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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Firni

    Published May 5, 2023, modified May 21, 2023 by Nicole Shroff / Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe
    pin of two images of firni in bowl with dried rose decoration

    How to make firni, an Indian creamy smooth pudding made with rice flour and slow cooked milk flavoured with saffron and cardamom, garnished with crushed nuts.

    Firni in glass bowl garnished with small dried roses

    Firni, also spelt phirni, is a North Indian dessert made with rice flour, sugar and milk flavoured with aromatics such as saffron and cardamom.

    It is a thick, creamy, rich pudding with a smooth texture similar to mohallabiya from Middle Eastern cuisine.

    Firni is a popular dessert usually prepared for celebrations such as Diwali and Eid and a perfect way to round off a spicy meal.

    In India it is traditionally served chilled in earthenware bowls which gives a wonderful earthy flavour, absorbing some moisture and helping it set.

    Firni can sometimes be confused with another popular milk based dessert called kheer, which is prepared in a similar way but rather than using rice flour it is made with boiled rice giving a chewier texture (similar to Turkish sütlaç).

    Firni came from Mughal cuisine and gave rise to regional variations such as payasam from Kerala which is made with vermicelli and jaggery and payesh from Bengal which uses a local short grain rice for a slightly different flavour.

    Our firni recipe is flavoured with cardamom and saffron, two flavours which work extremely well with milk based dishes.

    If you would like to try more Indian rice pudding desserts like this, we have a recipe for quick kheer made with leftover boiled rice and one for slow cook traditional kheer.

    Click the subscribe button above to get more recipes like this to your inbox.

    Jump to:
    • About the ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Make ahead and storing leftovers
    • Your questions answered
    • Related
    • Pairing
    • 📋 Recipe

    About the ingredients

    Some information about the ingredients you will need:

    Small bowls on wooden surface containing ingredients for making firni.
    • saffron – bloom the saffron to extract their flavour. Use medium to long strands then crush and soak in water to extract their flavour.
    • milk – use whole milk for great texture and creaminess.
    • cardamom – stewed in milk gives a wonderful flavour.
    • rice flour – if unavailable, make your own by grinding raw rice grains in a spice or coffee blender.
    • sugar – use granulated or caster sugar so it dissolves easily. (We haven’t tested this recipe with sweeteners but if you have we would love to hear from you in the comments below.)

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Step by step instructions for making firni.

    Small glass bowl with crushed strands of saffron in water.

    Bloom saffron to extract the flavour by crushing the strands and soaking in water for 20 minutes.

    Boiling milk and cardamom pods in saucepan.

    Meanwhile bring milk to a boil with the cardamom pods and simmer on low for 20 minutes.

    Mixing rice flour and sugar into cardamom milk.

    Whisk in the rice flour, sugar, saffron and water (not shown) till blended.

    Cooked firni in saucepan.

    Cook on low, stirring frequently, till the mixture thickens then remove from the heat.

    Pour into individual bowls or a serving dish then set aside to cool before covering to chill in the fridge.

    Garnish with crushed nuts before serving.

    Make ahead and storing leftovers

    Firni can be made ahead and kept covered in the fridge till ready to serve.

    Cover and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

    Your questions answered

    Firni vs kheer

    Firni is a thick, creamy, smooth pudding made with rice flour while kheer is made using rice and has a slightly chewy texture.

    How do you stop milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan?

    Use butter or vegetable oil to grease the inside of the pan before using for easy cleaning and to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom. Frequent stirring with a wooden spoon and cooking on low heat should also prevent it sticking.

    How do you clean a pan if milk has stuck to the bottom?

    Once the pan has cooled add a dishwasher tablet and water so the tablet dissolves. Leave to soak for 1-2 hours. Pour the soapy liquid away, scrub the milk away with your regular dishwashing sponge and rinse well.

    Related

    Looking for more Indian dessert recipes like this?

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    Pairing

    Some of our favorite dishes to serve with firni:

    • Close up of chicken 65 on a plate.
      Hyderabadi Chicken 65
    • Image of chicken curry in a large saucepan.
      Chicken Curry With Potatoes
    • cooked chicken on blue platter
      Tandoori Chicken
    • closeup of butter chicken in brown bowl
      Nut Free Butter Chicken

    Did you make this? Please rate it in the recipe card below and if you are sharing a photo on social media please tag @endofthefork.

    📋 Recipe

    Firni in glass bowl with garnish of small dried roses

    Firni

    Nicole Shroff
    How to make firni, an Indian creamy smooth pudding made with rice flour and slow cooked milk flavoured with saffron and cardamom, garnished with crushed nuts.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Chilling time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 245 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 20 medium to large saffron strands
    • 2 tablespoons water cool
    • 75 g rice flour 6 tablespoons
    • 1.100 litres whole milk 5 cups
    • 2 whole cardamoms
    • 100 g sugar 7 tablespoons, granulated or caster

    Garnish

    • 10 pistachios shelled, or almonds

    Instructions
     

    Bloom the saffron

    • In a small bowl crush 20 medium to large saffron strands with your fingers, add 2 tablespoons water and set aside for 20 minutes.

    Firni

    • Meanwhile, pour 1.100 litres whole milk into a medium saucepan add 2 whole cardamoms and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to minimum and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
    • Remove the cardamom pods and whisk in 75 g rice flour and 100 g sugar till there are no lumps of rice flour left (use a stick/immersion blender or spoon to crush any large lumps). Stir in the saffron strands and their water. Then stir occasionally using a wooden spoon till the mixture has thickened.
    • Remove from the heat and pour into a serving dish or individual bowls. Leave to cool on the counter then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge. Before serving roughly crush 10 pistachios with a pestle and mortar or use a plastic bag and a rolling pin and sprinkle over the firni.

    Notes

    Make ahead – firni can be made ahead and kept covered in the fridge till ready to serve.
    It is important to bloom the saffron before using to extract the flavour.
    If you don’t have rice flour you can make your own – use a spice or coffee grinder to grind raw rice into a fine powder.
    Whole milk gives best results because of its high fat content.
    To prevent milk sticking to the bottom of the pan – bring to a boil on medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer stirring frequently using a wooden spoon.
    You can use any type of crushed nuts to garnish the firni.
    Storing leftovers – cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

    MEASUREMENT NOTES

    The ingredients here on EOTF are set out in grams & milliliters and in US cups & spoons.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 8gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 79mgPotassium: 343mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 342IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 258mgIron: 0.2mg
    Did you make this recipe? I’d love to know how it turned out! Let me know by leaving a review below, or snap a photo and share it on Instagram tagging me @Endofthefork.
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