The recipe for Kesar Firni or Phirni is simple, with only a handful of ingredients, but it makes one of the best desserts! Jump to:Difference Between Rice Kheer and PhirniAbout PhirniWhy You Will Love Kesar PhirniIngredientsStep-by-Step DirectionsServing and Storing SuggestionsHelpful TipsMore Delicious DessertsRecipe Card
Difference Between Rice Kheer and Phirni
Though the ingredients of Rice Kheer and Phirni are the same, the way of making them is different. The Kheer is made with whole rice grains, and Phirni is made with coarsely ground rice. Also, the consistency of these two desserts is different. Phirni is thicker and creamier than Kheer. Rice Kheer can be served warm or chilled, but Phirni should be served chilled.
About Phirni
Phirni or Firni is a popular Indian rice pudding and perfect for special occasions! It is creamy, rich, thick, and absolutely delicious. Making Phirni is simple with a few ingredients; the best part is that it is creamy without adding cream! Coarsely ground rice makes the Phirni super creamy and thick. Sugar makes it sweet; saffron, ground cardamom, and rose extract provide flavors, and nuts provide a pleasant crunch. However, you can make this tempting dessert with only milk, rice, sugar, and ground cardamom. And skip the saffron, rose extract, and nuts if you do not want to add them. The recipe is simple but makes a very rich and scrumptious dessert. Kesar Firni can be served as a dessert with lunch or dinner for a larger meal or make a perfect after-meal dessert.
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Directions
Rinse the rice couple of times and soak it in water for about 15 minutes.
After soaking the rice, drain the water and spread the rice on a tray lined with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Allow the rice to become dry completely.
Once dry, transfer the rice to the grinder or blender jar and grind it into a coarse powder. Do not grind into a fine powder; the coarse texture should resemble semolina. Set it aside.
Add milk and saffron strands to a heavy-bottomed pan. Heat the milk and bring it to a boil.
Once the milk starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and continue simmering the milk for about 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add ground rice and stir continuously to avoid any lump formation. Continue cooking on low heat until the rice is soft, cooked thoroughly, and Phirni becomes thick and creamy.
Once Phirni is thick and the rice is cooked, add sugar, cardamom powder, and chopped nuts.
Stir well and once the sugar is dissolved, taste the Phirni and add more sugar if required.
Continue cooking the Phirni for 5-6 minutes or until you get a creamy pudding-like consistency. Finally, add rose or kewra extract if you want, stir well, and turn off the heat.
Let the Phirni cool down for some time, and then transfer it to the serving bowls. Next, place the serving bowls in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Seve the chilled Phirni garnished with chopped nuts and saffron.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
Phirni is best served chilled. I like to keep it in the fridge overnight, but if you want to serve it the same day, let it cool in the refrigerator for at least 2-4 hours. Traditionally, Phirni is served in earthen pots. So if you have earthen pots, let the Phirni chill into them. Phirni will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Helpful Tips
Rice: Do not overwash the rice, as we need to retain some starch for the creamy Phirni. Also, let the rice grains dry entirely before grinding; they should not be wet or moist. Milk: It is essential to use whole or full-fat milk for the creamy and rich Phirni. Do not use low-fat or fat-free milk for this recipe. Sugar: I have used cane sugar for this Phirni, but you can use granulated white sugar instead. Saffron: Saffron adds warm flavor and a beautiful color to the Phirni. However, you can skip it to keep the Phirni plain. Cardamom Powder: You can skip saffron, but do not skip cardamom, as it provides the necessary flavor to the Phirni. Rose Extract: I like to add a delicate floral note to this dessert. But it is optional, or you can add Kewra extract or a teaspoon of rose water for the flavor. Nuts: I have added chopped blanched almonds and pistachios to the Phirni. But you can skip adding the nuts into the Phirni and instead use the nuts only for garnishing. Stirring: Stir the milk at regular intervals to prevent the milk from burning. Consistency: The Phirni will be further thickened upon cooling, so keep the Phirni consistency accordingly while cooking.
