Coconut kheer or nariyal ka kheer, is an Indian sweet dish comprising grated coconut and full-cream milk. Cooked and thickened to perfection, it is served preferably chilled with raisins and chopped nuts on top. Learn the quick and easy steps to make coconut kheer at home from my simple recipe.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Coconut kheer is a light but indulgent sweet treat, perfect for festivals, vrat (fast) days, or whenever you want.
- Serve it as is or with puris and luchis.
- Coconut kheer offers a mildly sweet and creamy taste with a gentle nutty undertone.
- Other similar recipes are plain rice kheer, rice-coconut kheer, or semiya kheer, rava kheer, and sabudana kheer with coconut.
The Ingredients:
- 1 piece coconut (Fresh grated)
- 1 liter milk (full-cream preferred)
- 1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 cup sugar (or jaggery, depending on preference)
- 10 pieces cashew nuts (chopped)
- 10 pieces almonds (chopped)
- 10 pieces pistachios (chopped)
- 10 pieces raisins (whole)
- 3 pieces green cardamom (elaichi, crushed)
This recipe was shared during a colony kitty party. Each of us had to bring a dish, and one lady brought this unique item that was gone within minutes. I managed to taste a spoonful and asked her for the recipe. She giggled and wrote it on a tissue.
I made it the next Sunday. My husband called it “kitty club good,” and my boys said it was “aunty-approved.” Now, it’s our gathering favorite. That dish reminds me how laughter, gossip, and food travel go together—and sometimes, a small piece of tissue becomes the start of something delicious.
How to Make Coconut Kheer? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take a coconut, break it, and cut it into large pieces. Scrape away the brown skin if you want your coconut kheer to be absolutely white, or leave it as is.
Step 2: Now, grate the coconut finely. Keep it aside when done.
Step 3: Now, pour a liter of milk (full-cream preferred) into a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to a gentle boil over a medium flame. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking at the bottom. Boil the milk until it becomes a little thicker. Check the consistency. Keep it aside.
Step 4: In a separate kadai, heat 1 tsp of ghee (clarified butter) and fry the grated coconut for about a minute or two on a low flame until dry.
Step 5: Now, pour the milk in the kadai. Mix the coconut nicely with the milk. Let the coconut and milk simmer on a low flame until they release their natural flavors. Scrape the malai from the sides to thicken the milk further and quicker.
Step 6: Now, add 1 cup of sugar (or jaggery) as per taste. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Cook for another couple of minutes on a low flame.
(Pro tip: If you are using jaggery to make the kheer, grate or dissolve the jaggery separately in a little warm water before adding. This will help avoid graininess.)
Step 7: At this stage, take 10 pieces each of cashew nuts, almonds, and pistachios on a plate. Chop them all. Also, take 10 pieces of raisins (whole), and add them to the kheer. Keep some of the nuts for final garnishing. Also, add 3 pieces of crushed green cardamom (elaichi) to it and mix all of them nicely with the kheer. Let it cook for just a minute more or so.
Step 8: Check the consistency. It should be free-flowing at this stage because it will become denser when it cools. Switch off the gas stove.
(Pro tip: If you want richer thickness, simmer for extra 2 to 3 minutes after adding sugar and cardamom, but avoid overcooking, else coconut might release too much oil or milk may separate.)
Step 9: Transfer the kheer to a bowl and keep it in the fridge for about an hour to cool down.
Step 10: Take the bowl out from the fridge after an hour. Your tasty and healthy coconut kheer is ready to enjoy. Garnish it with the remaining chopped almonds and cashew nuts on top and serve.
Recipe Card
Coconut Kheer | Nariyal Ka Kheer
Ingredients
- 1 piece coconut Fresh grated
- 1 liter milk full-cream preferred
- 1 tsp ghee clarified butter
- 1 cup sugar or jaggery, depending on preference
- 10 pieces cashew nuts chopped
- 10 pieces almonds chopped
- 10 pieces pistachios chopped
- 10 pieces raisins whole
- 3 pieces green cardamom elaichi, crushed
Instructions
- Take a coconut, break it, and cut into large pieces. Scrape away the brown skin if you want your coconut kheer to be absolutely white, or leave it as is.
- Now, grate the coconut finely. Keep it aside when done.
- Now, pour a liter of milk (full-cream preferred) into a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to gentle boil over a medium flame. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking at bottom. Boil the milk until it becomes little thicker. Check the consistency. Keep it aside.
- In a separate kadai, heat 1 tsp of ghee (clarified butter) and fry the grated coconut for about a minute or two on a low flame until dry.
- Now, pour the milk in the kadai. Mix the coconut nicely with the milk. Let the coconut and milk simmer on a low flame until they release their natural flavors. Scrape the malai from the sides to thicken the milk further and quicker.
- Now, add 1 cup sugar (or jaggery) as per taste. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Cook for another couple of minutes on a low flame. (Pro tip: If you are using jaggery to make the kheer, grate or dissolve jaggery separately in a little warm water before adding. This will help avoid graininess.)
- At this stage, take 10 pieces each of cashew nuts, almonds, and pistachios on a plate. Chop them all. Also, take 10 pieces of raisins (whole), and add them to the kheer. Keep some of the nuts for final garnishing. Also, add 3 pieces of crushed green cardamom (elaichi) to it and mix all them nicely with the kheer. Let it cook for just a minute more or so.
- Check the consistency. It should free-flowing at this stage because it will become denser when it cools. Switch off the gas stove. (Pro tip: If you want richer thickness, simmer for extra 2 to 3 minutes after adding sugar and cardamom, but avoid overcooking, else coconut might release too much oil or milk may separate.)
- Transfer the kheer to a bowl and keep it in the fridge for about an hour to cool down.
- Take the bowl out from the fridge after an hour. Your tasty and healthy coconut kheer is ready to enjoy. Garnish it with the remaining chopped almonds and cashew nut on top and serve.
