Raise hands if you are kheer, phirni (firni) or rice pudding lover! Here is the makeover of traditional kheer with blueberry to make blureberry kheer. This blueberry kheer has the authenticity of original Indian kheer, but added flavours of blueberry in it. You can have it as kheer or phirni, either ways, you will find this blueberry phirni a winner on your dinning table. Hoping you will love this Indian rice pudding recipe.
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What is Kheer
Kheer is a Indian rice pudding, where milk, rice and sugar are core ingredients. Every Indian household will know about kheer and the most common dessert pan India. Rice is cooked in milk on slow heat, sugar and other optional ingredients such as saffron, dry fruits are added to give an ambrosial dessert, this dessert is Indian Kheer.
The reason its most common dessert in India is because it has basic ingredients. You can find these ingredients (rice, milk and sugar) easily in any household. Versions of kheer may vary across India. Kheer is common man’s way of celebrating, however affluent people equally find joy in posh version of kheer with inclusion of pistachio, cashew, raisins and saffron.
How does Kheer taste
Kheer has a creamy texture, thanks to the slow cooking of rice and milk (normally full fat). The slurpy sweet taste of kheer can tempt anyone, especially if person has sweet-tooth.
I have grown up in India, and I came from very mediocre medium class family. I would recall my mum will make kheer on special occasions and that would be a treat for us. We as kids in family will wait for special occasions, such as Diwali or birthday’s in family when mum will make kheer. I still miss those days when mum made kheer kachori was my dream food (it still is!).
What is Blueberry kheer
Before I get into describing blueberry kheer, I have to share that blueberry is one of the most loved fruit in my family and no grocery order can be done without addition of blueberry in it. Kheer made with infusing blueberry compote is blueberry kheer.
As I stated you can make blueberry kheer or phirni with this recipe. So what’s difference between kheer and phirni?
Kheer vs Phirni
Both kheer and phirni (sometimes spelled as firni) are Indian desserts and have similar ingredients and processes to make. The key difference between kheer and phirni is that, in kheer you use whole rice, where as in phirni, you will use ground rice. Some people will use semolina in phirni. Phirni is made by slow cooking rice granules.
There are various versions of kheer available these days, such as carrot kheer, sabudana kheer, lauki kheer, but rice kheer aka “chawal ke kheer” remains widely popular across the globe. My blueberry kheer is a derivative of normal rice kheer.
Method of making best blueberry kheer
- First of all, wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Heat ghee / clarified butter in pressure cooker on medium heat and add rice to it. Sauté for a minute and then add 1/4 cup of water and half of milk to it. Adding water helps in milk not sticking to the bottom of pan. Put the lid on and pressure cook it for 2 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally.
- In another pan, add blueberries and sugar and heat it on medium heat. Stir with the help of spatula and sugar will start melting. Once all the sugar is melted, crush the blueberries with the spatula, bring the heat to medium low and let the mixture reduce to half. Switch off the heat and keep it aside.
Preparing Blueberry Compote for Blueberry Kheer 
Blueberry Compote
- After releasing pressure from cooker, open the lid and add rest of milk to it. Mix well and keep it on medium heat. Let it boil for 5-7 minutes, stirring in between so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Add the reduced blueberry compote(mixture) now and mix well.
Boiling rice for blueberry kheer 
Adding Blueberry Compote to rice 
Blueberry Kheer Recipe
- Switch off the heat. Transfer it to a serving bowl. Garnish with blueberries on top. You can enjoy it hot or cold after chilling it in fridge for few hours.
Pro Tips for best Kheer
- I will recommend using full fat milk for the best taste. Full fat milk will help kheer become creamy.
- For blueberry kheer, I will recommend using fresh juicy blueberries. In case you do not have access to fresh blueberries, you can use frozen blueberries too, though fresh blueberries offer best taste.
- Blueberry compote shouldn’t be sour, otherwise it will risk in curdling of milk/kheer. Check that your blueberries are sweet.
- You can make the kheer in any heavy bottomed pan instead of pressure cooker. I made it in pressure cooker just to save time.
- Similarly you can make the kheer in Instant pot too with the porridge option.
- You can use jaggery too instead of sugar. Jaggery is much healthier option, in my recipe I have used sugar as access to jaggery in UK is little difficult, unless I go shopping to specific Indian grocery store.
How to make Vegan kheer
You can make this blueberry kheer vegan too. You need to replace normal milk with almond or soya milk. I have not make kheer using these vegan milks, I will update this recipe when I have tried out. There may be a minor difference in taste.
Making Phirni instead of kheer
You need to ground the rice to semi-broken state. You do not need to make the rice powder, but ground enough that it is like coarse ground. Follow the rest of the steps of this recipe and you will be getting blueberry phirni.
This blueberry kheer
- Is not at all complicated to make. Simple and easy steps.
- Offers great taste to all those foodies who love great taste.
- Is unique in its own way, it has the cultural and traditional value of the original kheer, as well as fusion of modern world with blueberry flavours.
- Is gluten-free too! All the gluten intolerants can enjoy this kheer or phirni with full joy.
Storage and Serving suggestion
This blueberry kheer or phirni can be easily kept in fridge for 2-3 days. Note that since it is made from milk, it is likely to perish soon if left outside fridge.
Serve this kheer as a dessert after a lavish meal. This kheer can be served hot or cold, however I like serving it chilled cold with topping some blueberries and pomegranate seeds.
Recipe Card
Blueberry kheer
Ingredients
- 250 grams Blueberry fresh
- 1/3 cup Rice
- 1 litre Whole Milk
- 6 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ghee/Clarified Butter
- 1/2 teaspoon Kewda/ Kewra Water
- 1/4 cup Water
Instructions
- First of all, wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Heat Ghee/Clarified Butter in pressure cooker on medium heat and add rice to it. Saute for a minute and then add 1/4 cup of water and half of milk to it. Put the lid on and pressure cook it for 2 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally.
- In another pan, add blueberries and sugar and heat it on medium heat. Stir with the help of spatula and sugar will start melting. Once all the sugar is melted, crush the blueberries with the spatula, bring the heat to medium low and let the mixture reduce to half. Switch off the heat and keep it aside.
- Once the pressure is released from cooker, open the lid and add rest of milk to it. Mix well and keep it on medium heat. Let it boil for 5-7 minutes, stirring in between so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.
- Add the reduced blueberry compote(mixture) now and mix well. Switch off the heat. Transfer it to a serving bowl. You can enjoy it hot or cold after chilling it in fridge for few hours.
Notes
- Always adjust the amount of sugar according to the sourness of blueberries.
- Blueberry compote shouldn’t be sour, otherwise it will risk in curdling of milk/kheer.
- Compote shouldn’t be too hot at the time of adding it to the kheer/porridge.
- You can make the kheer in any heavy bottomed pan instead of pressure cooker. I made it in pressure cooker just to save time.
- Similarly you can make the kheer in Instant pot too with the porridge option.
- You can add chopped nuts too to the kheer, i skipped it as i wanted only the blueberry taste and flavour.
- You can use jaggery in place of sugar.