Hot Milk Pudding — warm Indian milk pudding
Hot milk pudding is an everyday North Indian dessert — milk thickened with cornstarch or fine semolina, sweetened, and perfumed with cardamom, served warm in small bowls. It is the home-kitchen sibling of the more elaborate phirni, designed for a quick after-dinner sweet rather than a celebration.
i. Origin & history
Milk-and-starch puddings are a foundational category of Indian dessert; this version takes the simplest possible route to a warm milky finish.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 4 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 1 litre whole milk
- 60 g cornstarch
- 100 g sugar
- 1 tsp cardamom
- Pinch saffron
- 2 tbsp chopped pistachios
- 1 tsp rose water
iii. Method
- Whisk cornstarch with 200 ml of the milk.
- Bring remaining milk with sugar and cardamom to a simmer. Whisk in slurry; cook 4 min until thickened.
- Stir in saffron and rose water. Pour into small bowls. Top with pistachios. Serve warm.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Mango version folds in mango purée. Coconut version uses coconut milk. Honey version uses honey instead of sugar.
vi. Common questions
What is hot milk pudding?
Hot Milk Pudding is warm indian milk pudding, from indian & south asian cuisine. It is the home-kitchen sibling of the more elaborate phirni, designed for a quick after-dinner sweet rather than a celebration
Where is hot milk pudding from?
Hot Milk Pudding is from the indian & south asian dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does hot milk pudding keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 2 days refrigerated.