2 lb ricotta cheese
2 quart half and half
2 cup sugar
5 cardamon pods
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 rose water; to taste (opt)
Mix 1 1/2 cups of sugar with the Ricotta cheese and bake it in a 400 F oven for about 75 minutes in a flat dish covered with aluminum foil. The cheese should have hardened and turned a pale brown.
Thicken the half and half by simmering over low heat for a long time. This is best done in a microwave; if a microwave is not available, do it over low heat and stir frequently. Thicken until the volume drops to around half of the original volume.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, cardamom pods, bay leaf, vanilla and rose water (and any other flavoring that you may want) to the Half and Half. Heat for a few minutes.
After the cheese has been baked, cut it into 1 inch squares and add to the hot thickened half and half. Cool for a few hours in the fridge.
Rajeev Krishnamoorthy, rajeev@twain.EE.CORNELL.EDU
