Panch Kheer (Five Sweet Pudding)

Name: Panch Kheer
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: 3 tbsp short-grain rice; 3 tbsp chana dal (Bengal gram), soaked 30 min; 3 tbsp sabudana (tapioca pearls), soaked 20 min; 3 tbsp raisins; ¼ cup (25 g) fresh grated coconut; 1.5 litres (6 cups) full-fat milk; ½ cup (100 g) sugar; 1 tsp cardamom powder; 20 saffron strands soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk; 2 tbsp ghee; 2 tbsp cashews, halved and fried in ghee; 2 tbsp pistachios, slivered; The soaking and par-cooking of rice and dal ensures all components finish cooking at the same time in the milk; Do not over-cook sabudana — add it later than the rice/dal; it cooks faster; The combined result is intentionally thicker and more substantial than single-ingredient kheer

🟢 Veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Medium

A mixed kheer combining rice, dal, sabudana, raisins and coconut simmered together in sweetened milk — associated with the Ganesh Chaturthi naivedyam (offering) tradition where the number five (panch) is considered auspicious. Not commonly found in restaurants or shops — this is purely a domestic festive preparation, made in Maharashtrian homes as one of the 21 traditional offerings to Ganesha.

⏱️20 minPrep

🔥45 minCook

🕒65 minTotal

🍽️6Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Panch Kheer

Combine soaked chana dal and rice in a pressure cooker with 1 cup water.
Cook on high heat for 2 whistles (10 minutes).
The grains should be soft but not falling apart.
Drain any excess water.
Bring 1.5 litres milk to a boil over high heat.
Reduce to medium heat.
Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every 4–5 minutes, until it reduces slightly.
Add the cooked rice and dal to the reduced milk.
Stir over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add soaked, drained sabudana.
Continue cooking for 8–10 minutes until sabudana turns translucent.
Add raisins and fresh coconut.
Stir for 5 more minutes until raisins plump and coconut softens.
Add sugar.
Stir over low heat for 5 minutes until dissolved.
Add saffron milk, cardamom, ghee and fried cashews.
The kheer will be thick with many components suspended in the milky base.
Serve warm, garnished with pistachios.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 295 kcal | 10 g | 42 g | 9 g | 2.5 g | Prepared as one of the formal naivedyam items for Ganesh Chaturthi — the number five (panch) in the name refers to the five main components, all considered auspicious in Vedic food tradition. Not commercially available — strictly a home preparation for festival offerings. The concept of combining five ingredients reflects the Panchamahabhuta (five elements) philosophy. Regional variation: some Vidarbha families use wheat berries instead of rice; Konkan families add a tablespoon of coconut milk. ---

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