Phirni is a traditional Kashmiri dessert which is made using milk and rice. This Mughlai sweet is a treat to eat and is very easy to make. Here is how to make it.
Rinse rice with water and soak it in 1 cup of water for an hour.
Drain the water and add the rice to the small jar of a blender along with 1 tablespoon water and blend to make a coarse paste. Keep scraping the sides of the jar while blending.
Heat ghee in a non-stick heavy bottom medium size pan over medium heat.
When the ghee is hot, add whole milk to the pan and bring it to a boil. Keep stirring frequently while heating.
Add the ground rice and saffron to the milk and stir well.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 40-50 minutes until the phirni has thickened. The consistency of phirni should be like that of a thick custard.
Keep stirring at regular intervals while cooking to avoid the formation of lumps. Also, keep scraping the sides of the pan regularly. Keep in mind that it will further thicken upon cooling.
Add sugar and rose water to the pan and mix well. You can adjust the sugar according to your taste. Cook for another minute until the sugar is dissolved.
Transfer the phirni into individual serving earthen bowls. You can use glass or ceramic bowls too. You can also serve the phini in one large serving bowl instead of serving it in individual servings.
Garnish with slivered almonds and pistachios. Dried rose petals can also be used for garnishing. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap so that the phirni doesn’t absorb the smell from the fridge and refrigerate it for 4-5 hours before serving.
Notes
Use any flavorful white rice to make this dessert. I use basmati rice but Gobindo Bhog, Indrayani, Ambemohar, etc can be used too.To make it vegan, use coconut milk or almond milk instead of regular milk and skip adding the ghee.