Shakarkandi Kheer With Jaggery is an easy and delicious Indian sweet dish recipe made with only 3-ingredients sweet potatoes, milk and jaggery. The addition of a little cardamom powder make it more flavourful.

About Shakarkandi

Shakarkandi is called Sweet potato in English is a tuber that grows underground. It is a very nutritious food item. Rich in carotenoids and Vitamin A, it is considered a superfood. They are naturally sweet and are found in different colours and varieties. In India, we get light pink and brown coloured sweet potatoes that are a little hard in texture. Sweet potato is in season now. Include this healthy tuber in your diet to get most health benefits.

We can eat sweet potato or shakargandi in various forms like boiled, grilled, or baked. It can be used in making halwa, ladoo, chaat, paratha, patties, kheer, burfi, fries, salad, etc. Shakarkandi ki Kheer is famous as sweet potato payasam in South Indian states.

Other sweet potato recipes you would like to try

Quick chaat with sweet potato

About the recipe Shakarkandi Kheer With Jaggery

There are many different kinds of kheer we can prepare like rice kheer, carrot kheer, rabdi kheer, samak rice kheer, lauki kheer, quinoa kheer, oats kheer, rajghira kheer, etc. We can use either dairy milk or non dairy milk (vegan) for making kheer or pudding. Here, I am sharing with you a quick healthy low fat kheer recipe made with shakarkandi or sweet potato and toned milk.

Sweet potato payasam or Shakargandi ki kheer is a gluten-free, diabetic-friendly, healthy Indian style dessert recipe. It is a quick kheer recipe and easy to prepare needs only 15 minutes of your time. Shakargandi is allowed to eat during fasts or vrat time and is a perfect recipe for making prasad during festivals.

Even Kids who don’t like the boiled sweet potato taste enjoyed this kheer recipe very much.

To make this healthy and delicious kheer we need to cook grated sweet potatoes in the boiled milk till they become soft. Add a healthy sweetener of your choice either honey, maple syrup, jaggery, coconut sugar or dates syrup. I have added a very little quantity of jaggery to keep the sweetness on a low side. Even you can skip adding jaggery or any other sweetener at all as shakarkandi has its own sweetness. Or you can adjust sweetness according to your taste.

This kheer tastes best with a thick consistency, don’t add extra milk to make the consistency thin. You can serve it either warm or chilled but I prefer to eat it warm.

Sweet potato or shakargandi is allowed to eat during fasting time and is a healthy meal replacement at that time. You can make kheer, burfi, chaat, fries, tikkis with shakargandi or eat them just plain boiled.

Other vrat or fasting recipes you would like to try

Amaranth seeds chocolate energy bar

Amaranth seeds pudding

Seeds and dry fruit ladoo

Why this sweet potato payasam or kheer

• Quick
• Easy to prepare
• Refined sugar-free
• Gluten-free
• Diabetic-friendly
• