Mango Phirni
While you must’ve enjoyed the ‘king of fruits’ in many forms, wait till you try it in an Indian dessert avatar. This Mango Phirni will make you fall in love with mangoes, one more time! It is quite delicious, creamy and an absolute cracker on the palate. Just follow the steps of this Mango Phirni recipe, make some at home and enjoy it with your near and dear ones.
About Mango Phirni
Phirni is a thick and creamy pudding made with ground basmati rice. This Mango Phirni recipe is one of the most common variations to the regular phirni. This dessert is very popular in weddings, festive occasions or any special celebrations all across North India, especially in Punjab and Haryana.
You just got to plan your preparations like grinding the rice and pureeing the mangoes, post which it becomes really easy to prepare this Mango Phirni.
Since I am a fan of the Alphonso mango variety, I have used that in this Mango Phirni recipe. If you can’t source fresh mangoes, don’t hesitate to try the recipe with canned mango pulp. Here’s another mango favorite of mine, the velvety Thai style Mango Pudding.
Primarily, phirnis up north, are served in traditional shikoras, matka or kasore. These are a type of earthenware, usually small bowls. The extra moisture is absorbed by these special bowls making the phirni thicker. A unique earthy aroma is also infused because of these.
If you have these, I’d recommend you to use them. Fill your earthen bowls with the cooked phirni, cover with an aluminium foil, refrigerate for a few hours and finally enjoy the flavors.
How to make Mango Phirni
Prepare Rice and Mangoes
1. Rinse ¼ cup basmati rice for couple of times in water. Spread it on a plate and let the grains dry. You can also spread it on a small kitchen towel.
2. After the rice grains are dried, take the rice grains in a grinder jar.
3. Grind till you get a semi-fine granular consistency, like that of rava or sooji. Keep aside.
4. While the rice is getting dried, peel, chop 1 large mango and add the mango cubes in a blender or grinder. You should be able to get 1 cup chopped mangoes.
5. Blend the chopped mangoes till smooth. Keep the mango pulp aside. If using store bought pulp, then use ½ to ⅔ cup mango pulp.
Cook Rice in Milk
6. Take 3 cups full fat milk in a thick bottomed kadai or pan and heat it on a low flame.
7. Do stir at intervals so that the milk does not scorch from the base.
8. When the milk begins to boil, add the ground rice granules.
9. Stir very well.
10. Next, add 4 tablespoons sugar.
11. Stir well and cook the mixture on low heat, stirring at intervals.
12. The milk will thicken as the rice gets cooked.
13. Keep on stirring in breaks so that lumps are not formed. Also, scrape the sides often and add it to the simmering milk.
14. By the time the rice granules get cooked, the phirni would thicken considerably. At this stage, you have to stir continuously, so that the phirni does not brown or burn from the base. It took me 20 minutes for the rice to cook.
15. Switch off the heat when the rice grains have cooked well and reach a thick consistency as shown in the picture below.
In case the rice grains are not cooked and the mixture has become thick, then add ⅓ to ½ cup of hot milk to the phirni mixture and continue to cook.
16. Once the rice grains are cooked, add ½ tablespoon sliced or chopped pistachios, ½ teaspoon cardamom powder and 1 teaspoon chopped dried rose petals.
Instead of pistachios, you can add sliced blanched almonds. You can also add rose water instead of rose petals. Saffron also gives a good flavor, so you can also add a pinch of saffron.
17. Mix well and remove the pan from heat. Cover and let the phirni cool to room temperature.
Make Mango Phirni
18. Once the phirni has cooled, it will thicken more. But after adding the mango puree, it will again come to a fluid consistency.
19. Add the mango puree.
20. Begin to mix.
21. Mix very well to a uniform mixture. If you feel the mango pudding mixture is too thick, then you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons warm milk to it.
22. Now spoon the mango phirni in bowls. Phirni is traditionally served in small earthen bowls, also called as shikoras. if you have earthen bowls, you can serve mango phirni in it.
23. Garnish Mango Phirni with 1 tablespoon sliced pistachios or rose petals.
24. Cover the bowls and refrigerate the phirni for 3 to 4 hours. If in a hurry, then keep the bowls covered in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes. Then, remove and refrigerate before you serve. Serve Mango Phirni as a dessert.
Expert Tips
- While the milk is kept for boiling, stir at regular intervals in order to avoid scorching at the base. Same goes while cooking the rice granules too.
- Ensure to grind the rice grains to a semi-fine granular consistency and not very fine. It should resemble the texture of fine semolina (sooji/rava).
- If your mangoes are extremely sweet, decrease the quantity of sugar in this Mango Phirni recipe. You can also use palm sugar or jaggery in place of sugar. However, by doing so, the color may sightly differ.
- Make other fruit based phirni instead of Mango Phirni. For instance, you can use apples, lychees or strawberries, or also use saffron to make kesar phirni. Use rose water as an alternative to rose petals.
- You can use 2 to 3 tablespoons warm milk to thin the phirni, just in case it is too thick after the addition of mango puree.
FAQs
Can I prepare this Mango Phirni recipe with readymade mango pulp?
Yes, you definitely can prepare this recipe with readymade mango pulp. However, in this case, reduce the quantity of sugar accordingly.
