Orange Kheer Recipe (Bengali Komola Kheer)
Orange Kheer, also called Santre Ki Kheer or Komola Kheer, is a Bengali delicacy made using milk and fresh oranges. Make it using my easy recipe.
I have tried many variations of kheer in the past and shared the recipes. Here are some of my favorites that you must try too – Thandai Kheer, Badam Kheer, Sabudana Kheer, Makhana Kheer, and Paneer Kheer.
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We love the mini oranges sold at Sam’s Club. They are super sweet and seedless. While I love to snack on them all the time, the food blogger in me is also looking for recipes I can use them in. This Bengali Komola Kheer recipe was sitting in my diary for a long time, so I decided to give it a try. What a delight it turned out to be.
About Orange Kheer
Kamala Lebu (pronounced Komola Lebu) is Santra (Orange) in Bengali, and Payesh is Kheer. So Komola Kheer is basically a milk pudding flavored with oranges. It is a Bengali delicacy prepared especially in winter using seasonal oranges.
It is also called Komalalebur Payesh in Bengali and Orange Kheer in Hindi.
Unlike the classic Rice Kheer, this orange kheer recipe doesn’t use rice. It is made by simply reducing the milk and adding fresh orange pulp.
Komola Kheer is a great dessert to make for festivals, get-togethers, or special occasions. It can also be served for vrat (Hindu fasting days).
Ingredients
Milk – Whole milk (full-fat milk) is best for making orange kheer, as it makes it rich and creamy.
To make this recipe vegan, use vegan milk such as almond milk or cashew milk.
Oranges are the star ingredient of this recipe. You can use any sweet and juicy oranges to make komola kheer. I used mini oranges from Sam’s Club.
If you live in India, Nagpur oranges, Dargling oranges, and Kinnow oranges also work great.
Taste the oranges before using them in kheer. They must be sweet. If they are sour, the kheer may curdle.
Discard the skin and the white membrane of the oranges and use only the flesh in this recipe.
Sugar – Adjust the sweetness as per your taste by adding more or less sugar. I like my kheer mildly sweet, and the sugar measurement in my recipe is according to my taste. You can also replace sugar with honey or stevia.
Cornstarch is optional, but it makes the orange kheer even creamier. Adding it also quickens the kheer-making process.
Garnish the ready kheer with slivered nuts like almonds, pistachios, and cashews. They give the otherwise soft kheer a nice crunch and make it look nice. If you want to give the kheer a richer look, then you can top it with some silver or gold foil, too.
You can also add a little cardamom powder to enhance the flavor of the orange kheer. I don’t add it as I like the orange flavor to shine.
How To Make Komola Kheer
Prepare The Oranges
Step 1: Peel 5-6 mini oranges (or 3-4 regular oranges) and separate their segments.
Remove the outer membrane from each segment and discard any seeds. Transfer the flesh (pulp) to a bowl and refrigerate it.
Reduce The Milk
Step 2: Add 1 liter of whole milk to a nonstick pan. Heat it over medium heat until it starts to boil. Stir frequently to prevent the milk from scorching at the bottom of the pan.
Step 3: Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the milk is reduced to half its original quantity. Keep stirring and scraping the sides of the pan after every 10-12 minutes.
Step 4: Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with ¼ cup water, then add the slurry to the pan.
Step 5: Cook for 10-12 minutes until the kheer thickens. The correct consistency of kheer is like that of a thick custard.
Step 6: Add 4 tablespoon sugar and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Now, taste the kheer and add more sugar if it is not as sweet as you like.
Step 7: Remove the pan from the heat and let the kheer cool down to room temperature.
Step 8: Now cover the pan with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Make The Komola Kheer
Step 9: Once it is chilled, stir in the orange segments (along with the orange juice).
Step 10: Garnish with almond and pistachio slivers and serve.
Pro Tips By Neha
DO NOT add oranges to the kheer until it is thoroughly chilled; otherwise, the milk may curdle.
If using vegan milk, cook only on low heat and stir frequently; otherwise, it may curdle at high heat.
Storage Suggestions
Orange Kheer will keep well in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. If you store it for a long time, it may turn tangier and not taste good.
Do not freeze it, as it may curdle once thawed.
Other Indian Sweet Recipes We Recommend
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Orange Kheer Recipe (Santre Ki Kheer, Bengali Komola Kheer)
Ingredients
- 5-6 mini oranges (or 3-4 regular oranges)
- 1 litre whole milk (full-fat milk)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Peel the oranges and separate the segments.
- Now remove the outer membrane from each segment and discard the seeds, if any. Transfer the flesh to a bowl and refrigerate it.
- Add milk to a heavy bottom pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent scorching at the bottom of the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 30-40 minutes until the milk is reduced to half. Keep stirring and scraping the sides of the pan after every 10-12 minutes.
- Mix cornstarch in ¼ cup water and add the slurry to the pan.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes until the kheer thickens. The correct consistency of kheer is like that of a thick custard.
- Add sugar and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Now, taste the kheer for sweetness and add more sugar if it is not perfectly sweet as per your taste.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the kheer cool down completely.
- Cover the pan with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
- Once it is chilled, stir in the orange pieces.
- Garnish with almond and pistachio slivers and serve.
This seems lovely…can we use condensed milk partially to save ime?
I am not a big fan of condensed milk flavor in my kheer recipes, but you can definitely use some.