Vegan Quinoa Kheer is a delicious Indian dessert of nutritious quinoa, sweet apples and, dairy-free milk. This kheer recipe keeps all the essence of the classic dessert with a healthy twist.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Quinoa Kheer
- My Tried and True Tips
- Apple Quinoa Kheer Recipe
When you think of Indian desserts, the first thing that comes to mind might be the creamy, luscious kheer —a traditional rice pudding. However, for those who follow a vegan diet or are simply looking to explore healthier desserts this apple quinoa kheer is a delicious alternative.
I love the idea of fresh fruits in Indian desserts. A few of my favourites are – chikoo ka halwa , pineapple rava kesari , and apple kheer. The natural sweetness of fruits blends perfectly with the richness of Indian desserts .
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- easy, one-pot recipe
- it’s vegan and gluten-free
- low-calorie festive dessert
- wholesome, guilt-free dessert
- instant pot or pressure cooker-friendly
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this healthy vegan quinoa kheer, you will need:
- White Quinoa is a versatile superfood that is naturally gluten-free, packed with protein, and rich in essential amino acids.
- Almond milk or other plant-based milk like coconut, cashew, or soy milk.
- Apples that are crisp, ripe, and sweet like Golden Delicious.
- Brown Sugar, jaggery or coconut sugar (adjust according to taste)
- Cardamom powder and Saffron for sweet aroma, flavour and colour.
- Chopped nuts like almonds, pistachios, or cashews.
How To Make Quinoa Kheer
Prep Work for Kheer:
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water to remove any bitterness.
- Soak it in water for 30 minutes.
- Wash and finally chop the apples with the skin.
Cook the Quinoa:
- Discard water from soaked quinoa
- In a pressure cooker, dry roast the soaked quinoa for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Add chopped apples, cardamom, and saffron.
- Add water, and pressure cook over low heat for 3 whistles.
- Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker.
Add Almond Milk:
- After pressure cooking quinoa and apples are soft. Turn on the heat.
- Add almond milk and stir to combine.
- Let it simmer over low heat for 5 – 6 minutes.
- Allow the kheer to become thick and creamy.
- Stir in the jaggery or coconut sugar until it dissolves completely.
- Let the kheer cool slightly. It will thicken further as it cools.
You can serve this vegan quinoa kheer warm or chilled. Garnish with more chopped nuts, edible rose petals, or saffron strands.
My Tried and True Tips
- Choosing the Right Milk: Almond milk provides a subtle flavour that pairs well with the nuttiness of quinoa. Coconut milk adds a richer, creamier texture. Feel free to experiment with different plant-based milk options depending on your taste preference.
- Apples are full of acids, which might curdle the milk. So cook the apples before combining them with the milk.
- Any sweet and ripe variety of apples is perfect for this kheer recipe . Do not use apples with tartness and sourness such as Granny Smith.
- Apple kheer has a thick and luscious consistency, hence allow the milk to thicken before adding the sweetener.
- Customization: For added flavour, you can infuse the kheer with vanilla extract, cinnamon, or nutmeg. Fresh or dried fruits like chopped dates, figs, or dried apricots can also be added.
- Adding sweetener is completely optional in this kheer recipe. Jaggery and coconut sugar add a lovely depth of flavour to the kheer. You can also use maple syrup or agave for a different flavour profile.
More Indian Kheer Recipes
- Rice Kheer
- Badam Kheer
- Seviyan Kheer
- Makhana Kheer
- Gujarati Doodh Pak
- Carrot Sabudana Kheer
more Indian kheer recipes for all festive celebrations.
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 medium size apple, finely chopped
- ▢ ¼ Cup uncooked quinoa peeled and grated
- ▢ 1 Cup water
- ▢ 2 Cup almond milk
- ▢ ⅛ Cup coconut sugar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon saffron
- ▢ ½ tablespoon sliced almonds and pistachio
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water to remove any bitterness. Soak it in water for 30 minutes. Wash and finally chop the apples with the skin.
- Discard water from soaked quinoa
- In a pressure cooker, dry roast the soaked quinoa for 2 – 3 minutes. Add chopped apples, cardamom, and saffron.
