Saffron (kesar) and green cardamom (elaichi) flavour many of the sweets in Siddhi’s kitchen, and cardamom goes into her chai too. This guide shows how much of each she uses, how she prepares them and when they go in. For savoury masalas, see the spices in Siddhi’s kitchen.
Every recipe linked in this guide is cooked in Siddhi’s own kitchen before it goes live.
The short answer
How Siddhi uses them:
- Saffron: a pinch to a few strands, often soaked in a little milk or water first.
- Cardamom: coarsely crushed for her kheers and gajar halwa, powdered for many other sweets, whole or crushed pods in chai.
- In her rice kheer and kulfi, both go in with the sugar and dry fruits.
Saffron in Siddhi’s recipes
| Recipe | Saffron | How it goes in |
|---|---|---|
| Rava Kesari | 3 pinches | Soaked in the milk for 15 to 20 minutes |
| Pineapple Modak | A pinch | Soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk |
| Milk Powder Ladoo | 6 to 7 strands | Soaked in the warm milk, added together |
| Makai Halwa | Strands | Soaked in 1 tbsp milk, added with the sugar |
| Mango Shrikhand | Strands | Soaked in 1 tsp water |
| Malai Kulfi | 4 to 5 strands | Added to the milk with the sugar and dry fruits |
| Rice Kheer | A pinch | Added with the sugar, dry fruits and cardamom |
| Poha Kheer | 5 to 6 strands | Added with the nuts and cardamom |
| Makhane ki Kheer | A pinch | Added to the milk with the nuts and makhana |
| Malpua | A pinch | Added to the sugar syrup |
| Thandai | ¼ tsp | Part of the thandai masala |
Cardamom in Siddhi’s recipes
| Recipe | Cardamom |
|---|---|
| Rice Kheer | ¼ tsp, coarsely crushed |
| Poha Kheer | ¼ tsp, coarsely crushed |
| Seviyan Kheer | ¼ tsp, coarsely crushed |
| Makhane ki Kheer | ¼ tsp, coarsely crushed |
| Gajar Halwa | ½ tsp, coarsely crushed |
| Gujarati Magas | ½ tsp, coarsely crushed |
| Malai Kulfi | ½ tsp, crushed |
| Mawa Gujiya | ½ tsp, crushed, with a pinch of nutmeg |
| Mango Shrikhand | ½ tsp powder |
| Rava Kesari | ¼ tsp powder |
| Malpua | ¼ tsp powder |
| Pineapple Modak | ¼ tsp powder |
| Milk Powder Ladoo | ¼ tsp powder |
| Makai Halwa | ¼ tsp powder |
| Mango Thickshake | ¼ tsp powder |
| Thandai | 1 tbsp seeds, ground into the thandai masala |
| Adrak Masala Chai | 2 pods, crushed |
| Tandoori Chai | 1 green cardamom |
| Veg White Pulao | 2 green cardamoms, roasted in the oil |
When they go in
- In her rice kheer and malai kulfi, Siddhi adds the saffron and cardamom with the sugar and dry fruits. See how to thicken milk for kheer and kulfi.
- In Gajar Halwa, she adds the cardamom with the grated carrots and sautés them together for 2 to 3 minutes.
- In Pineapple Modak, she sprinkles in the cardamom powder after the mixture has cooked for 2 minutes.
- In Malpua, the saffron goes into the sugar syrup before she switches off the flame.
- In her chai, the cardamom goes in with the tea leaves and sugar. In Veg White Pulao, the whole pods are roasted in the hot oil with the other whole spices for half a minute.
FAQs
How much saffron do I need for kheer?
Siddhi uses a pinch of saffron in her Rice Kheer and 5 to 6 strands in her Poha Kheer.
Should saffron be soaked first?
In some of Siddhi’s recipes, yes: she soaks it in milk for 15 to 20 minutes for Rava Kesari, in 2 tbsp warm milk for Pineapple Modak and in 1 tsp water for Mango Shrikhand. In her Rice Kheer, Malai Kulfi and Makhane ki Kheer, she adds the strands straight to the milk.
Cardamom powder or crushed cardamom?
Siddhi uses both. She coarsely crushes cardamom for her kheers, gajar halwa and magas, and uses cardamom powder in her rava kesari, malpua, modak and milk powder ladoo.
How much cardamom goes in chai?
Siddhi uses 2 crushed cardamom pods in her Adrak Masala Chai and 1 green cardamom in her Tandoori Chai.
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- How to Thicken Milk for Kheer and Kulfi
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- Rice for Pulao, Fried Rice and Flavoured Rice
- The Spices in Siddhi’s Kitchen
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- Raw Mango vs Ripe Mango: How Siddhi Uses Each
- What to Soak and for How Long
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