Top Indian Kheer Recipes to Sweeten Your Makar Sankranti Feast

Kheer has always been a dessert that brings people together across generations. As you prepare for Makar Sankranti, a festival of harvest and gratitude, kheer is naturally the star of the show on your festive table. There is something magical about the creamy texture, the fragrance of the spices and the sweetness that makes it more than a dessert, it is an experience steeped in tradition.

On this happy occasion when the air is filled with the smell of sesame seeds and sugarcane, adding a variety of kheer recipes to your table brings warmth to the celebrations. Whether it is the classic rice kheer made with love in every Indian home or the nutty indulgence of vermicelli kheer, there is a recipe for everyone.

This Makar Sankranti, go on a culinary journey across India and try out different kheer recipes? From the jaggery flavored payasam of South India to the saffron infused kesari kheer of North India, each recipe has a story to tell of culture and festivity.

How To Make The Classic Rice Kheer For Makar Sankranti

Rice kheer is a traditional Indian dessert that is a must on every festive and celebratory occasion. With its creamy texture, sweetness and cardamom & saffron aroma, it’s a soul warming treaty.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup basmati rice
• 1-liter full cream milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 8-10 almonds
• 8-10 cashews
• 8-10 raisins
• 5-6 saffron strands

Method:

1. First wash and soak the basmati rice for 20 minutes. Then drain the water and keep it aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, bring the milk to a boil, and make sure to stir occasionally to avoid it getting stuck to the bottom.
3. Add the soaked rice to the boiling milk and cook on low heat, stirring frequently.
4. Once the rice is cooked and the milk thickens, add sugar and mix well.
5. Add cardamom powder, saffron, almonds, cashews and raisins.
6. Cook for 5-7 minutes more, till kheer
7. Serve warm or cold, topped with nuts.

7 Types of Indian Kheer to Sweeten Your Makar Sankranti

1. Paal Payasam

Paal Payasam is a South Indian kheer that is a must during Makar Sankranti. Made with rice, full cream milk and sugar, it is slowly cooked to perfection and is creamy and rich. Cardamom and roasted cashews add to the flavor and the pale pink color is from caramelized sugar and milk.

2. Jaggery Kheer (Gur Ki Kheer)

Jaggery is a big part of Makar Sankranti as it marks the harvest season. Jaggery kheer is a healthier and earthier version of sugar kheer, with jaggery giving it a caramel flavor. Made with rice or millets, milk and jaggery, this kheer is often prepared to worship the Sun God and celebrate the crops. The golden color and warming spices make it perfect for the winter festival.

3. Vermicelli Kheer (Seviyan Kheer)

Seviyan kheer is a quick and easy dessert made by roasting vermicelli in ghee and cooking it in milk, sugar and spices. A favorite in many Indian households, it is especially loved during Makar Sankranti for its smooth texture and taste. Often garnished with dry fruits, seviyan kheer adds variety to the festive spread.

4. Moong Dal Kheer (Pesara Pappu Payasam)

Moong dal kheer is a South Indian specialty made with moong dal, coconut milk, jaggery and cardamom. This is a big part of Makar Sankranti as it uses ingredients of the harvest season. The nutty flavor of moong dal and the sweetness of jaggery makes it a complete and festive dessert.

5. Sabudana Kheer

Sabudana kheer made with tapioca pearls, milk and sugar is a vrat (fasting) recipe. Its light and easy to digest nature makes it a favorite during Makar Sankranti especially in Maharashtra. The chewy texture of sabudana along with cardamom and saffron gives the kheer a unique taste. It represents nourishment and balance, which is the theme of the festival.

6. Gond Kheer

Gond (edible gum) kheer is a lesser known but nutritious dish made during Makar Sankranti in North India. Made with gond, milk, sugar and ghee. It is especially important during Sankranti as it gives energy and helps fight cold weather, which is the festival's theme cold.

7. Millet Kheer (Bajra or Ragi Kheer)

Millet kheer made with bajra (pearl millet) or ragi (finger millet) is a harvest festival recipe. Rich in fiber and nutrients, this kheer is healthy and tasty. Sweetened with jaggery and cooked with coconut milk or regular milk, it is a rustic dish that fits the earthy vibe of Makar Sankranti.