Vanilla Phirni Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: IndianDifficulty: EasyServings
4
servingsPrep time
10
minutesCooking time
35
minutesCalories
280
kcalChilling Time
2
HoursThis vanilla phirni recipe gives a familiar Indian dessert a gentle vanilla twist. Ground basmati rice cooks slowly in milk until creamy, then chills into a softly set pudding. Pure vanilla powder adds a warm fragrance and tiny dark speckles. Serve this eggless dessert in small bowls with pistachios or almonds for family dinners, festive meals or a sweet finish to the weekend.
Ingredients
- For the Phirni
50 g basmati rice, approximately ¼ cup
1 litre whole milk, with 75 ml reserved for grinding the rice
75 g granulated sugar, approximately 6 level tablespoons
1 tsp pure Madagascar vanilla powder, made from unsweetened ground vanilla beans
- Optional Garnishes
1 tbsp chopped unsalted pistachios
1 tbsp slivered almonds
How to Cook
- Wash and soak the rice. Rinse the basmati rice, cover with fresh water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
- Grind the rice. Add the drained rice and the reserved 75 ml milk to a small blender jar. Pulse into a slightly grainy paste with tiny, evenly sized rice particles. Aim for the texture of fine semolina, with no large pieces remaining.
- Heat the milk. Pour the remaining milk into a saucepan with a thick base. Heat over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cook the rice mixture. Reduce the heat to low. Stir the rice paste, then pour it gradually into the hot milk while whisking. Cook gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. Continue until the rice particles are completely tender and the mixture thickens. Allow a little longer if the rice still feels hard or gritty.
- Add the sugar. Stir in the sugar and cook for another 3–5 minutes, until dissolved. The phirni should coat a spoon but still pour easily; it will thicken further as it cools.
- Add the vanilla. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Mix the vanilla powder with a spoonful of warm phirni in a small bowl, then stir this back into the pan until evenly distributed.
- Portion and chill. Divide between four shallow dessert bowls or food-safe earthen bowls. Let the heavy steam subside for about 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until thoroughly chilled and softly set.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios or slivered almonds, if using. Serve chilled straight from the refrigerator.
Additional Tips
- Keep the rice texture slightly grainy. Small, uniform particles give phirni its delicate texture. Large pieces take longer to soften.
- Use whole milk. It gives the pudding a richer flavour and creamier finish. The calorie estimate assumes milk with approximately 3.5% fat.
- Stir regularly. Pay particular attention to the bottom of the pan as the pudding thickens.
- Check the consistency before chilling. If the cooked phirni becomes too thick to pour, stir in a little extra warm milk before dividing it into bowls.
- Use unsweetened vanilla powder. The quantity in this recipe is intended for ground vanilla beans. Their natural colour gives the pudding fine brown speckles.
- Keep it refrigerated. Chill the individual portions promptly after the brief cooling period, and keep any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
