Today I am sharing a simple yet delicious dessert that is breeze to make and takes not more than twenty minutes of your time. The final result is a creamy and light dessert that can even be enjoyed by a toddler since it is easy to digest and healthy to eat. While is one version which has rice as its base, the Kashmiri one has suji or semolina and it is perfumed with saffron and called Kong Phirin.
As I had shared earlier in my Kesar Rice Phirni post, phirni is thicker and creamier than your regular kheer or rice pudding and also takes much less time to cook. And if you make the Kashmiri phirni, which is made using semolina or suji/ sooji, then you have the instant version of phirni which is just as creamy and delicious.
Since Valentine Day is around the corner, serve it with strawberry compote and you have an impressive dessert at hand. Easy peasy! But if you like to keep it desi, simply omit the strawberry compote (although I highly recommend it since it is not just delicious but healthy as well since its rich in anti-oxidants) and use saffron to perfume your phirni just like the Kashmiris do. Cardamom too works really well.
Other fruits that go well with it include raspberries, cherries (make compote), mango (simply purée them), apricots (you can use fresh or dried) or any fruit that you fancy.
½ C Semolina
1 litre Milk, Dairy or Non Dairy
½ tsp Cardamom Powder
3 tbsp Caster Sugar or any sweetener of your choice
Strawberry Compote (puréed), optional
2 tbsp to ¼ Cup Condensed Milk (depending how rich you want the phirni)
2 tbsp Assorted Nuts (toasted and chopped)
(Please adjust the amount of sugar since the strawberry compote too has sugar in it and so does the condensed milk. The amount mentioned here may vary therefore taste and adjust, as you go.)
Heat the milk in a saucepan or patila, on low heat, and bring it to boil. (You need to stir the milk occasionally to prevent it from catching at the bottom of the pan) Add sugar to the milk and stir well.
While the milk is heating, dry roast the semolina on medium heat till it becomes golden in colour (approximately five to six minutes). Remove the semolina from heat.
Gradually, and in batches, add the semolina while constantly stirring so as to avoid the formation of lumps. Cook the semolina and milk on low heat for approximately six to seven minutes or till the contents begin to thicken and cover the back of the ladle. Stir in the cardamom powder.
Remove the pot from heat and keep stirring the contents for a minute or two, to bring down the temperature of the pudding. Add condensed milk and mix it well. Pour the contents in small earthen pots or individual glasses and refrigerate the phirni. Granish with nuts before serving.
However, if you intend to serve it with the strawberries, ensure that the phirni is not too hot. Add the purée to the phirni and stir well. Begin by adding half a cup and then taste the pudding. Add more if required. (I mostly use approximately three fourth cup)
Pour the contents in small earthen pots and refrigerate the phirni. Garnish with nuts before serving. (check Notes below)
Serves – 6
Note – Do not use the coarse semolina for making this dessert.
Note – I had used 3 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp condensed milk. If you plan to increase the amount of condensed milk, reduce the sugar.
Note – Using the strawberry compote is purely optional. I always make the compote a day ahead of making this dessert.
Note – Use a blender or liquidiser to purée the compote.
Note – I did not mix in the purée to the phirni for this post (just so that you can see the original colour and texture of the phirni) and instead served it layered with the compote.
Note – Phirni is traditionally served in earthen pots but you can also serve it in glasses, layered with strawberry purée, to make it look attractive.
Thank you so much for your visit and see you soon again with another exciting recipe!
They look gorgeous and must have tasted amazingly delicious too. Can’t wait for the strawberry season arrive here…save this for summer.
Your photography and the recipe is so tempting!
What a pretty dessert, would be lovely for Valentine’s Day! And gosh, your pictures are perfection AGAIN!!
Semolina pudding is a favourite in our household. This looks absolutely delicious. It will be a winner with Lynne for sure!
This is such a tempting recipe! Beautiful pictures!
I’ve never had semolina pudding! I’m such a dessert fan, I can’t believe there’s something this delicious-looking that I’ve never tried! Thanks for the recipe.
Wow. This looks excellent. Super nice recipe — thanks.