Firni (Indian Rice Pudding)

Firni in glass bowl with garnish of small dried roses

Firni (Indian Rice Pudding)

How to make firni, a rich and creamy, chilled Indian rice pudding made with slow cooked milk, flavoured with saffron and cardamom. An easy make-ahead gluten-free dessert for Eid, Diwali and celebrations.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword Indian rice dessert, Milk dessert

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Chilling time 30

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 224kcal

Author Nicole Shroff

Ingredients

20 medium to large saffron strands
2 Tablespoons water cool
6 Tablespoons rice flour (75 g)
5 cups whole milk (1.2 litres)
2 whole cardamoms
7 Tablespoons sugar (100 g) granulated or caster

Garnish

10 whole pistachios shelled, can also use 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 5 cups whole milk into a medium saucepan add 2 whole cardamoms and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a minimum and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
Remove the cardamom pods and whisk in 6 Tablespoons rice flour and 7 Tablespoons 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 whole 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 grinder to grind 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.

Nutrition