Saffron Kachi with Cardamom and Almonds
Kachi is a warm Persian flour pudding with a silky, spoonable texture. Slowly toasting the flour gives it a gentle nutty flavour; saffron, cardamom and rose water add fragrance without needing a heavy topping. Serve it in small bowls while still warm.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Yield
- 6 small bowls
- Notes
- Heavy saucepan
In this recipe
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity | From Moayeri |
|---|---|---|
| Plain flour | 100 g | |
| Unsalted butter | 75 g | |
| Sugar | 100 g | |
| Water | 600 ml | |
| Saffron threads | 0.1 g | View product |
| Ground cardamom seeds | ¼ tsp | View product |
| Rose water | 1 tbsp | View product |
| Almond slivers | 20 g | View product |
| Pistachio slivers, optional | 10 g | View product |
| Ground cinnamon, to finish | a pinch | View product |
Use the listed weights where possible. One tablespoon is 15 ml and one teaspoon is 5 ml. Optional additions and alternatives are marked in the table.
Ingredients from Moayeri
Choose the ingredients you need for your batch. Some cards are optional additions or alternatives, as marked above.
Dried Cardamom
In stock
Rose Water
In stock
Slivered Almonds
In stock
Sliced Pistachio
In stock
Method
Make a fragrant syrup
Crush the saffron and steep in 2 tablespoons of the hot measured water for 10 minutes. Warm the remaining water with sugar until dissolved; add the saffron and keep warm.
Toast the flour
Stir the flour in a dry heavy saucepan over low heat for 10–15 minutes until it smells toasted and becomes pale beige. Keep it moving so no patches burn.
Add the butter
Stir in the butter and cook for 3 minutes until smooth. Remove from the heat, then slowly whisk in the warm syrup in several additions. The mixture may bubble, so pour carefully.
Cook until silky
Return to low heat and stir for 8–12 minutes, scraping the base, until smooth and gently thickened. Add cardamom and rose water in the final minute. Thin with a little hot water if necessary.
Serve warm
Divide among bowls and finish with almond slivers, optional pistachio and a light dusting of cinnamon. It thickens further as it cools.
Helpful tips
- Aim for lightly toasted flour, not the dark colour used for some halvas.
- Add syrup gradually off the heat to minimise lumps.
- Grind only the seeds inside cardamom pods; discard the papery husks.
FAQs
Is kachi the same as halva?
They share flour and aromatics, but kachi has more liquid and is eaten with a spoon.
How do I fix a thick pudding?
Whisk in hot water one tablespoon at a time over low heat until it flows slowly from the spoon.
Ready to serve
Let the saffron lead. Small amounts of rose water and cardamom give a balanced finish without overpowering the toasted flour.