Of all the occasions that graced us during quarantine, Mother’s Day sure picked the best time. Being in lockdown for almost three months brought about epiphanies for many. One of them being the realisation of a mother’s role in one’s life.

Just like that, no one asked a homemaker, mother or wife what she does at home all day ever again. Suddenly, it was crystal clear.

It was clear to us too, as our La Folie team began packing orders for Mother’s Day, well in advance. The sheer volume of people - whether with their parents or far away - wanting to express their love with a sweet gift hamper was overwhelming, to say the least.

Messages poured in; heartfelt, loving ones from those that wanted to appreciate the superwoman in their lives and some guilty, remorseful messages from those that regretted not spending enough time with her, all with a promise to right their wrongs. But what is guilt for a mother? The mother that only understands the language of love, the mother whose compromises never end, the mother who only knows how to accept flaws and not point them out. We cannot begin to fathom how vast the ocean of a mother’s love is. For like the wind, she is always around us, always with us and even though we may not realise it, she makes us feel alive.

For Chef Sanjana Patel, this mother’s day was bitter-sweet. Overwhelmed with the messages and orders that poured in from customers through the day and even in the night, she took time out to do a special Instagram live session with her mom, as they made traditional Punjabi Phirni in memory of Sanjana’s Nani.

“One day is not enough to celebrate a mother. For everything my mother and Nani have done for me, I am forever grateful. This super simple phirni is a recipe that three generations of women in my family have been making and enjoying. I hope you love it as much as we do and get a chance to make it for your mother some day” says Sanjana.

Punjabi Phirni

Ingredients:
4 tbsp rice soaked for 2 hrs
1 litre thick milk
1/3 cup sugar or to taste (you can add sugar free also)
Blanched slivers of almonds or almond paste
Few saffron strands
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
5-6 drops rose water

Garnish:
Rose petals, almond and pista slivers

Method:
Grind the rice with 1 cup of milk. Boil the remaining milk. Once it comes to a boil, add the rice milk paste and keep stirring on a low flame continuously till it becomes a little thick.
Add sugar or sugar free, cardamom powder, saffron strands, and stir till the sugar melts.(If you like, you can add 1 cup of cream at this stage for a smooth texture)
To know if it's ready - put a spoon in cold water to see if the mixture becomes a blob.
Once ready, switch off the gas, add rose water and pour it in a bowl, garnish with slivers of pistachio and almonds along with rose petals.
Learn how to make Chef Sanjana’s spin on the Classic Phirni: Phirni mousse with Pistachio tuile and Boondhi caviar.