Phirni (rice custard)

Phirni, has been one of my favourite indian desserts. One of my roommates in Pimpri would get phirni from a famous sweet shop in Mohammad Ali Road. That was the first time I had Phirni. Usually I am not fond of sweets made of milk like basundi or kheer, but this is different.

I looked up many online recipes and they are more or less same.
It is rich and creamy and the best part is it is super easy to make!

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups whole milk
2. 1/4 cup rice
3. 1/2 cup sugar
4. 1/2 tbsp cardamom powder
5. 1 tbsp finely chopped pistachio

Method:

• Soak the rice in water for couple of hours and then grind it to a coarse paste.
• Heat milk, when it starts to get warm, stir in the rice paste and sugar.
• Keep stirring it as the milk starts to thicken, you need to keep stirring so that milk doesn't stick to the base of the pan and get burnt. You need to let it cook till the rice is cooked competely and milk has reduced to half, usually takes 15-20 min. Stir in cardamom powder.
• set it in dessert bowls, garnish with pistachio. 
• Let it cool down and refrigerate for couple of hours.
• Enjoy!

Printable Version: Phirni recipe

Notes:

I garnished it with raisins as that was only dry fruit i had at home at the time. You may add almonds, raisins etc to the phirni as well.

If you would like some color add saffron.