Cooling Black Rice Dessert Recipe (Chak-hao Kheer for Summer)

Desserts are one of the most popular foods in summer to induce body cooling. While there are a number of varieties in India, here’s the black rice kheer we shall discuss. 

What is it? As the name implies, black rice dessert is a variation of traditional rice kheer. It comes from the culinary culture of Manipuri and Assamese. Guess why? Black rice is traditionally grown in the North-east states of Manipur and Nagaland. Locals call it Chak-hao. 

The ultimate magic comes from the dessert recipe that is known for its cooling effect. Most summer desserts rely on refined sugar, cream, or artificial cooling agents. This one doesn’t. It uses black rice’s natural earthiness. The recipe pairs it with milk or coconut milk and finishes with cardamom. The result? A black rice dessert recipe that actually feels light on your stomach.

But here's the problem: For this recipe to work the way it's supposed to, you need the real Manipuri grain. The black rice sold in most supermarkets is not actually Chak-hao. So, the recipe will specifically focus on authentic Manipur Black Rice from My Pahadi Dukan. It is sourced directly from the Northeast regions, so what reaches your kitchen is the authentic variety.

The Simple Black Rice Dessert Recipe

1. Wash black rice twice, soak for 1 hour, then pressure cook with water until tender.
2. Boil milk, add cooked rice, coconut, and bay leaves; simmer 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Lightly mash some rice for creaminess.
4. Add sugar and cardamom; cook a few more minutes.
5. Garnish with nuts and serve warm or chilled.

Why The Black Rice Dessert Recipe Works in Summer

Black rice is not white rice with a tan. It’s a different beast. The outer layer contains anthocyanins, the same antioxidant found in blueberries and purple cabbage. That pigment gives the grain its deep violet hue when cooked. Plus, black rice digests slower than white rice, thanks to its low GI and fibre content.

Now think about traditional kheer made with white rice. It is delicious. But in summer? It is too heavy. The white rice releases starch quickly, turning the whole thing into a gluey mess. 

Black rice holds its structure better. Each grain stays slightly chewy, almost like barley. That texture works wonders for black rice kheer.

Most people assume a black rice dessert recipe must be complicated. They imagine soaking overnight, hours of stirring, exotic ingredients. Wrong!

Let us give you a version that takes 50-60 minutes from start to finish. And you can prepare most of it while doing other things.

What You’ll Need (No Fancy Shopping Trips)

Step-by-Step: The Only Black Rice Dessert Recipe

You can grasp the black rice dessert recipe in four steps. Let’s get to cooking.

Step 1: Cook the Black Rice

Wash the rice under running water. Do it twice. Black rice sometimes has fine dust from milling. Drain well. Then soak it in fresh water for one hour. Unsoaked black rice takes forever to cook.

After soaking, drain again. Put the rice in a pressure cooker. Add two cups of water and close the lid. Turn the heat to high. Wait for one whistle. Then immediately lower the flame to low. Let it cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the pressure release naturally.

What you’ll see: The rice turns deep purple. Each grain is tender but still has a bite.

One thing worth knowing: the quality of Chak-hao varies a lot depending on where you buy it. Manipuri black rice from My Pahadi Dukan exactly has that deeper purple colour when cooked and a nuttier aroma.

If yours looks more grey than violet, the grain likely is not the real variety. So, check that well before buying.

Step 2: Make the Kheer Base

Pour one litre of milk into a heavy-bottomed pan. A non-stick pan works, but a traditional steel or clay pot gives better flavour. Turn the flame to medium. Let the milk come to a gentle boil.

Now add your cooked black rice. Add the grated coconut. Drop in two bay leaves. Stir everything once.

Lower the heat to a simmer. Let this cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir every four to five minutes. You don’t need to stand there like a guard. Just don’t walk away for too long!

After ten minutes, take a masher or the back of your ladle. Gently mash some of the rice grains against the pan’s side. It releases more starch. The kheer turns creamier without adding any thickener.

