s answer to ice-cream.

Kulfi carts are a regular feature in Kartarpura, Bhabra Bazaar, Raja Bazaar and Saddar areas

Irfan Ahmad, a kulfi shop owner at Purana Qila, said he sells around 1,000 kulfis a day.

He said his shop was very busy in the summer months with him having to keep in business from early morning to late into the night.

Mr Ahmad said they freeze kulfi the traditional way: by using a lot of crushed ice and mixing the ice in with raw salt and putting them in an ice box. He says this way the kulfi is frozen in as little as two hours which is how he caters to increased demand.

Yasir Ahmad, resident of Westridge, said kulfi was his favorite sweet. He said: “I tried many of those new flavours in ice cream but I cannot hold them up to the traditional kulfi taste, especially after dinner.” He said he preferred to go to Iqbal Road for his kulfi fix.

Sajjad Butt, another resident, said he ran an electronic shop and got kulfi for people who visit his shop. He said they were like little pieces of his childhood.

Increased demand is very good news to families who have been in the kulfi-making business for generations.

Mohammad Waseem, a kulfi shop owner on Iqbal Road, said they still make kulfi in moulds, with bamboo sticks poking out.

Mr Waseem comes from a family of pehlawans or wrestlers and his is a family recipe for kulfi. He says their shop had been serving the frozen food for the past 65 years.

He said: “A lot of people have come and tried a hand at opening a kulfi shop and failed. Maintaining the quality of food is very important.”

Making kulfi is not all that hard. Boil milk until it reduces to half; add in sugar, rose water, cardamom seeds and dried fruits. Mix in some khoya and freeze in kulfi moulds or in a Tupperware tub if you want, Mr Waseem added.

Published in Dawn, September 28th , 2015

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