With Indian festivals coming up, like Raksha Bandhan, and Ganesh Chathurti, it is time to bring out the Indian sweets that bring joy to loved ones.
What is Kheer?
Kheer is an Indian sweet dish or dessert that is made with full-fat milk, rice, sugar, nuts and cardamom. Kheer is called “payasam” in South India. It is almost pudding-like, a thicker texture that is soul-satisfying and makes up a small part of a traditional thali.
Growing up my mom used to make kheer on special occasions such as Navratri or Diwali. Nutmeg is not common in Kheer but a hint of nutmeg was her speciality, that would make it her own. The slight licorice flavor from nutmeg set her kheer apart from other ones that I had tasted.
Kheer is slow cooked in whole milk on low temperature, which allows the milk to thicken as the water content evaporates, making it for a luscious texture.
Mango Passion Fruit Kheer
Mangoes are thriving right now, especially the Mexican grown Altulfo mangoes, which are long and thinner and are very sweet in taste. I use the in-season mangoes to make a mango puree, or you can use canned Alfonso mango puree that is available at the Indian store or online.
Mango and passion fruit together forms an absolutely heavenly combination. Mango brings the sweetness, and passion fruit brings in the tartness, along with the sweetness and fresh flavor to the table. Together they take any dish up a notch.
Along with mango puree, passion fruit puree is a MUST in this dish. You can get passion fruit puree at the Mexican grocery store in the frozen section, or you can find passion fruits in your local grocery store as well. I use the entire pulp from a passion fruit, with just a few seeds in the kheer.
What are the ingredients of the Mango Passion Fruit Kheer?
The ingredients of the Mango Passion Fruit Kheer are:
- Whole milk: whole milk is used to make the mango passion fruit kheer, but you can use reduced 2% milk as well.
- Basmati rice: I get the basmati rice from the Indian grocery store. You can also find it in your local grocery stores or online.
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cardamom
- Saffron: Saffron is available online or at the Indian grocery store or a Persian grocery store.
- Nutmeg
- Nuts like almonds and pistachios
- Mango puree: You can puree fresh mangoes to get the quantity in the recipe, or you can also use canned Alfonso mango puree that is available at the Indian grocery store or online.
- Passion fruit puree: Passion fruit puree is available at Mexican grocery stores in the frozen section. You can also use fresh passion fruit and extract the pulp along with a few seeds, to get the quantity mentioned in the recipe.
- Edible gold leaf
Process of making the Mango Passion Fruit Kheer
The process of making kheer is easy. It is one of the easy Indian desserts. It starts off with soaking the basmati rice in warm water, after washing it thoroughly. You want to remove the starch from the rice so that it does not stick together in the kheer.
Next we will boil whole milk or full fat milk in a saucepan on medium heat. Once it starts boiling, add the soaked rice after draining the water, add the cardamom and bloomed saffron to the milk and rice, cover with a lid and cook the mixture on low for a few minutes. You want to stir occasionally. You are basically thickening the mixture with the rice.
Next we will add the sugar, nuts and nutmeg and cook for a few more minutes until the mixture slightly thickens and the rice is absolutely soft to the touch. You can check that by pinching a couple of grains of rice between your thumb and your forefinger. If it melts you know the rice is done.
Cool the mixture completely. Then we add the mango and passion fruit puree, mix it until well combined. The mixture might be thick after adding the purees, so adding some whole milk to get the kheer to a right texture will be essential. Chill in the fridge for a few hours.
Serve them in glasses, and garnish with mango cubes, pistachios and edible gold leaf.
Can I use store bought mango puree?
I personally like the Deep Mango Puree for canned mango puree. You can get it online or at the Indian grocery store.
Where can I find passion fruit puree?
You can get passion fruit puree at the Mexican grocery store in the frozen section, or you can find passion fruits in your local grocery store as well. I use the entire pulp from a passion fruit, with just a few seeds in the kheer.
I found this at Whole Foods, and I have not tried it , but it looks promising.
Where do I find edible gold leaf?
You can find edible gold leaf online. I usually get it from Amazon.
