Phirni or Rice pudding is a sweet dish made with soaked rice, milk, and sugar. Although phirnis ingredients are the same as that of kheer it tastes quite different.

15^th August is a very special day for every Indian but for our family, this day has another significance also. All our relatives get together to remember my grandmother-in-law as it is her death anniversary. She was a very strong, encouraging, loving and pious lady. One of those rare ladies who knitted sweaters and woolens for her sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters and great-grandsons and great-granddaughters.

She was also a great cook who could spend hours in the kitchen preparing dishes for her family.

I had always heard from my father-in-law how she would decorate Phirni on Independence Day. This 15^th August our Buaji (my father-in-law’s sister) is visiting us who used to help dear Dadiji in decorating Phirni. So to continue our family tradition I have made Phirni on this Independence Day and decorated it under the guidance of Buaji in the same way Dadiji used to do it. It was really fun and almost everyone was in the kitchen to give it a try. So please involve your kids in the decorating process. They would love it.

Happy Independence Day to all Indians!!

I am posting the recipe in advance as I will not be here on 15^th August to share it with you.

How to make Phirni

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
serves 6-8

Ingredients:
50 grams of rice
8 almonds
1-liter milk
200 grams of sugar
1 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder (optional for flavor)
sliced almonds or pistachio for decoration

To make Phirni

Soak rice and almonds overnight or for at least 6 hrs in water. In a mixer grind soaked rice and almonds into a fine paste with ¼ cup of milk. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan boil milk and the fine paste stirring constantly. Do not stop stirring otherwise there will be lumps in the Phirni.

After 2-3 boil cook on medium flame for another 5 minutes. Add sugar and cardamom powder and boil for another 5 minutes. Pour into serving bowls and garnish with almonds and pistachio. Keep it in the fridge for 2 -3 hours. Serve cold.

You can write initials of your kids in individual bowls to avoid fights. I still have not figured out where Phirni from my 2 cups disappeared. Each kid is blaming the other one :-).

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