Indian cooking / Dishes / Bajre ki Kheer

Bajre ki Kheer

Pearl Millet & Milk Pudding

VegetarianOrigin RajasthanPrep 10 minutesCook 40–50 minutes

A comforting, slow-simmered Indian pudding made with pearl millet and milk, scented with saffron. It has a rich, creamy consistency with a gentle nutty chew from the grains.

Saffron infusion

0.3 gSteeped in water and added at the end (step 4)

Saffron · Kesar

~0.3 gpinch

spice

Mix with 2–3 teaspoons of water and set aside to steep.

Everything else

Ghee

13 g1 tablespoon

oil/fat

Millet grain · Bajra

48 g4 tablespoons

grain

Milk · Doodh

1034 g1 l

dairy

Granulated sugar · Cheeni

100 g

sweetener

Method

Combine the saffron infusion in a small bowl with 2 to 3 teaspoons of water, then set aside.
Melt 13.2 g ghee in a heavy saucepan set over medium heat, add 4 tablespoons pearl millet, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
Bring 1034 g milk to a rolling boil in a separate large, heavy-bottomed pot. Stir in the toasted millet and lower the heat to low, simmering gently with periodic stirring for 40 to 50 minutes until thick and creamy.
Take the pot off the heat, mix in 100 g granulated sugar until fully dissolved, and blend in the saffron infusion. Serve warm.

Don't have something?

Saffron

Ground turmeric
Use 15% of the saffron's weight. Replicates the bright yellow colour well, but lacks the floral, earthy depth; use sparingly to avoid bitterness.
Screwpine water or rosewater
Use a few drops combined with a tiny pinch of ground turmeric to mimic both the regal floral aroma and the golden hue.

Ghee

Unsalted butter
Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.
Vegetable oil
Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.
Mustard oil
Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Millet grain

White millet
Use the same weight; rinse well and cook with slightly less water than rice, about 15–20 minutes until tender.
Quinoa
Use the same weight; rinse to remove bitterness and cook 12–15 minutes. It is fluffier and cooks a little faster.
Broken rice
Use the same weight; it is starchier and softer, so reduce water slightly and cook until just tender.

Milk

Whole milk
Use equal weight; provides the standard rich dairy fat and body expected in creamy Indian bases.
Single cream
Dilute 3 parts cream with 1 part water to match the weight; yields a richer, glossier gravy that resists curdling.
Plain yogurt
Whisk thoroughly and use equal weight; adds extra body and a mild pleasant acidity, best added off the heat.

Granulated sugar

Jaggery
Use equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

Similar dishes

Masala Milkshake

Spicy Milkshake

Masala Milkshake is lighter, less sweet, and distinctly floral and spiced, without the rich, grain-thickened texture of this dish.

Same: Both recipes use milk sweetened with granulated sugar and infused with saffron.
Different: Masala Milkshake is served chilled and adds ground green cardamom and rosewater, whereas this dish is a warm, slow-cooked pudding containing pearl millet and ghee.

Sherbet-e-Gulab

Rose Cordial Sherbet

Sherbet-e-Gulab is drinkable, intensely sweet, and floral, lacking the nutty grain texture and warm saffron aroma of this dish.

Same: Sherbet-e-Gulab shares the use of milk and granulated sugar with this dish.
Different: Sherbet-e-Gulab is a chilled beverage flavored with rosewater that omits the pearl millet, saffron, ghee, and simmered pudding preparation of this dish.

Mishti Doi

Sweet Yoghurt

Mishti Doi tastes tangy and caramelized rather than nutty and floral.

Same: Mishti Doi is also a sweetened dairy dessert made by reducing milk with granulated sugar.
Different: Mishti Doi is fermented with a yogurt culture rather than simmered with pearl millet, ghee, and saffron.

Doodh ka Sherbet

Milk-based Sherbet

It tastes lighter, colder, and distinctly spiced with cardamom, lacking the dense, buttery grain flavor of this dish.

Same: Both Doodh ka Sherbet and this dish rely on a base of milk sweetened with sugar and flavored with saffron.
Different: Doodh ka Sherbet is served as a chilled drink flavored with green cardamom pods, omitting the pearl millet grains and ghee used to make this warm, simmered pudding.