Karen Mintzias
      3 c  Milk

      1 pn Salt

    1/3 c  Granulated sugar

    1/2 c  Cornflour (cornstarch)

    1/4 c  Cold water

    1/2 c  Slivered blanched almonds

    1/4 ts Ground cardamom (or more)

    1/4 ts Saffron threads (pounded)

    1/4 c  Finely chopped pistachios

           -- (blanched)
  Put all but 1/2 cup milk into a heavy pan and add salt and sugar. Put on to
  heat gently, stirring to dissove sugar.  Blend cornflour into reserved milk
  with the 1/4 cup water and pour into warm milk, stirring constantly. Add
  almonds and keep stirring until mixture thickens and bubbles.  Use a whisk
  if mixture becomes lumpy.  Add cardamom to taste and the pounded saffron.
  Cook on low heat for 5 minutes, letting pudding simmer very gently. Stir
  occasionally.
  Pour into 6 or 8 individual sweet dishes, spreading evenly.  Sprinkle
  pistachio nuts around edge of each dish.  To serve firnee in the
  traditional manner, the pudding should be poured into two plates, decorated
  with pistachio nuts and cut into quarters to serve in wedges.
  From: "The Complete Middle East Cookbook" by Tess Mallos.
  :      ISBN: 1 86302 069 1 Typed for you by Karen Mintzias