Rose, Pistachio, Saffron, Cardamom Ice Cream

Surprise! Homemade ice cream can be Ayurvedic! No need to deprive yourself of one of summer's most special treats. Making ice cream the Ayurvedic way should 1) include spices that break up mucous and aid digestion 2) avoid eggs (a bad food combination when mixed with dairy) and 3) avoid refined sugars. But be warned! No matter how you prepare it, ice cream may provoke congestion, sluggish digestion and heavy thick blood in Kapha individuals, so indulge in moderation. Kapha people might try our cherry sorbet instead.



The Science of Ice Cream 

Ice cream provokes a flood of gooey mucus in the stomach. Cardamom breaks up these mucus forming qualities of ice cream. Once the rich, tasty gooeyness of ice cream is absorbed into the blood, the blood becomes congested and thick. Saffron moves this heavy blood and helps maintain good circulation.

Ever wonder why you crave a glass of water after eating ice cream? Digesting the fats in heavy cream absorbs water through a process called hydrolisis. Your body then needs more water to replace the water lost to digesting fats.

Rose and saffron are sattvic. Together with high quality dairy products, this ice cream is a strength and ojas building tonic to rebuild tissues and fat in underweight Vata individuals.

Ingredients

1 tsp Cardamom      Vata pacifying     Pitta pacifying     Kapha pacifying
3 c Heavy Cream     Vata pacifying     Pitta pacifying     Kapha aggravating
1/4 c Pistachio         Vata aggravating Pitta aggravating  Kapha aggravating
2/3 c Raw Sugar      Vata pacifying     Pitta pacifying     Kapha aggravating
1 tsp Rose Petals     Vata pacifying     Pitta pacifying     Kapha pacifying
2 tbsp Rose Water    Vata pacifying    Pitta pacifying     Kapha pacifying
1 tsp Saffron            Vata pacifying    Pitta pacifying     Kapha pacifying
1/4 c Skim Milk Powder

Preparation

Ice becomes creamy and smooth when crystals are kept small. Large crystals are grainy instead of smooth. To achieve this effect, the ice crystals are made into an emulsion of water, sugar, fats and proteins. The mixture helps lower the freezing point of water, helping the ice cream stay creamy.

Here are some guidelines to good homemade ice cream:

Use liquid sugars (called inverted sugars) over crystallized ones where possible. Examples are maple syrup, agave syrup and honey.
Skim milk powder and pectin are a better food combination than egg whites. Egg whites, however, will result in a creamier product.
Egg yolks provide fats. In this recepe we'll use dairy alone to provide fats for vegetarians. It is easier however to whip air into large fat molecules, making lighter, more desirable cream.

Recipe

Put the pistachios in the freezer. Heat the remaining ingredients over low heat until the sugar is dissolved and it begins to steam. Briskly whisk for one minute. Chill all ingredients in the refrigerator first. Use an ice cream maker, or if not available, simply place in the freezer and stir every fifteen minutes until frozen. When the ice cream is almost done, drop in the chopped candied fruit and/or pistachios, if using. Serve in frozen bowls and garnish with candied rose petals.

Alternatively, freeze 3/4's of the liquid portion, then place in a vitamix or high end blender with the remaining 1/4. Mix in the solid ingredients.

Optional: Experiment with essential oils like sandalwood or khus.

Note: This ice cream is a heavenly finish to a Moroccan or any Mediterranean menu. If you don't like rosewater, you can leave it out and it will still be absolutely delicious. Nuts are a bad food combination with dairy and should be removed for high Vata with weak digestion.