If I have fresh mangoes, what do you use to puree it?
I love my Nutribullet and use it on a daily basis for smoothies, chutneys, all of it. It is great to puree mangoes as well.
How do you bloom saffron?
The best way to bloom saffron is to crush it in a mortar pestle, then add about a tablespoon of the hot milk into the saffron and mix. You will instantly start smelling the fragrance and also see the beautiful orange color.
Can I use short grained rice?
Short grained rice is sticky and starchy, so I would not recommend it to make kheer.
How can I store the Mango Passion Fruit Kheer? And for how long?
The Mango Passion Fruit Kheer can be stored in an airtight container for upto 3 to 4 days. Just add a bit of whole milk and mix before serving, since it gets thicker as it sets and chills in the fridge. You can garish just before serving.
The other Indian desserts on my blog are:
If you make this recipe, please tag #thejamlab on Instagram and/or leave a comment on this recipe.
Happy Raksha Bandhan!
XO
Amisha
Mango Passion Fruit Kheer
Ingredients
Mango Passion Fruit Kheer
- ½ cup basmati rice
- 2 ½ cups whole milk + 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 pinches saffron
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 12 raw almonds, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons raw pistachios, coarsely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg
- ½ cup mango puree
- ½ cup passion fruit puree
Garnish
- Fresh mango cubes or slices
- 2 tablespoons, thinly sliced pistachios
- Edible gold leaf
Get Recipe Ingredients
Method
Mango Passion Fruit Kheer
- Wash the rice 3 to 4 times, under running warm water until the water is clear.
- Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, on medium heat, add the whole milk and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes.
- Drain out the water from the soaked rice, and add it to the milk. Stir to combine.
- Add the ground cardamom and stir to combine.
- Crush the saffron in a mortar pestle and add about 1 tablespoon of hot milk into the saffron. This helps the saffron to bloom. Add the saffron into the hot milk.
- Reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan with a lid, and cook the rice for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. The milk will rise to the top of the saucepan, hence stirring occasionally is necessary.
- Add the sugar, almonds and pistachios and stir to combine.
- Add the nutmeg and stir to combine.
- Remove the lid and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice is soft to the touch. You can test by pinching a couple of grains of rice between your thumb and forefinger. It should almost “melt”. Switch off the stove and cool completely.
- Add the mango puree and passion fruit puree, along with ¾ cup of whole milk and mix to combine. If the consistency is still very thick, you can add ¼ cup more of the milk.
- Cover and chill in the fridge for upto 2 hours.
- Distribute into 4 or 6 glasses. Garnish with mango cubes or slices.
- Garnish with pistachios. Add a bit of edible gold leaf for an elegant touch.
- Serve cold.
NOTE: The kheer can be stored in an airtight container for upto 2 days without the garnish. Garnish just before serving.
Notes
Can I use store bought mango puree?
- I personally like the Deep Mango Puree for canned mango puree. You can get it online or at the Indian grocery store.
Where can I find passion fruit puree?
- You can get passion fruit puree at the Mexican grocery store in the frozen section, or you can find passion fruits in your local grocery store as well. I use the entire pulp from a passion fruit, with just a few seeds in the kheer.
- I found this at Whole Foods, and I have not tried it , but it looks promising.
Where do I find edible gold leaf?
- You can find edible gold leaf online. I usually get it from Amazon.
If I have fresh mangoes, what do you use to puree it?
- I love my Nutribullet and use it on a daily basis for smoothies, chutneys, all of it. It is great to puree mangoes as well.
How do you bloom saffron?
- The best way to bloom saffron is to crush it in a mortar pestle, then add about a tablespoon of the hot milk into the saffron and mix. You will instantly start smelling the fragrance and also see the beautiful orange color.
Can I use short grained rice?
- Short grained rice is sticky and starchy, so I would not recommend it to make kheer.
How can I store the Mango Passion Fruit Kheer? And for how long?
- The Mango Passion Fruit Kheer can be stored in an airtight container for upto 3 to 4 days. Just add a bit of whole milk and mix before serving, since it gets thicker as it sets and chills in the fridge. You can garish just before serving.
