Phirni is a traditional creamy dessert, prepared with ground rice, milk and sugar and set in a small earthen pots. It’s garnished with nuts, edible silver leaf and rose petals. I’ve added caramel for a fusion twist.

Creamy Caramel Phirni - 1

If you are a caramel fan, see my Salted Caramel Peda .

three caramel phirni bowls placed in the serving tray - 2

Caramel Phirni

Ingredients

  • 30 grams Ground rice
  • 400 ml Milk
  • 100 ml Single cream
  • 100-125 grams Sugar I used demerara
  • 2 tablespoon Pistachio slivers
  • Fresh fruit like berries, mango or grapes

Instructions

  • Put milk and half cream in a thick bottom saucepan over medium heat.
  • Mix in ground rice and stir continuously. Keep string while bringing to the boil.
  • Meanwhile, in another non-stick pan, add sugar and couple of spoon of water over medium heat.
  • Allow the sugar to dissolve and bring it to boil.
  • Let the mixture caramelize and wait for it turns to dark brown.
  • Do not stir, just swirl the pan.
  • As soon as caramel dark in colour, remove it from the heat.
  • Carefully pour the caramel mixture into rice and milk mixture, be careful as this mixture will bubble violently.
  • Keep whisking constantly, and simmer until any lumps have dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
  • By now phirni mixture will be creamy and thick.
  • Turn off the heat, let the mixture cool at room temperature.
  • Once cooled, set the phirni in an individual serving glass, and let it cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
  • Once you are ready to serve, whip a remaining cream, pour on the cooled phirni and garnish with the pistachio slivers.
  • If you fancy add fresh fruit too.

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

three caramel phirni bowls placed in the serving tray - 3

Caramel Phirni

Ingredients

  • 30 grams Ground rice
  • 400 ml Milk
  • 100 ml Single cream
  • 100-125 grams Sugar I used demerara
  • 2 tablespoon Pistachio slivers
  • Fresh fruit like berries, mango or grapes

Instructions

  • Put milk and half cream in a thick bottom saucepan over medium heat.
  • Mix in ground rice and stir continuously. Keep string while bringing to the boil.
  • Meanwhile, in another non-stick pan, add sugar and couple of spoon of water over medium heat.
  • Allow the sugar to dissolve and bring it to boil.
  • Let the mixture caramelize and wait for it turns to dark brown.
  • Do not stir, just swirl the pan.
  • As soon as caramel dark in colour, remove it from the heat.
  • Carefully pour the caramel mixture into rice and milk mixture, be careful as this mixture will bubble violently.
  • Keep whisking constantly, and simmer until any lumps have dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
  • By now phirni mixture will be creamy and thick.
  • Turn off the heat, let the mixture cool at room temperature.
  • Once cooled, set the phirni in an individual serving glass, and let it cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
  • Once you are ready to serve, whip a remaining cream, pour on the cooled phirni and garnish with the pistachio slivers.
  • If you fancy add fresh fruit too.

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

This Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Watercress, Spinach and Arugula is the perfect summer salad. Enjoy as a light main or as a side. It’s easy to customise to suit your taste and dietary needs.

Serve as a side dish to this Potato Tart with Lemon, Thyme and Garlic

Female hands are holding a big bowl of strawberry goat cheese salad - 4
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Pro Tips
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Storage
  • Other Strawberry Recipes

This strawberry salad has the perfect combination of sweet and savoury. Plump strawberries, goats cheese, walnuts and salad leaves are tossed in a mustard lemon dressing.

I’ve gone for a mix of spinach, arugula (rocket) and watercress. The creaminess of the goats cheese against the peppery-ness of the rocket and watercress is so, so good!

Enjoy it as it as for a summery main or serve it alongside a whole host of dishes.

Spinach strawberry goat cheese salad in a big tray next to dressing bowl - 5

I love salad recipes in the summer ! They are always bursting with seasonal flavours and most importantly, no standing by a hot stove for hours!