Which other sweetener can I use instead of sugar?
You can use palm sugar or even jaggery. However, if you are using these, then add after the rice grains are cooked. Once the rice is cooked, remove the pan from heat and place it on kitchen countertop. Wait for some minutes for the heat to reduce. Add the jaggery or palm sugar and mix.
I don’t have basmati rice. Which other rice can I use for the phirni?
If you don’t have basmati rice, use your regular white rice or any fragrant, non-sticky variety of rice for this phirni.
What is the way to make a vegan Mango Phirni?
For a vegan Mango Phirni, firstly, cook the ground rice in water, add sugar and mix till dissolved. Next, start by adding almond milk in parts, keep stirring till a thick, creamy consistency is achieved and finally finish with the mango puree as mentioned in the recipe.
How is this phirni served?
It is best to serve the Mango Phirni chilled.
How can I store the phirni for long?
Refrigerate to store the phirni for about 2 to 3 days. If you want to store for about a week, freeze it.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- ¼ cup basmati rice – 45 grams
- 1 cup chopped mango – 315 grams or 1 large mango or ½ to ⅔ cup mango puree
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons sugar or add as per taste
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder or 4 to 5 green cardamoms crushed to a powder in a mortar-pestle
- ½ tablespoon sliced pistachios or blanched almond slivers
- 1 teaspoon chopped dried rose petals or 5 to 6 dried rose petals or ½ teaspoon rose water
- ½ tablespoon sliced pistachios or blanched almonds slivers – for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse basmati rice for a couple of times in water. Then, spread it on a plate and let the grains dry. You can also spread it on a small kitchen towel.
- After the rice grains are dried, take the rice grains in a grinder jar.
- Grind till you get a semi-fine granular consistency, like that of rava or sooji. Set aside.
- When the rice is getting dried, you can peel, chop mango and add the mango cubes in a blender or grinder.
- Blend till smooth. Keep the mango pulp aside.
- Also, slice or chop pistachios and dried rose petals if using.
Making mango phirni
- Take milk in a thick bottomed kadai or pan and heat it on a low flame. Do stir at times so that the milk does not scorch from the base.
- When the milk begins to boil, then add the ground rice granules. Stir very well.
- Next, add sugar. Stir well and cook the mixture on low heat, stirring at intervals.
- The milk will thicken as the rice gets cooked.
- Keep on stirring in breaks so that lumps are not formed. Also, scrape the sides often and add it to the simmering milk.
- By the time the rice granules get cooked, the phirni would thicken considerably. At this stage, you have to stir continuously, so that the phirni does not brown or burn from the base.
- Switch off the heat, when you reach a thick consistency and the rice is cooked.
- Add sliced or chopped pistachios, cardamom powder and chopped dried rose petals. You can also add rose water instead of rose petals. Saffron also gives a good flavor, so you can also add a pinch of saffron.
- Mix well and remove the pan from heat. Cover the pan and let the phirni cool to room temperature.
- Once the phirni has cooled, it will thicken more. After adding the mango puree, it will again come to a fluid consistency.
- Add the mango puree and mix very well to a uniform consistency. If you feel the mango pudding mixture is too thick, then you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm milk to it.
- Now, spoon the Mango Phirni in bowls.
- Garnish with sliced pistachios or rose petals.
- Cover the bowls and refrigerate the phirni for 3 to 4 hours. If in a hurry, then keep the bowls covered in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes. Then, remove and refrigerate before you serve.
- Serve Mango Phirni as a cold dessert.
Notes
- Use mangoes which give a thick to medium-thick pulp or puree after blending.
- Opt to add your favorite flavorings. Generally in Indian desserts green cardamom powder is used. But feel free to add a dash of cinnamon powder or grated nutmeg or vanilla.
- You can also use toned milk or low fat milk to make this dessert.
- The recipe can be doubled to increase the servings.
Nutrition
This Mango Phirni recipe post from the blog archives first published in June 2016 has been republished and updated on 27 May 2022.
I tried recipe today and it was delicious ????
Absolutely in love with these recipes.. I’ve tried 5 of them so far all turned out great!! I’m a amateur cook, love food but could never dare make anything that isn’t grilled.. The descriptions are great and easy to follow, with the pictures makes it that much more easier..
Your recipes inspired people like me to wanna cook ?
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Superb, i was bored with old kheer receipy. Its fantastic and great in taste wise. Thanks
thankyou so much prabhat 🙂
Hi Dassanna
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Harshi
very pleased to know this harshi 🙂 thankyou for your encouraging and kind words, god bless you.
Hi,
I wish to try this today. I have mango pulp (with slight sugar) kept in the freezer. Can I use that? Also, should i reduce the quantity of sugar since the pulp already has some?
you can use that. yes do reduce the sugar quantity.
Can I add palm sugar?
yes you can. you can even add jaggery. but add towards the end, once the rice grains are cooked well. some times with jaggery or palm sugar the milk curdles. just add, mix well and switch off the flame.
its since is pujabi dessert too and my mom only knows the method in our whole family that y it made me curious too tomorrow i will for the first time will cook it for my 7 yr old son all thks 2u
surely try and let us know how the mango phirni was? thankyou sarab 🙂