Indian food has been having its moment in the spotlight for quite some time now and making headlines all over, for holding its own among the many varieties of foods. From Indian delicacies to restaurants, Taste Atlas – the experiential travel guide – has shed light on some amazing homegrown culinary benchmarks over the years. The latest feather in this very heavy cap has been the recent rankings of the Top 10 Best Rice Puddings from around the world – where the creamy phirni and indulgent kheer have secured two spots in the top five.
The milk sweets – which rank at number 4 and 5 respectively – have also been joined by the South Indian sakkarai pongal at number 9, totalling three stand-out creations out of 10. These popular desserts, which enjoy admirers from various regions within India, are prepared in different variations as well. While the phirni is a Ramadan classic, kheer is enjoyed on most festive occasions served as part of a special feast. Similarly, the sakkarai pongal is also relished during the harvest festival of Pongal, each year – with jaggery being used as its base, unlike the former two which are cooked with milk.
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Scoring high on the ranking list for the second time, phirni and kheer were also awarded ranks 7 and 10 in the list that was released last year. This year, the phirni was preceeded by an Iranian dessert called the sholeh zard from Iran at 3, khao niao mamuang from Thailand at 2 and the firin sutlac from Turkey snagging top position. Tell us what your favourite type of phirni or kheer are, in the comments and where to eat them in your city.