Shell the cardamom. Crush the seeds to powder and set aside.
Break the cashew nuts roughly to pieces and set aside.
Put the saffron into a small bowl and set aside.
To cook:
Pour the milk into a thick bronze vessel or copper bottomed stainless steel vessel or any other thick bottomed vessel and set on high heat.
As soon as it boils, pour a ladleful of hot milk over the saffron and set the bowl aside to soak.
Now tip the rice into the boiling milk and stir continuously, taking care to avoid sticking or burning at the base.
As soon as the mixture starts boiling again, lower the heat. Stir frequently so as to prevent formation of cream crust at the top as well as burning at the base. Each brand of rice takes a different amount of time to cook.
As the mixture thickens, lift out a few grains with the ladle and squeeze between your thumb and forefinger to check if cooked. Ideally, the rice should be soft and blooming, slightly overcooked.
Now tip in the sugar and keep stirring. Add the saffron milk (including the saffron strands).
As soon as the sugar has dissolved, tip in the crushed cardamom. Switch off the heat and cover with a lid to trap the flavors.
Pour the ghee / clarified butter into a skillet and set on low heat. Tip in the cashew nuts. Stir till the cashews turn golden brown in color. Switch off the heat and quickly chuck in the kismis (raisins). Stir well and empty the contents of the skillet over the dudepak.
Your delicious dudepak is ready to serve. Serve hot or chilled. It is delicious when hot, but even more so when chilled. If you are serving cold, garnish with candied cherries or with strawberries. You’ll love it!
Recipe Notes
A tip for diabetics:
Diabetic patients can cook dudepak avoiding the sugar entirely. Unsweetened dudepak has its own goodness and taste. Do enjoy!