- Add water, and pressure cook over low heat for 3 whistles. Turn off the heat. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker.
- After pressure cooking quinoa and apples are soft. Turn on the heat.
- Add almond milk and stir to combine. Let it simmer over low heat for 5 – 6 minutes. Continuously stir the kheer to avoid scorching. Allow the kheer to become thick and creamy.
- Stir in the jaggery or coconut sugar until it dissolves completely. Turn off the heat. Let the kheer cool slightly. It will thicken further as it cools.
- Serve apple kheer chilled garnished with sliced dry fruits and chopped apples.
Recipe Notes:
- Feel free to experiment with different plant-based milk options depending on your taste preference.
- Cook the apples before combining them with the milk else kheer will curdle.
- You can substitute quinoa with barnyard millet or foxtail millet.
Nutrition
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Apple Quinoa Kheer Recipe
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 medium size apple, finely chopped
- ¼ Cup uncooked quinoa peeled and grated
- 1 Cup water
- 2 Cup almond milk
- ⅛ Cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon saffron
- ½ tablespoon sliced almonds and pistachio
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water to remove any bitterness. Soak it in water for 30 minutes. Wash and finally chop the apples with the skin.
- Discard water from soaked quinoa
- In a pressure cooker, dry roast the soaked quinoa for 2 – 3 minutes. Add chopped apples, cardamom, and saffron.
- Add water, and pressure cook over low heat for 3 whistles. Turn off the heat. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker.
- After pressure cooking quinoa and apples are soft. Turn on the heat.
- Add almond milk and stir to combine. Let it simmer over low heat for 5 – 6 minutes. Continuously stir the kheer to avoid scorching. Allow the kheer to become thick and creamy.
- Stir in the jaggery or coconut sugar until it dissolves completely. Turn off the heat. Let the kheer cool slightly. It will thicken further as it cools.
- Serve apple kheer chilled garnished with sliced dry fruits and chopped apples.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to experiment with different plant-based milk options depending on your taste preference.
- Cook the apples before combining them with the milk else kheer will curdle.
- You can substitute quinoa with barnyard millet or foxtail millet.
Nutrition
Modak is a traditional Indian sweet offered as a prasad (sacred offering) to the Lord Ganesha. This is an easy-to-follow instant modak recipe. Be sure to watch the video!
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
- What is Modak?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- My Tried and True Tips
- Watch Instant Modak Video
- Kesar Mawa Modak Recipe
What is Modak?
Modak is a rice flour dumpling stuffed with coconut and jaggery sweet mixture. It is a gluten-free Maharashtrian sweet made to celebrate the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.
According to folklore, Modak is considered Lord Ganesha’s favourite sweet dish.
There are a variety of modak recipes such as ukadiche modak, mawa (khoya) modak, nariyal modak , or modern versions such as chocolate modak .
- This is a delicious instant modak recipe that requires minimal ingredients.
- It is an easy-to-follow, fuss-free modak recipe for the beginners .
- There is no steaming process or stuffing required .
- Saffron gives a beautiful golden colour to the modak.
The Festival Of Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrated to welcome the Lord Ganesha to earth. There are a lot of traditional dishes prepared to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. Modak is one of the essential sweets to be made on occasion.
Apart from modak, coconut ladoo , karanji , kheer , sabudana khichdi , puran poli, and many other festive sweets and snacks are prepared to offer Lord Ganesha.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Khoya (mawa) – is a dried or thick evaporated milk mainly used to make Indian sweets and desserts . You can get it in Indian grocery stores or sweet shops.
- Sugar – use powdered white sugar or grind granulated white sugar in the blender. You can use jaggery powder as well.
- Semolina (rava) – I add a tablespoon of suji (rava) to give modak a good taste and texture. But this is optional.
- Optional Ingredients – ghee, saffron, green cardamom powder
My Tried and True Tips
- Use unsweetened khova for this modak recipe. If you are using sweet khova, taste first, and add sugar accordingly.
- While frying semolina (rava) and khoya do not leave the pan unattended as the mixture burns quickly. You have to continuously stir it for even frying.
