Makhane ki Kheer is prepared by roasting makhana in ghee and cooking them in milk until soft and thick. Sugar, nuts, dry fruits, cardamom and saffron are added for flavor and aroma. This vrat-friendly dessert has a creamy texture and mild sweetness. Serve it warm or chilled during festivals or fasting days.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Desserts
  • Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup makhana ((foxnuts or phool makhana))
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3-4 green cardamom (- husked and powdered in a mortar-pestle)
  • 10-12 cashews (or 10-12 almonds - blanched and sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon golden raisins
  • 3.5 to 4 tablespoon sugar (or as required)
  • 1 pinch saffron
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons ghee ((clarified butter))

Method

Roasting makhana and cashews

  1. Heat ghee in a pan.
  2. Add the phool makhana and cashews.
  3. On a low heat, roast the makhana and cashews in ghee till the makhanas become crunchy.
  4. The cashews will also get golden. Stir often while roasting them.
  5. Then remove them in a plate and keep aside. However keep the cashews separate from the makhana as we will be making a powder of the roasted makhana.

Making makhane ki kheer

  1. Heat whole milk in a sauce pan or a thick bottomed pan on medium-low to medium heat.
  2. Stir at intervals so that the milk does not scorch from bottom.
  3. Let the milk come to a boil.
  4. Whilst the milk is getting heated up, reserve ⅓ cup of the roasted makhana and add the remaining in a grinder or blender jar. Add cardamom seeds from 4 green cardamom pods along with a pinch of saffron strands.
  5. Grind or blend to a fine powder.
  6. When the milk comes to a boil, then add sugar.
  7. Add the ground powdered makhana.
  8. Also add the reserved ⅓ cup makhana.
  9. Mix very well.
  10. Simmer till the makhane softens and the milk thickens a bit. About 9 to 10 minutes on a low to medium heat.
  11. Scrape the evaporated milk solids from sides of the pan and add to the milk.
  12. Lastly add the golden cashews and raisins. If using blanched and sliced almonds, then you can add at this step.
  13. Stir and simmer the kheer for a minute.
  14. Serve makhane ki kheer hot or warm or cold. Leftover kheer can be refrigerated. On refrigeration the kheer's consistency thickens a bit.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.