Makhana Kheer Recipe Instant Pot Stovetop

I had never heard of makhana until I came to the USA. Then, my neighbor from Bihar told me about makhana and its benefits. She often made Spicy roasted masala makhana which I loved at the first attempt. Then I tried a couple of other makhana recipes like Caramel Makhana, Mint Makhana, Chocolate Makhana, Makhana Chivda.

What is Makhana?

Makhanas are popularly known as lotus seeds, fox nuts, Euryale Ferox, gorgon nuts, and Phool makhana. The puffed lotus seeds or the puffed fox nuts have high nutritional and medicinal values and are primarily grown in the state of Bihar in India. Makhanas are packed with the goodness of protein, potassium, phosphorus, carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, iron, and zinc. These essential nutrients make this munchy a perfect go-to healthy snack.

How to Make Phool Makhana Kheer Recipe in Instant Pot

Firstly, clean the instant pot thoroughly - the steel pot, lid, and sealing ring. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it else, milk may curdle. Press SAUTE button on Instant Pot. Add ghee to the pot. Once hot, add makhanas (lotus seed), and roast them in the ghee for about 4 minutes or until they turn light golden brown. **Dont burn; else the burnt smell influences Kheer. Then remove ½ cup of roasted makhana and crush coarsely by pulsing them in the blender 1-2 times. Next, add milk, crushed makhana, almond powder, sugar, and saffron strands to the Instant Pot. Give a quick stir. Close the lid. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (Low Pressure) and set the timer to 10 minutes and Let it Natural Pressure Release (NPR). Stir in the cardamom powder and nuts. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until it thickens a bit. Lastly, serve the Instant pot phool makhana kheer recipe warm or cold and garnish with pistachios and almonds.

Stovetop Pot Method

In a heavy bottom pan, add ghee, once hot, add makhanas (lotus seed), and roast them in the ghee for about 4 minutes or until they turn light golden brown in color. *Dont burn else, the burnt smell influences kheer. Remove ½ cup of roasted makhana and crush coarsely by pulsing them in the blender 1-2 times. Then add milk, crushed makhana, and almond powder. Give a quick stir. Cook for around 8-10 minutes on the medium-low flame while stirring it occasionally. The milk will begin to reduce, and the makhanas will soften and shrink in size. Now add the saffron milk. (saffron strands soaked in warm milk for around 10 minutes till they release the yellow color) Stir in the sugar, cardamom powder, and nuts. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until it thickens a bit. Serve makhane ki kheer warm or cold and garnish with pistachios and almonds.

Tips & Variations

The makhana kheer becomes thick after cooling down, add warm milk to adjust the consistency while serving. If you dont have almond flour, take 10-12 almonds and make a fine powder in a blender. You can also skip almond powder in this recipe, but it really gives a rich and creamy taste. Add 2 tablespoons of condensed milk or khoya if you like. You can also ground all 1.5 cups of roasted Phool makhana if you or your child doesn’t prefer to eat the whole makhana. You can also add raisins and any nuts of your choice to this kheer.

How to Make Makhana Kheer with Jaggery?

You can use any sweetener of your choice for this makhane ki kheer recipe. If using jaggery in place of sugar, add it after the pressure cooking cycle because the impurities in jaggery can curdle the milk. You can also replace regular sugar with brown sugar or coconut sugar.