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The sweeter side of Rawalpindi: Re-birth of the kulfi

The sweeter side of Rawalpindi: Re-birth of the kulfi

Though kulfi lost its market to booming ice cream parlours, the lush, gooey frozen goodies are making a major comeback
28 Sep, 2015

RAWALPINDI: You could almost always see a white kulfi cart around any corner you turned in Rawalpindi. The rich, creamy dessert was once the people’s favorite.

Made from milk, khoya, sugar and dried fruits, kulfi could attract people of any age, in any season.

Over time though, the once popular frozen delight had lost its market to new, shiny ice-cream parlours.

But kulfi lovers need not worry: the lush, gooey frozen goodies are making a major comeback.

Kulfi’s popularity goes as far back as Mughal Times. Ain-e-Akbari, the Mughal emperor Akbar’s administrative records, details the use of salt for refrigeration of the treat.

Even till a few years back, the dessert was largely famous with Nihari and Sri Paye eaters. Kulfi vendors would roam the lanes of bazaars which served heavy food. Kulfi carts were always a regular feature in Kartarpura, Bhabra Bazaar, Raja Bazaar and Saddar.

People would crave the cold, velvety dessert after a heavy meal to cool their heart burns. After years of losing out to branded ice cream, people are once again turning to the sub-continent’s answer to ice-cream.

Kulfi carts are a regular feature in Kartarpura, Bhabra Bazaar, Raja Bazaar and Saddar areas Irfan Ahmad, a kulfi shop owner at Purana Qila, said he sells around 1,000 kulfis a day.

He said his shop was very busy in the summer months with him having to keep in business from early morning to late into the night.

Mr Ahmad said they freeze kulfi the traditional way: by using a lot of crushed ice and mixing the ice in with raw salt and putting them in an ice box. He says this way the kulfi is frozen in as little as two hours which is how he caters to increased demand.

Published in Dawn, September 28th , 2015

Comments

Abdullah Sep 28, 2015 11:16am
Good to learn about food in rawalpindi which was far behind than Lahore and Karachi last time i visited in 2013.
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m singh Sep 28, 2015 11:42am
It makes me remember my childhood days.....
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Goga Nalaik Sep 28, 2015 01:29pm
Aah, sweet old memories of my hometown...
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al Sep 28, 2015 02:27pm
Its Rupees 40 per stick in posh eateries in our city. That's Pak rupees 75 per stick !!
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Dipak Singh Sep 28, 2015 04:05pm
its refresh my childhood.. I use to have these kulfi in my childhood at cost of INR 1 or 2 but now we hard to find these at Kolkata's markets or streets.
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Piyush-Indian Sep 28, 2015 04:29pm
I want to visit pakistan. Who is going to invite me ? :)
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Atif Sep 29, 2015 02:01am
@Piyush-Indian For a kulfi? It is not cost effective my friend.
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Mustafa Sep 29, 2015 02:28am
@Piyush-Indian You wanna come to Pakistan just for the sake of kulfi? :)
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Dipak Sep 29, 2015 02:55am
Jivan, the owner of Gagan Palace Reststaurant, Stratford, NJ is the best when it comes to different kinds of KULFIS.
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Raheel Sep 29, 2015 04:17am
@Piyush-Indian Of course Piyush Bhai! aaj jao na!!
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RAO Oct 01, 2015 11:43am
@Piyush-Indian Welcome brother ! Me and my Family would love to meet you .
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FARHAN Oct 01, 2015 12:36pm
THIS REMIND ME OF MY CHILDHOOD IN INDIA , WE GET THE SAME KULFIS AS IN THE PICTURE IN EVERY CITIES , THE VENDOR OR HAWKER SELLING THOSE WE CALL IT KULFIWALA
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