Grilled Nectarine, Corn and Bean Salad served in an oblong white salad serving plate with spoons - 6 Creamy Caramel Phirni - 7 mango avocado black bean salad in a white bowl - 8 Creamy Caramel Phirni - 9 Arugula strawberry goat cheese salad served with two serving spoons in a big tray - 10

Ingredients

ingredients for strawberry goat cheese salad in small bowls on white backdrop - 11

Fresh strawberries – for best results, use strawberries that are in season as the flavour is so much better. I have used British Strawberries. Do not use frozen berries

Goat cheese – goat cheese is made from goat milk. I recommend using a soft goat cheese or goat cheese log rather than hard cheese. I have kept the goat cheese in rounds but you can absolutely use crumbled goat cheese too

Salad leaves – I have gone for a pre mixed salad bag of watercress, baby spinach and rocket. You can absolutely use whichever salad leaves you like or can get hold of.

Red onion – add sliced or chopped red onion for flavor and crunch. Leave out if you are not a fan of onion.

Walnuts – optional. Roughly chop

Salad Dressing

Dijon mustard – or use whole mustard

Sugar, maple syrup or honey

White wine vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

strawberry salad in a bowl with two spoons next to dressing bowl - 12

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients
  2. Seasoned with salt and black pepper
  3. Alternatively, add the ingredients to a mason jar, shut the lid tightly and shake until the ingredients are well combined.

Assemble the salad in a large bowl:

  1. Slice and halve or quarter the strawberries and slice the red onion
  2. Slice or crumble in goat cheese and add the walnuts
  3. Then add the salad leaves of choice and gently toss
  4. Drizzle over the mustard dressing
  5. Serve
chopped strawberries in a white oval plate - 13 chopped onion slices and strawberries in a plate - 14 walnuts, onion slices and strawberries on a white plate - 15 arugula added to the strawberries, onion slices and walnuts - 16 preparation for strawberry and goat cheese salad - 17 Mustard dressing drizzled over the spinach strawberry goat cheese salad - 18

Pro Tips

  1. Use high quality ingredients – use the freshest ingredients possible. Strawberries should be ripe but not mushy and crisp salad leaves are better than limp.
  2. Serve the salad immediately once assembled – this salad is best eaten straight away to enjoy the fresh flavours without pools of moisture.
a female hand is holding a serving spoon to serve strawberry walnut goat cheese salad - 19

Serving Suggestions

For a full meal, enjoy alongside these main courses:

vegetable paella in a paella pan with a spoon - 20 Creamy Caramel Phirni - 21

For light picnic foods, go for Air Fryer French Bread Pizza or Tandoori Paneer Galette

A fruity drink like this Watermelon Mocktail is super refreshing and light.

Storage

Store leftover salad in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to a day.

You can also keep the salad in your large salad bowl but cover with plenty of plastic wrap (clingfilm)

I recommend eating the salad immediately after serving as juice releases quickly from the strawberries once dressed.

If preparing for later, I suggest dressing the salad just before serving. Keep the salad dressing in a separate airtight container.

Use leftover goat cheese to make Whipped Goat Cheese Dip

strawberry goat cheese salad in a oval white plate - 22

Other Strawberry Recipes

Instant Pot Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

No bake strawberry Cheesecake

Strawberry Avocado Salsa

Fresas Con Crema

Strawberry Lassi

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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strawberry goat cheese salad garnished with chopped walnuts - 23

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Spinach, Arugula and Watercress

Equipment

  • 1 Chopping board
  • 1 Knife
  • 1 whisker

Ingredients

  • 400 gram strawberries
  • 75 gram goat cheese
  • 80 gram arugula, watercress and spinach or other salad leaves of choice
  • 25 gram walnuts roughly chopped
  • 1 red onion sliced or chopped

Strawberry Salad Dressing

  • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon dijon mustard or mustard of choice
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar or honey
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil , 2 teaspoon dijon mustard , 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • Season with salt and black pepper to taste
  • Alternatively, add the ingredients to a mason jar, shut the lid tightly and shake until the ingredients are well combined.

Assemble the salad in a large bowl:

  • Slice and halve or quarter the 400 gram strawberries and slice the 1 red onion
  • In a serving platter arrange sliced berries.
  • Add onions
  • Scatter 25 gram walnuts
  • Then add the 80 gram arugula, watercress and spinach salad leaves of choice and gently toss
  • Slice or crumble in 75 gram goat cheese
  • Drizzle over the mustard dressing
  • Serve immediately

Video

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.