Mango Phirni is a rich and creamy Indian dessert recipe made with mangoes, milk, and rice. This easy Indian Mango pudding is definitely a crowd-pleaser using Truvia® Sweet Complete® which has plant-based stevia sweetness and zero calories per serving!
This post is sponsored by Truvia® but all opinions and images are my own.
Table of Contents
What is phirni
It's a popular Indian dessert made with milk, powdered rice, cardamom, sweetener of your choice, saffron, and nuts. It's slow-cooked till it becomes thick and creamy.
It's mainly made in the North of India and is very similar to the Paal Payasam from the South of India because it involves milk and rice.
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This milk pudding is usually served in earthen pots called matkas/kulhads/shikoras and is very popular at Indian festivals, weddings, parties, and other celebrations!
People often get confused between kheer and phirni. Both are milk-based puddings, however, phirni is made with ground rice and kheer uses whole grains.
In terms of texture, phirni is thick and creamy more like a custard and kheer has a thinner, flowing consistency.
Kheer can be eaten hot or cold, while phirni is preferred chilled. While the ingredients are similar, the difference is in texture, cooking method, and serving method.
Mango phirni or pudding takes this dessert up by a few notches because it's infused with the rich flavors of mango, making it a delicious mouthwatering treat!
Mangoes are always a good idea
You know someone really loves mangoes when she has a plethora of mango-based recipes on the blog!
Mangoes are always a good idea when making desserts or drinks! Everyone loves them because they are DELICIOUS!
Plus they are naturally sweet, very flavorful, easy to cook with, and they lend a beautiful color to any dish when added. Nutrition-wise, they are a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.
Here's a collection of Indian and non-Indian mango dessert recipes that you can try.
Why Truvia
I got to work with Truvia on this campaign which got me so excited. I actually use Truvia sweetener whenever I want to make a sugar-free dessert.
Truvia® Sweet Complete® Granulated All-Purpose Sweetener doesn’t contain any sugar. It's sweetened with plant-based Stevia and has zero calories. It's one of the things I like about it.
Store it in an airtight container to prevent it from clumping and hardening. You can easily substitute regular sugar with Truvia.
It's a 1:1 swap. If a recipe calls for 1 cup sugar, use 1 cup Truvia instead. It also imparts a good amount of sweetness, so the absence of sugar isn't apparent.
Since it doesn't contain any sugar, it will not help the yeast rise in baking recipes. The item being baked will still rise, it will just take longer.
Truvia® Sweet Complete® Brown Sweetener is another variety that is available. Use it in recipes where the sweetener needs to add moisture and molasses/brown sugar flavor. I picked up my Truvia sweetener at Publix.
Why make this
Mango phirni or pudding recipe is a one-of-a-kind recipe. It's a crowd-pleaser for sure!
- Decadent Indian mango dessert
- A milk-based rice pudding
- Simple, easy and quick to make
- Can be made ahead of time and served chilled
- One batch can yield many servings
- Needs basic ingredients
Ingredients needed
Milk - Full-fat milk is best for this mango pudding recipe. It gives a rich creamy texture to the phirni without adding any cream. But you can use 2% or 5% as well.
Rice - Use aromatic Basmati rice for this recipe. But if you don't have any, use any non-sticky rice available.
Sweetener - Truvia® Sweet Complete® Granulated All-Purpose Sweetener is what I have used in this recipe. Truvia® Sweet Complete® Brown Sweetener can also be used.
Mango - Use the ripest sweetest mango available to you. You can also use ready mango pulp. But if the pulp is fibrous, pass it through a sieve first and then use it.
In the US, you will find Mexican mangoes in the grocery store. You can also buy pulp from the freezer section. You can also use Indian mango pulp found in Indian grocery stores.
Nuts like almonds and pistachios are what you will need. You will also need saffron and edible rose petals for a rich aromatic flavor.
Here's how to make it
- To a small bowl, add warm milk and saffron. Leave it aside for now.
- Rinse the rice and soak in water for 30 minutes.
- Lay a paper towel over a tray. Drain the water and transfer the grains over the paper towel. Spread and pat them dry.
- Transfer to a blender jar and pulse till coarse. It should not become powder. Keep this aside for now.
- Pour milk into a thick bottomed pan. Cook for 10 minutes over a medium flame. Keep stirring at intervals.
- Add the coarse rice powder and cook for another 10 minutes over a medium flame.
- Add the Truvia® Sweet Complete®.