Step 3: Sweeten and Spice

After 15–20 minutes, the kheer will have reduced slightly. It will look glossy. Remove the bay leaves. Add a quarter cup of sugar and half a teaspoon of cardamom powder.

Stir. Let it cook for another three to four minutes. 

Taste it. Does it need more sugar? Add a spoonful. Less? Leave it. I personally use jaggery sometimes. The molasses notes pair beautifully with black rice. But sugar gives a cleaner sweetness.

Turn off the heat.

Step 4: Garnish and Chill

Chop your nuts roughly. Almonds and cashews work best. Toast them in a dry pan for two minutes if you want extra crunch. Throw them on top of the kheer.

Now you have two options. Serve it warm, which tastes fantastic on a cool monsoon evening. Or serve it chilled. 

For summer, go chilled. Let the kheer cool to room temperature. Then put it in the fridge for three to four hours.

Nutritional Profile

• Calories: 325 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 44 g
• Protein: 11 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Sugar: 26 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Calcium: 325 mg

Serving Suggestion: The Mango Twist

In the summer, you can try the variant “black rice and mango dessert.” 

Here’s why that matters. When summer peaks, mangoes arrive. Dice a ripe Alphonso or Kesar mango. Spoon the chilled black rice dessert recipe into a bowl. Top with mango cubes. Drizzle a little coconut milk on top.

Suddenly, you’ve got a black sticky rice dessert that rivals any Thai restaurant version. But yours has no palm sugar syrup, no heavy coconut cream overload.

Vegan Option (Works Flawlessly)

Don’t do dairy? Swap the whole milk with coconut milk. Use one can of full-fat coconut milk plus one can of water. Or use almond milk for a lighter version. One warning: plant milks curdle faster on high heat. 

So cook on low flame and stir more frequently. The black rice dessert recipe with coconut milk turns out exceptionally creamy.

Thai-Inspired Style

Reduce sugar. Use coconut milk entirely. Add a pinch of salt. This version resembles a Thai black rice dessert.

And if you’re looking for yet another cooling dessert recipe in summer, you also have the most popular Kesar Kheer recipe to try. 

A Quick Note on Chak-hao Kheer

You’ll hear people call the chakhao kheer in Manipuri homes. It’s not a restaurant gimmick. Chak-hao literally means “delicious rice” in the Meitei language. Families make this during festivals like Lai Haraoba or for weddings. 

Grandmothers make it on random Sunday afternoons. Because once you know a simple black rice dessert recipe, why wait?

The black glutinous rice dessert version from Thailand uses sticky rice. That’s a different variety. Our Chak-hao isn’t glutinous. It has a lower glycemic index.

If you want to try making it at home, sourcing matters more than technique. That is why the emphasis on Manipur Black Rice (Chak-hao) from our store. It is one of the few options you'll find that's actually traceable to Northeast India. The 500gm pack gives you enough to experiment with both the traditional kheer and the mango variant.

Storage and Shelf-Life

Keep the kheer in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to three days. The rice absorbs more liquid over time. So the pudding gets thicker. That’s actually good, as it turns into a black rice pudding with milk that you can eat with a spoon like porridge. 

If you want to loosen it, add a splash of cold milk before serving. Do not freeze it. Thawed kheer separates. The texture becomes grainy.

One Last Thought Before You Cook

You might look at the black rice dessert recipe and think, “Do I really need to soak the rice for an hour?” Yes. You do. The rice stays crunchy even after forty minutes of cooking. Soak it. Set a timer. Do the dishes while you wait. Or read something. Just don’t skip.

Also, don’t be afraid of the colour. The purple milk might startle me. It can make you think you’d burned something. That’s the anthocyanin leaking out. It’s supposed to happen.

Now go make this. Your summer desserts will never look the same. And when someone asks you for a black rice dessert recipe that actually works in the heat? Send them here.