Easy Recipe Of Indian Rice Pudding Phirni Egg Free And No Bake Dessert

Almost every country across the globe has its own version of rice pudding-like Kheer and Phirni from India, Riz bi halib from Lebanon, Rizogalo from Greece, Arroz con leche from Spain, Pulut Hitam from Malaysia, Khanom Sor Sai from Thailand, Riz au lait from France. These are just a few examples and I believe there is no country that doesn’t have a unique recipe of rice pudding. The best part is that though rice and milk are used in almost every rice pudding, they all taste different. I will try to cover rice pudding from different countries in my blog, starting with a recipe from India. This easy and tasty dessert is believed to be brought to India by the Mughals.

What’s the difference between Phirni and Kheer?

The method of preparing kheer and phirni is quite similar but there are a few major differences between these two recipes:

Kheer is made with whole grains of rice whereas phirni is made with coarsely ground soaked rice. This small difference in one of the steps completely changes the taste and texture of phirni. Kheer can be served hot, warm, or chilled. Phirni is always served chilled. That’s why it’s considered a great summer dessert and is mainly made during summer festivals of India like Holi and Eid.

Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions

While cooking the phirni, ensure to stir it continuously for at least an initial 8-10 minutes. Then keep stirring every 1-2 minutes otherwise you will get lumps in it. Traditionally this dessert is set in clay bowls. In the older days when there were no refrigerators, clay pots were used to keep it chilled. Also, the clay pots absorb all the excess moisture from phirni giving it a very nice texture and firmness. This pudding also gets a delicious subtle earthy taste if served in clay pots. However, if you could not find clay pots, use normal pudding bowls, the phirni will still be delicious.

Variation suggestions

The recipe which I have shared here is the most basic one. However, it’s made in several different forms. Some of the Phirni variation suggestions are given below: