Mango Kheer — Pakistani Rice Pudding with Fresh Chaunsa

Mango Kheer — Pakistani Rice Pudding with Fresh Chaunsa

Quick recipe summary
Slow-simmer basmati rice in milk with sugar and cardamom. Cool, fold in Chaunsa mango pulp, garnish with nuts. Serves 6.

Why this recipe works

Kheer is Pakistan's beloved rice pudding — every region has a variation. Adding fresh mango makes it a summer-specific dessert that's pure indulgence.

What's great about this approach

  • Traditional comfort dessert
  • Make-ahead friendly
  • Crowd-pleaser at dawat
  • Naturally gluten-free

What to watch for

  • Don't add hot mango pulp — it curdles the milk
  • Stir constantly when reducing — milk catches easily
  • Use full-fat milk — skim milk makes thin kheer

At a glance

Prep time Cook / set time Servings Difficulty
15 min 60 min 6 Beginner

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup basmati rice
  • 1 liter full-fat milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp saffron threads
  • 1.5 cups ripe Chaunsa mango pulp, strained
  • Chopped almonds, pistachios for garnish

Best mango for this recipe: Nawabpuri Chaunsa or Mosami Chaunsa — see notes in step 1 for why.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Rinse rice. Soak in water for 15 minutes, then drain.
  2. Bring milk to boil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the rice.
  3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 45–60 minutes, stirring every 5–10 minutes, until rice is soft and milk has reduced by 1/3.
  4. Add sugar, cardamom, and saffron. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cook 5 more minutes.
  5. Remove from heat. Let cool completely to room temperature.
  6. Fold in the mango pulp gently. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  7. Serve chilled, garnished with nuts.

Tips from our family kitchen

  • Use a heavy-bottom pot to prevent burning
  • Refrigerate the mango pulp before folding in — temperature matters
  • Some families add a tablespoon of rose water for extra fragrance

Frequently asked questions

Why did my kheer become lumpy?

Probably folded warm mango into hot kheer. Both must be at room temp or cooler.

Can I make this without the rice?

That would be mango payasam (different dish) — kheer specifically uses rice.

How long does mango kheer keep?

3 days refrigerated in a sealed container.

Need fresh, naturally-ripened mangoes for this recipe?

Every recipe on this site is tested with mangoes from our family farm in Pir Khursheed Colony, Multan — hand-picked, naturally ripened (zero calcium carbide), and cold-chain shipped Pakistan-wide. Browse our 2026 harvest

— The Malik family
1636/13-A, Pir Khursheed Colony, Multan, 66000, Pakistan

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