Mango Phirni An Easy And Delicious Summer Dessert

Today, I am sharing one of the most popular versions of Phirni- Mango Phirni. It’s my favorite too. If you are a mango lover, you can’t miss this recipe. If you love rice pudding and want to try different varieties then don’t miss to try the recipes for Gur wali kheer (Indian) and Riz bi Haleeb (Lebanese) on my blog. However, the original recipe got evolved and was modified during its journey to India before it became Indian Phirni. The thing which gives phirni its distinctive taste and texture is ground rice. Unlike other rice puddings instead of adding whole rice grains, rice is soaked in water and then coarsely ground before adding to the pudding.

What goes in Mango Phirni?

Mango Phirni is very easy to make and requires only a handful of basic ingredients. Milk: Use full cream milk to make this dessert. Vegan may also make phirni with a plant-based milk preferably cashew milk. Rice: Basmati rice is recommended for making phirni because it’s more fragrant than the other varieties. But you can also make it other rice varieties too. Mango puree: Both homemade and canned mango puree can be used. Sugar: I have used granulated white sugar which is generally used in Indian desserts, you can use any other sweetener of your choice. Cardamom powder: Ground green cardamom- an essential flavoring ingredient of almost every Indian dessert. Optional but recommended. Nuts: Generally, finely chopped pistachios are added to Phirni. I have used pistachios and almonds, you can also use cashew nuts. Garnishing Ingredients: Mango phirni can be garnished with chopped nuts, chopped mango, and dried rose petals. You can also use saffron strands and chandi ki varak (edible silver leaves) to garnish it.

How to make mango phirni?

Making mango phirni is very easy, just follow the steps given below: Put in a blender and blend to make a smooth paste. Your homemade mango puree is ready to use. To store it, you can put it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It will be fine for 3-4 days though the color may become less brighter. You can also freeze the mango puree for 3-4 months.

Step by step photo instructions

How to make it with condensed milk?

To make mango phirni with condensed milk, follow the same recipe, just once the rice is cooked and phirni has thickened add half a cup of condensed milk. Cook again for another few minutes or until the phirni thickens again. Don’t add sugar as the condensed milk is already very sweet. The remaining process will be the same.

How to make phirni with jaggery?

For a healthier version, you can also use powdered jaggery or palm sugar instead of refined sugar. However, it will slightly change the color of mango phirni. If using jaggery, switch off the stove before adding it to the phirni. After adding jaggery stir for 1-2 minutes or until the jaggery gets completely dissolved. If you add jaggery to the phirni while it’s getting cooked, the milk may split.

Serving suggestions

Phirni is always served chilled, so keep it in the fridge for atleast 2-3 hours and take out just before serving. Garnish it with chopped mangoes, nuts, saffron strands or rose petals to make it even more delicious. Traditionally it’s served in earthen pots.