Chironji & Makhane ki Kheer is specially made during Navrati in the northern part of the country, and trust me, this is one dessert you would love having anytime of the year!
The addition of Chironji to the Chironji & Makhane ki Kheer is something I learnt from my grand mom. Sigh! What would this world be without our grandparents passing on these amazing nuggets of love to us?
There is something about Makhane that I absolutely love, the almost popcorn like texture but yet so much more flavorful. In Punjab, we use makahne in many ways. Right from roasted makahne as a snack to sabjis like matter makhana which, with mushrooms added, is probably a dream come true. I have even eaten a mutton curry somewhere with makhane, which haunted me for a long time. Honestly, I am still looking for that recipe so that I can recreate the magic.
One thing that makhane is super popular, is for the makhane ki kheer. Made during festivals and especially during Navratri, this kheer is a common thing to have during fasts. It is considered that makhane is phalahar, making it common for fasts. This kheer is definitely one of my evergreen favorite kheers.
One thing that I learnt from my grandmom was that while preparing this kheer, add some chironji to it. The chironji adds a brilliant crunch to the kheer and takes the flavour punch to a different level all together.
Did you know that Chironji has medicinal properties? It is used in treating skin diseases and are low on calories. They contain good dietary fibres and are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are used extensively in Ayurveda as a component of medicines and used as a relaxant.
Before jumping to the recipe, have you checked out this unique Roah ki Kheer (Sugarcane Juice Kheer) recipe which is very famous in Punjab?
Chironji & Makhane Ki Kheer
Ingredients
- 1 cup Nut Lotus Seeds Makhana / Fox /
- 1.5 litres Milk
- 2 tsps Ghee
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 tbsps Almonds Sliced
- 12 - 15 Raisins
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
- 1/2 inch Cinnamon
- 5 - 6 strands Saffron
Instructions
- Heat ghee 1 tsp of ghee and roast makhana while continuous stirring until they becomes light brown and crisp. Remove from kadai and set aside to cool.
- Coarsely grind 1/2 cup phool makhana and keep the remaining 1/2 cup makhana as whole.
- Add milk to a heavy bottom pan and bring it to boil and simmer until it is reduced to about 2/3 for about 8-10 minutes.
- At this stage add the roasted makhana and simmer in low flame for about 5-7 mins stirring regularly till the kheer is thick. Add sugar at this time and cook for a couple of minutes.
- While the kheer is cooking, heat the other 1 tsp of ghee and roast all the dry fruits in it till lightly brown.
- To the kheer, add saffron soaked in a little milk and half the roasted dry fruits. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Serve hot or chilled garnished with the other half of dry fruits.
Leave a Reply