Qubani ka meetha

INGREDIENTS:
. 225 gm dried apricots, dried
. 50 gm sugar
. 2-3 gm green cardamom, crushed
. 5 ml lemon juice
For garnish:
. 10 gm apricot kernels
. 10 gm almonds, sliced
. 10 gm pistachio, sliced
. A pinch of saffron
. 125 gm thick or whipped cream
METHOD:
Clean and wash the dried apricot and soak in water overnight. Once the apricot is soft, remove from water and de-seed with a spoon. Wash again and set aside. Store the soaking liquid. Do not throw the seeds away, as you will need the kernels, which you can get by cracking the hard shells.
In a sauce pan, over medium heat, add the soaking liquid and apricots and boil for 12-15 minutes.
Add sugar and stir well until completely dissolved.
Add crushed cardamom, lemon juice and saffron strands, and cook on a medium heat, stirring occasionally.
In a separate pan, heat a little amount of water and blanch all three sliced nuts. Drain and keep aside.
Continue cooking the apricots, crushing a little bit till it becomes thick and mushy, like a compote. Add milk or water if needed to regain the consistency.
Transfer to a serving bowl and leave to cool.
Garnish the dish with thick whipped cream, apricot kernels, nuts and saffron strands.
Serve warm or cold.