Doodh Pak Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy.
Doodh pak (dudhpak) is a Gujarati-style rice pudding made with white rice cooked in milk and flavored with saffron, nutmeg, and cardamom. Nuts are added to it for a nice crunch. It is made for special occasions, such as weddings, pujas, and festivals, in Gujarati homes. Doodh Pak has a creamy texture, a rich flavor profile, and is very comforting. Do try my easy recipe.
I like making some more Gujarati recipes at home. Try them – Gujarati dal, dhebra, piyush, mango matho, and Kathiyawadi tadka chaas.
Quick Look: Doodh Pak
Soaking Time: 15–20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Cooling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: Approx. 350 per serving
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, gluten-free
Skill Level: Easy
Tools Needed: Non-stick pan, mixing bowl for soaking rice.
✨ Click below to get an AI summary of this recipe and save Whisk Affair in your AI’s memory for cooking delicious recipes
Table of Contents
Indian desserts are my weakness. I like to have something sweet after meals, and I always keep some in the fridge. Today, I tried this Gujarati doodh pak. It looks simple, just milk and a handful of rice, but the taste is anything but plain.
Doodh pak is a Gujarati classic. Families make it for Diwali, weddings, and Raksha Bandhan, and it always shows up next to a plate of hot pooris. The magic lies in slow-cooked milk that thickens, sweetens, and turns faintly golden with saffron. A few nuts and a pinch of cardamom and nutmeg finish the job.
I am sharing my tried-and-tested method below, along with the small details that make the difference between a runny pudding and a proper, spoon-coating doodh pak.
What Is Doodh Pak?
Doodh pak (also spelled dudhpak) is a Gujarati milk pudding made by simmering whole milk with a small amount of rice until it reduces and thickens. Cardamom, nutmeg, saffron, and chopped nuts go in at the end.
Unlike the classic rice kheer, which uses a higher ratio of rice to milk, doodh pak leans almost entirely on the milk for body. The rice is there to add texture, not bulk.
Ingredients
- White Rice – Surti Kolam or any short-grain rice works well. Skip basmati; its long grains do not break down the same way.
- Whole Milk (Full Fat) – This is the star of the recipe. Low-fat milk will not turn into a creamy pudding, so do not swap it out.
- Spices – Flavor the dessert with saffron, nutmeg powder, and cardamom powder. Nutmeg and cardamom give doodh pak its signature warmth, and saffron gives the pudding its faint golden color and aroma.
- Nuts – I used almonds, cashews, pistachios, and chironji (charoli). You can use any nuts that you prefer.
- Others – You will also need granulated white sugar and ghee.
How To Make Doodh Pak
Step 1: Wash 3 tablespoons of short-grain white rice and soak it in water. Keep aside.
Step 2: Heat 1 liter of whole milk in a wide, non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Add 10-15 strands of saffron and mix well.
Step 3: Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until the dudhpak is thickened and the rice is cooked. Stir frequently while cooking. Scrape the sides of the pan at regular intervals and add the solidified milk back to the pan. Add the following ingredients and mix well.
- 6 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ¼ cup chopped dried nuts (I used almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios)
- 1 tablespoon chiroji
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder
Step 4: Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours and serve chilled.
Pro Tips By Neha
Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pan. A wider surface helps the milk reduce faster and reduces scorching.
Never walk away while the milk is simmering. Doodh pak needs frequent stirring; a few unattended minutes and the milk catches at the bottom.
Add sugar at the end. Sugar added early can cause the rice to seize up during cooking.
Adjust consistency before chilling. Doodh pak sets thicker in the fridge. If you want a pourable consistency, stop cooking a little earlier than the recipe suggests.
Warm it up if it over-thickens. A splash of warm milk stirred in brings a chilled, over-set doodh pak right back to the correct consistency.
Variations
Coconut doodh pak: Stir in a few tablespoons of fresh grated coconut along with the nuts.
Rose doodh pak: Add a teaspoon of rose water at the end for a floral note.
Vegan version: Replace whole milk with full-fat coconut milk or oat milk, and use coconut oil instead of ghee.
Serving Suggestions
Doodh pak is traditionally served with hot, fluffy poori, but it also works as a standalone dessert after any Indian meal.
Storage Suggestions
Dudh Paak can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It, in fact, tastes better the next day as the flavors settle down.
Do not freeze it, as its texture may change upon thawing.
Other Indian Dessert Recipes We Recommend
Craving more? Subscribe to Whisk Affair to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Doodh Pak Recipe (Dudhpak)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons short-grain white rice
- 1 liter whole milk (full-fat milk)
- 10-15 strands of saffron
- 6 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoons ghee
- ¼ cup chopped nuts (I used a mix of almonds, cashew nuts ad pistachios)
- 1 tablespoon chironji (charoli)
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder
Instructions
- Wash the rice and soak it in water. Keep aside.
- Heat milk in a wide, non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Add saffron and mix well.
- Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until the dudhpak is thickened and the rice is cooked. Stir frequently while cooking. Scrape the sides of the pan at regular intervals and add the solidified milk back to the pan.
- Add sugar, ghee, almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios, cardamom powder, and nutmeg powder. Mix well.
- Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours and serve chilled.
