This creamy Makhane ki Kheer or Makhana Kheer is an Indian pudding made using fox nuts, milk, sugar, and dry fruits. It is a delicious dessert which can be served on any occasion especially for vrat or fasting days. Here is how to make it.
If you are looking for more Kheer Recipes, here are some of my other favorites – Seviyan Kheer, Carrot Kheer, Badam Kheer, Sabudana Kheer, Rice Kheer, Lauki Ki Kheer, and Paneer Kheer.
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What is Makhane Ki Kheer?
Flavored, thickened, and sweetened milk with lots of fox nuts, this thick and creamy Makhane Ki Kheer (Foxnut Pudding) is a perfect Indian dessert to serve after your festive meals. Makhana is also known as Phool Makhana or Foxnuts and it is a very healthy and nutritious ingredient. It is loaded with calcium and has anti-inflammatory properties too.
We often celebrate so many special occasions and festivals, and I always end up with a dilemma about what to make for desserts. While Indian cuisine is filled with a lot of delectable sweets, I look for easy sweets that take less time and effort, as the preparation of meals takes a lot of time too.
And therefore Kheer recipes are my go-to sweets for festive meals. I make variations from time to time so that no one gets bored and the latest one that I prepared is this Makhana Kheer.
Makhana Kheer is super easy to make and also gets ready in very little time. It can be served for festivals, vrats like Navratri, Mahasivrati, or Ekadashi or any other special occasions.
Makhana is a great ingredient to include in your diet. Here are some more ways in which you can use it – Roasted Makhana, Makhana Namkeen, Matar Makhana, Makhane ka Raita, or Makhana Flour Roti or Paratha.
This Makhana Kheer is,
- Creamy
- Rich
- Super Easy
- Delicious
- Perfect for festivals
- Apt for fasting days
Ingredients
Makhana – Also called Lotus Seeds or Fox Nuts, Makhana is a popular ingredient that is eaten as a snack as well as used in many recipes. They are rich in protein, calcium, and even contains good carbohydrates.
These are easily available in local Indian grocery stores or online.
Milk – Use Full-fat milk to make this Kheer, as it will result in a rich and creamy texture. You can also use low fat or skim milk, but it won’t give you the same creamy results.
Dry Fruits – I like to load this Kheer with dry fruits. Here I have used cashews, almonds, pistachios, and raisins.
Chop or Sliver them before adding into the delicious Makhana Kheer.
Other Ingredients – Other than these above ingredients, we will need Ghee, Cardamom Powder, Sugar, and Saffron.
While Cardamom Powder adds a nice flavor, saffron gives it a nice color. If you do not have cardamom powder, you can add in crushed cardamom seeds too.
How to make Makhana Kheer?
Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
Add makhana and roast on medium heat until crispy.
Add milk in the pan and bring it to a boil.
Simmer the heat and let the kheer cook for 10-12 minutes. Add almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios and raisins and cook until kheer thickens.
Add sugar and cardamom powder and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Finally add saffron threads and cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve the kheer hot or chilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Makhana is an ideal food option for growing babies. Among the various ways in which you can feed your babies, makhana kheer is the best choice.
To make this kheer for babies, just roast the makhanas in ghee until crispy and then grind them well into a fine powder.
Now add the powder into the milk along with some sugar and boil it 2-3 times.
Do not boil the milk until thick and creamy because babies would not be able to digest it properly.
Add dry fruits, saffron, and cardamom powder as per the liking and age of your baby.
If you wish to prepare a healthier version of this kheer, replace white sugar with jaggery powder as jaggery is an unrefined version of sugar.
Since no chemicals are added while processing jaggery, it tends to keep its all vitamins and minerals intact, which makes it a healthier alternative to refined sugar.
But make sure to add jaggery once you take the kheer off the heat and it is not too hot otherwise, it might split.
If you wish to prepare makhana kheer in just 10-12 minutes, you can add ½ a tin of condensed milk in 1-litre milk instead of refined sugar.
Adding condensed milk provides the desired consistency to the kheer and also reduces the cooking time of the milk.
To make a vegan version of this delicious Makhane Ki Kheer, you can use vegan butter to roast the Lotus Seeds or Makhana and use Almond Milk, Soy Milk, or Coconut Milk instead of dairy milk.
I will suggest you use Almond Milk if you are going for nondairy milk, as it adds a nice flavor too.
If using coconut milk, use thin coconut milk to cook the makhana. When the kheer is cooked, add thick coconut milk and remove the pan from heat. It will avoid splitting of coconut milk.
Serving Suggestions
This kheer can be served either hot or chilled along with the main course meal.
It also acts as a perfect post-dinner dessert. The kheer is especially enjoyed by the ones who are fasting during the festive season. If the kheer is thickened a lot, add some more milk to it.
Garnish the kheer with slivered dry fruits and dry rose petals before serving.
You can sprinkle a few strands of saffron if you wish.
Storage Suggestions
Makhana Kheer stays good for about 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
It cannot be frozen, as the milk will curdle when thawed or reheated.
You can microwave this Kheer for about a minute in a microwave safe container. You can also heat it over stove top in a pan. Keep stirring continuously while re heating to avoid burning from the bottom.
Pro Tips By Neha
Use full fat or whole milk, as it will give you creamy and rich Makhana Kheer.
Roast the Makhana on low heat until they become nice and crispy. If you roast them on medium or high heat, they will brown quickly without being crunchy.
Add dry fruits of your choice to enhance the taste and make it more rich.
You can also add nutmeg powder instead of cardamom powder in this Makhana Kheer.
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Recipe Card
Makhane ki Kheer Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- 2 cups Makhana
- 1 litre Full Fat Milk
- ¼ cup Almonds (Slivered)
- ¼ cup Cashew Nuts (Slivered)
- ¼ cup Pistachios (Slivered)
- ¼ cup Raisins
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ½ tsp Cardamom Powder
- 10-12 strands Saffron
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
- Add makhana and roast on medium heat until crispy.
- Add milk in the pan and bring it to a boil.
- Simmer the heat and let the kheer cook for 10-12 minutes.
- Add almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios and raisins and cook until kheer thickens.
- Add sugar and cardamom powder and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add saffron threads and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve the kheer hot or chilled.
Shweta
Wonderful taste..easy to make…