Shahi Paneer Kheer with Lychees

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients

20 to 25 large lychees ( i tried this with tinned lychees got from the indian store)
20-25 almonds-blanched (soaked in hot water and skin removed)
10 sheets of varq(silver sheets) - Makes the dish look pretty - i did without it
1/2 tin of milk maid or sweetened condensed milk (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup of milk
250 gm paneer grated ( i tried with the paneer grated long - its better to grate it fine)
1/4 tsp kesar(saffron) soaked in 1 tbsp of rose water
300 gm cream - chilled nicely and whipped until it turns thick (i bought whipped cream)

Garnish
A few rose petals
a few green pistas sliced

Method

1. Peel and carefully deseed the lychees keeping the lychees whole
2. Insert one almond in each lychee in place of the seed
3. (The dish tastes just as good if this step is ommited). Open up a varq carefully and place two lychees on the broad end(open end) downwards on the sheet leaving some space in between the lychees.Carefully lift the paper beneath the varq to coat the lychees with varq. Do not touch the varq directly. Keep the pearly lychees in a plate and refrigerate
4. Soak the saffron in rose water
5. Whip the chilled cream(chill the cream before whipping) till slightly thick
6. Beat 1/2 tin condensed milk, 1/2 cup milk and saffron along with the rose water in a pan until smooth
7. Add the grated paneer and mix well
8. Add cream to the condensed milk mixture to get a kheer like consistency of the mixture(thick pouring consistency). If you like it less sweet add some more grated paneer
9. Transfer to a shallow serving dish. Top the condensed milk mixture with pearly lychees. Garnish with rose petals and sliced pistas. Serve chilled.