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Makhana kheer
Fox nut milk pudding
मखाने की खीर: crisp ghee-roasted fox nuts simmered in reduced milk until creamy and soft, scented with cardamom, a Navratri and vrat favourite
Most of India's makhana comes from the ponds of Mithila in north Bihar, where the lotus-like seeds are harvested by hand, roasted and popped into the airy white puffs sold everywhere. For fasts across North India, from Navratri to Janmashtami and Mahashivratri, makhana kheer is the sweet of choice because it needs no grain at all. The fox nuts are roasted in ghee until crisp, half crushed, then simmered in reducing milk, where they soften into a creamy, slightly chewy texture with a gentle nuttiness. Cardamom and a few nuts finish it. Serve it warm after a fasting meal, or chilled on hot evenings. It thickens as it cools, so loosen it with a splash of milk if needed. Chef's tip: roast the makhana until one crushes easily between your fingers; under-roasted puffs stay spongy and taste raw in the kheer.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 ¾ oz makhana (fox nuts)
- 4 ¼ cups full-fat milk
- 2 ½ oz sugar
- ½ tsp ground green cardamom
- 2 tbsp almonds and pistachios (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy pan over a low heat and roast 1 ¾ oz makhana (fox nuts), stirring, for 6–8 minutes until crisp and lightly golden.
8 minStep 2: Tip half the makhana onto a board and crush roughly with a rolling pin. Keep the rest whole.
Step 3: Bring 4 ¼ cups full-fat milk to the boil in the same pan over a medium heat, then simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring and scraping the base, until reduced by about a quarter.
15 minStep 4: Add all the makhana and simmer for 8–10 minutes until soft and the kheer is creamy. Common mistake: adding the sugar at the start; the milk scorches more easily and the makhana stays firm.
9 minStep 5: Stir in 2 ½ oz sugar and ½ tsp ground green cardamom and cook for 2 minutes until dissolved. Serve warm or chilled, topped with 2 tbsp almonds and pistachios.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does makhana kheer take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of full-fat milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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