Makhana Kheer Recipe Vrat Kheer

Like any other Indian kheer, in taste and texture, Makhana Kheer is delicious and creamy. This kheer recipe highlights the simple, fuss-free making process and the creamy texture. It is the perfect Indian dessert for a falahar diet, as many communities refrain from eating whole grains while fasting. You can also make dry fruits makhana rice kheer for other festive occasions. The only twist we have introduced in the Makhana Kheer Recipe is adding barnyard millet (samavat rice) and dry fruits. The combination of millets and foxnuts takes this humble kheer to another level of deliciousness and makes the kheer more wholesome plus fulfilling.

Key Ingredients

The two key ingredients of this kheer recipe are – Samvat Rice and Makhana. Samvat Rice is a variety of tiny millet known as barnyard millet in Engish. It is often used to substitute regular rice in many religious fasting or falahari recipes. The other names of Samvat Rice are – samo rice, sama ke chawal, samvat chawal, or vrat ke chawal. You can prepare any rice dish from kheer, and pulao to upma with this gluten-free millet. Makhana is the Hindi term for foxnuts or lotus seeds. It is also a gluten-free, plant-based vegan ingredient. You can use foxnuts to make curry, caramel makhana, and phirni or eat roasted as a snack.

Other Ingredients

Whole Cream Milk – I highly recommend using full-fat or whole-cream milk to make a rich and creamy kheer. Sugar – I prefer using jaggery powder for making Makhana Kheer. It gives the kheer a delicious nutty taste and a light brown colour. You can use granulated white sugar or brown sugar. Dry Fruits: Slived almond, cashew, unsalted pistachio, golden raisins, dried rose petals, chironji. You can roughly chop the nuts or process them to make a coarse powder in a food processor. Dry Fruits give an excellent taste to the kheer and add a lot of protein value. Green Cardamom and saffron – for the taste and aroma. Fresh Fruits – From fresh pomegranate pearls, chopped mango pulp, and apples to bananas, you can add a variety of fresh fruits on top of chilled kheer to make it more nutritious.

Makhana Kheer Recipe Variation You can make this kheer with only barnyard millet, foxnuts, and dry fruits. Makhana Kheer with Condensed Milk: Add condensed milk to the kheer. It will thicken the kheer. Once the millet is cooked, add ½ cup sweetened condensed milk to the kheer and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Add some sugar if the kheer is not sweet enough for your taste. Vegan Makhana Kheer: To make a vegan kheer, replace ghee with coconut oil and use almond milk as I do for my vegan badam phirni.

Watch Makhana Kheer Video

Storage Suggestion

Transfer the makhana kheer to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days. It remains fresh. Reheat in a microwave or saucepan on the stovetop. You can enjoy makhana kheer chilled as well. It cannot be frozen, as the milk will curdle when thawed or reheated.