Phirni Recipe, How to make Punjabi Rice Phirni Recipe

August 12, 2015

Phirni is also called as Firni - a classic and delicious desert is often made for an auspicious or a pooja, it could also be a festive occasion like Diwali, Ganesha chaturthi or a religious ceremony like Karwa Chauth (eaten as a part of Sargi by married women in the morning before the fast begins) pooja conducted in our home or simply make them for any celebrations and enjoy them.

The appearance is satisfying and flavors too are creamy, rich, and yummy. This is one of the popular dish from northern part of India.

This creamy dessert is very easy to make and liked by all generation. Phirni is basically made from fine ground rice, whereas chawal ke kheer or rice kheer is made from whole rice. Homemade dessert were much better than the market mithai shop ones. I don’t want to praise myself but that was our genuine feeling.

Phirni is always eaten chilled, whereas rice kheer can be had warm or chilled.

Let's start making of punjabi phirni recipe with step by step process with photos.

Ingredients :

Basmati rice - 1/4 cup
Milk - 1 litre
Sugar - 3/4 cup or 1 cup as required
Almonds/badam, blanched - 18 to 20 no (few reserve for garnishing)
Cardamoms/hari-elachi - 6 to 7 no (crushed and powdered in a mortar-pestle)

Preparation Method :

1. Clean and rinse 1/4 cup basmati rice a couple of times in water. Drain and let them dry on their own or wipe the grains dry. Grind the rice in a dry grinder , till the consistency resembles sooji or rava or fine semolina. Keep it aside.

2. Heat 1 litre of milk in a pan or kadai till it begins to boil.

3. When the milk begins boiling, add the ground rice. Stir it well.

4. Next add sugar or as required and stir again.

5. Cook the rice on a low flame. Keep on stirring in breaks so that lumps are not formed, also scrape the sides often and add it to the simmering milk. Below pic is 7 mins after adding sugar.

6. Milk will thicken as the phirni is getting cooked, when the rice is almost cooked, add the cardamom powder (6-7 green cardamom crushed or you can add seeds also) and 16-18 blanched sliced almonds.

7. Cook for a further 5-6 minutes or till you get a creamy pudding like consistency, keep in mind that on cooling the phirni will thicken more. Below pic is 6 mins after adding sugar.

8. The total procedure of cooked phirni will take 25 mins after the rice was added, on a low flame. Pour in serving bowls, sprinkle some sliced almonds on the top.

8. Cover the phirni bowls with lids or aluminum foil. When they cool down, keep them in the fridge.

10. Phirni is always eaten cold, so you have to wait some time to enjoy this delicious sweet pudding. Once they are set and are chilled, serve the phirni bowls with a garnish of nuts.

You can make end number of deserts like spongy Rasgulla, sooji halwa, Motichoor Ladoo, sweet vermicelli, feniyan kheer or Besan Ladoo.

Happy Cooking and Enjoy :)