Garvanu might not be a dessert you hear about every day, but once you’ve had a spoon, you’ll wonder where it’s been all your life! It’s a creamy, milk-based Gujarati dessert made with semolina, milk, sugar, and warm spices. This family recipe honours the method passed down through generations.
Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images, video and content. Recipe remains the same. First published in September 2016.
Kheer has always been a favourite of mine in every form and flavour. While rice kheer is my tried-and-true, I like to follow the seasons by making mango paneer kheer .
To make Garvanu (did you know this means sweet in Gujarati?) semolina is first roasted with ghee until it’s golden and develops a rich, nutty aroma. This is then simmered in milk and sugar is added to sweeten. It’s finished with cardamom powder and saffron. I like to add charoli whilst the kheer is still hot then garnish with nuts.
Divine!
Strictly speaking, the traditional version isn’t garnished with nuts, but I’ve added nuts and rose petals to highlight the beauty that she is!
My Mum would usually make garvanu around Sheetla Satam with methi makai na vada and poori or methi na thepla .
The humble semolina is often at heart of celebratory sweets across India and certainly in our home. Just see the transformation in sooji no siro for puja or sooji gujiya for holi!
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Milk – I use full fat milk to make the kheer extra creamy and thick. You may find that you need to add more milk as kheer cools.
Semolina – I use the coarse variety of semolina so that the kheer has texture and a bit of bite. I find that the fine variety makes the kheer smooth.
Sugar – I have made this recipe with regular sugar and brown sugar. Any will work. I do not recommend using jaggery in this recipe as it can cause the milk to split.
Ghee – I use a little of my homemade ghee to roast the semolina.
Cardamom – you’ll find this spice in almost every Indian sweet. I use green cardamom powder.
Saffron – saffron threads add luxury and richness to desserts. I add the saffron particularly when serving garvanu on special occasions.
Charoli – these small seeds are often added to Indian desserts to add texture and richness and taste nutty. Leave them out if you can’t find them.
Pistachio, almonds & rose petals – added to make the kheer look pretty! I’m sure you can agree.
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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Garvanu (Gujarati Semolina Kheer)
Equipment
- Kadai Pan
Ingredients
- 1 litre full fat milk
- 50 grams semolina coarse
- 80 grams sugar
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon charoli optional
- 4-5 strands saffron optional
Garnish
- pistachio and almond slivers
- rose petals
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a kadai and gently roast the semolina on low heat until it smells toasted. Take your time with this step to prevent burning. Remove the roasted semolina from the pan.
- Heat milk in the pan until it comes to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for around 5 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent burning.
- Then add the roasted semolina to the milk and simmer for 3-4 minutes on low-medium heat. Keep stirring to prevent lumps forming.
- Add in the sugar and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, add cardamom powder, saffron threads and charoli (if using).
- The kheer will thicken as it cools so you may find it needs a bit more milk. The consistency of semolina kheer should be little thicker than normal kheer.
- Optionally decorate with the slivered nuts and rose petals.
Video
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.
Garvanu (Gujarati Semolina Kheer)
Equipment
- Kadai Pan
Ingredients
- 1 litre full fat milk
- 50 grams semolina coarse
- 80 grams sugar
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon charoli optional
- 4-5 strands saffron optional
Garnish
- pistachio and almond slivers
- rose petals
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a kadai and gently roast the semolina on low heat until it smells toasted. Take your time with this step to prevent burning. Remove the roasted semolina from the pan.
- Heat milk in the pan until it comes to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for around 5 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent burning.
- Then add the roasted semolina to the milk and simmer for 3-4 minutes on low-medium heat. Keep stirring to prevent lumps forming.
- Add in the sugar and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, add cardamom powder, saffron threads and charoli (if using).
- The kheer will thicken as it cools so you may find it needs a bit more milk. The consistency of semolina kheer should be little thicker than normal kheer.
- Optionally decorate with the slivered nuts and rose petals.
Video
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.
My take on Kala Chana Chaat is a vibrant, dry snack made by tossing black chickpeas with boiled potatoes, crunchy veggies, and a mix of bold, tangy spices.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in June 2013. There are minor changes to the recipe – highlighted below. I’ve also added new images and helpful content.
Kala chana nu shaak has always been my go-to comfort food. But kala chana chaat ? That’s a whole different level – plenty of tang, plenty of crunch, and absolutely bursting with flavour.
More often than I care to admit, I’ll get a sudden craving for chaat. The only problem is that many chaat recipes, like papdi chaat , need some forward planning. What I love about this one is that all that punchy flavour comes from spice powders like chaat masala and amchoor – no chutneys or extras needed. A bit like my Indian lobia salad .
You’ll find that most versions out there stick to a base of black chickpeas – and while that’s delicious on its own, I like to do things a little differently.
I’ve recently started adding potatoes to the mix – mostly because I think everything tastes better with potatoes (and honestly, potatoes + anything = yum!). They add a lovely heartiness to the chaat and soak up all that delicious masala. It tastes a bit like pani puri filling but with the addition of crisp veggies.
The best part? This recipe couldn’t be easier. Once your kala chana and potatoes are cooked, it’s just a matter of tossing everything together. Quick to make… and even quicker to eat!
If you’re cooking your chickpeas in the Instant Pot , you can follow the same instructions for black chickpeas – just use the same timings and you’re good to go.
Ingredients notes
Kala chana – tinned kala chana are convenient and work perfectly well for this recipe. Sometimes I batch cook dried kala chana in my instant pot and freeze in smaller portions for later. If you are going to cook them at home, I recommend cooking until just tender. You don’t want mushy kala chana for this recipe.
Potatoes – optional but if you use in this recipe, we need boiled, peeled and chopped potatoes.
Veggies – I’m using the typical veggies that are added to bhel puri . Red onion, cucumber, tomatoes and green chillies – all chopped.
Spice powders – again, the typical masala that you would recognise in chaat – chaat masala, black salt, red chilli powder, amchoor powder.
Lemon juice – in case it isn’t obvious – we need LOTS of tang!
Coriander – lots of fresh coriander leaves scattered over.
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!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Kala Chana Chaat
Ingredients
- 3 cup kala chana (black chickpeas) cooked
- ½ cup potatoes boiled and cut into cubes
- ½ cup red onion finely chopped
- ½ cup tomato finely chopped
- ½ cup cucumber cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoon green chillies finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- 1 teaspoon dry mango powder amchoor powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon black salt kala namak
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup fresh coriander chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the boiled black chickpeas with all the other ingredients and spices.
- Mix well and adjust the seasoning as required.
- Optionally, set aside for 15-20 minutes to develop flavours further before serving.
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.