- Add the saffron milk. Continue to cook for 10 minutes or till the milk becomes thick and creamy.
- Add cardamom powder, almonds and pistachios, mix and take it off the flame. Let it cool down
- Meanwhile prepare the mango pulp if making from scratch. Add chopped mango to a blender jar. Also add the Truvia sweetener if the mango is not sweet enough. Blend till smooth.
- Once the phirni cools, add the mango pulp. If you add when it's hot, it will curdle the milk.
- Pour this mango pudding into individual matkas or jars. Cover with foil or cling wrap. Let it set in the fridge for at least 5 hours.
Serving suggestions
Garnish with chopped mangoes, saffron, edible rose petals, chopped pistachios, and/or silver vark. Some alternate toppings are pumpkin seeds and chia seeds.
Serve this chilled Indian mango dessert at parties, get-togethers, potlucks, game nights, date nights, family brunches, baby showers, or even weddings.
Celebrate festivals like Holi, Navratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Gokulashtami, or holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas with this Indian mango dessert.
This phirni recipe also comes to your rescue when you have surprised guests or need to make a quick dessert in less time.
Tips, recommendations, and suggestions
The key to a good Phirni is to grind the rice well so that it resembles coarse semolina, cornmeal, or couscous to get the perfect texture. Do not grind it fine.
Use a heavy bottom pan or a Dutch oven for this phirni recipe. Keep stirring at regular intervals and don't forget to scrape the sides as the milk cooks.
Remember the phirni will thicken as it cools. You can make it in many other flavors like rose, paan, orange, chocolate, strawberry, etc.
You can also skip adding any fruit pulp and make it plain. Use freshly ground rice powder (preferred) or use store-bought rice flour when pressed for time.
If Basmati rice is not available, use any other rice variety that is non-sticky. Even brown Basmati rice can be used in this phirni recipe. Skip saffron if you want.
Substitutes for rice in phirni can be quinoa, oats, or poha. If adding any of these, then do not grind it. Add them as a whole and let them cook in the milk.
I have made it on the stovetop but you can also easily make it in the Instant Pot. Mango phirni stays well in the fridge for 4-5 days. Keep it covered. It can also be frozen.
Why add so much sugar
Sweet dishes that are served cold need to be made with more sugar in comparison to hot desserts. That's because on cooling the sweet taste gets reduced.
To make it vegan
You can very well make this phirni recipe vegan. Use almond milk instead of regular milk. The flavors will not exactly be the same but at least there is an option for vegans.
Coconut milk, oat milk, or cashew milk can also be used to make mango phirni.
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram @cookilicious with the hashtag #cookiliciousveg. I love hearing your feedback!
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Mango Phirni Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Basmati rice
- 1.5 cups milk
- 2 tbsp Truvia® Sweet Complete® All-Purpose Granulated Sweetener
- 1/8 tsp saffron
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 tbsp chopped pistachios
- 1/2 tbsp sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup mango pulp
- 1 tbsp mix of rose petals, pistachios and almonds for garnish
Instructions
- To a small bowl, add warm milk and saffron. Leave it aside for now.
- Rinse the rice and soak in water for 30 minutes.
- Lay a paper towel over a tray. Drain the water and transfer the grains over the paper towel. Spread and pat them dry. Transfer to a blender jar and pulse till coarse. It should not become powder. Keep this aside for now.
- Pour milk into a thick bottomed pan. Cook for 10 minutes over a medium flame. Keep stirring at intervals.
- Add the coarse rice powder and cook for another 10 minutes over a medium flame.
- Add the Truvia sweetener.Add the saffron milk. Continue to cook for 10 minutes or till the milk becomes thick and creamy.
- Add cardamom powder, almonds and pistachios, mix and take it off the flame. Let it cool down.
- Meanwhile prepare the mango pulp if making from scratch. Add chopped mango to a blender jar. Also add the Truvia sweetener if the mango is not sweet enough. Blend till smooth.
- Once the phirni cools, add the mango pulp. If you add when it's hot, it will curdle the milk.
- Pour this mango pudding into individual matkas or jars. Cover with foil or cling wrap. Let it set in the fridge for at least 5 hours.
- Garnish with chopped mangoes, saffron, edible rose petals, chopped pistachios, and/or silver vark.
Notes
Nutrition
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Hi Priya,
All yor recipes are so good,quick, simple and most important,,yummy.
The Phirni came so delicious.....
Thankyou for sharing wonderful recipes.
Thank you so much. Glad you liked it.