- You can use powdered jaggery or light brown sugar instead of white sugar to sweeten the modak. But make sure to use powdered sugar, not granulated.
- Do not add sugar to the hot khoya mixture . It should be lukewarm to touch and not piping hot. Otherwise, sugar will start melting, making the dough too sticky and difficult to mould.
- If khoya is unavailable , combine ½ cup milk with 1 ½ cup milk powder (dairy whitener). Cook them over a low flame, and continuously stir till you get a soft, non-sticky dough. Flavour the dough with saffron, cardamom, and sugar.
- If you do not have modak mould , shape a lemon size dough ball using your fingers like a potli or dumpling, having a pointing tip and round bottom. Using a toothpick or bamboo skewer, make curved lines at equal distances from top to bottom.
Watch Instant Modak Video
How To Store
Modak remains fresh and soft for 1 – 2 hours at room temperature. I prefer storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The texture becomes firm and remains fresh for 10 – 15 days.
In cold climatic conditions, you can leave them at the kitchen counter in an airtight container for 1 – 2 days.
More Indian Sweet Recipes
- Instant Coconut Ladoo
- Khoya Gulab Jamun
- Kesar Mawa Ghujia
- Besan Ladoo
- Doodh Pak
- Mawa Barfi
- Atta Ladoo
- Basundi
- Jalebi
Ingredients
- ▢ 200 gram khoya (mawa/pal khova/evaporated milk)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ghee
- ▢ 1 tablespoon semolina (rava/suji)
- ▢ ½ Cup powdered white sugar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon saffron
- ▢ 2 tablespoon warm milk
Instructions
Prepare Modak Mixture:
- Soak saffron strands in warm milk. Set aside while preparing the modak mixture.
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottom kadhai or casserole.
- Add semolina (rava) fry till it turns light brown in color. Continuously stir the semolina while frying. If left unattended it burns very fast.
- Next, add crumbled khoya (mawa). Mix semolina and khoya using a spatula. Now keep frying the khoya till it becomes smooth and the fat starts oozing from the sides. That is stage 1 of perfect frying.
- In low to medium flame, keep frying the khoya till all the fat disappears and the khoya starts coming together like a soft dough. This is in stage 2 .
- Now, add the green cardamom powder and saffron soaked milk. Mix nicely. Keep frying until all the milk is absorbed by the khoya and once again it becomes like a soft dough. This is the final stage . Turn off the heat.
- Transfer the khoya mixture to a wide bowl. Allow to cool down for 5 – 10 minutes or till it becomes lukewarm to touch.
- Add powdered sugar and mix with your fingers to form a smooth, soft, non-sticky dough.
Shape Modak:
- Grease or brush the modak mold with the ¼ teaspoon of ghee. You can skip this step if the mold is a non-stick one.
- Pinch a small portion of the dough (according to the size of the mold) and stuff it on one side of the mold. Gently press the filling with the other side of the mold to get modak shape. Unmold the modak gently without breaking its shape.
- Arrange the modak on a serving platter. Garnish with saffron. You can keep them in the refrigerator for 5 – 10 minutes if they are too soft.
- Kesar Mawa Modak is ready to serve.
Recipe Notes:
- I use unsweetened khova to make modak. If you are using sweet khova, taste first, and add sugar accordingly.
- Make sure khoya is at room temperature and not semi-frozen or cold. Leave it at room temperature for a few minutes before using it.
- Semolina (rava) gives a nice texture and taste to the modak. If you are not too keen to add semolina, skip ghee as well. Start frying khova straightaway.
- Do not add powdered sugar in the hot khoya mixture. It should be lukewarm to touch and not piping hot.
- You can stuff a variety of dry fruits, desiccated coconut, and other types of sweet filling in this mawa modak.
- If you live in a place where khoya is not available , combine ½ cup milk with 1 ½ cup of milk powder (dairy whitener). Cook them over a low flame, continuously stir till you get a soft, non-sticky dough. Flavor the dough with saffron, cardamom, and sugar. Shape modak.
- If you do not have modak mold , shape a lemon size dough ball using your fingers like a potli or dumpling. Using a toothpick or bamboo skewer make lines at equal distance from top to bottom.
Nutrition
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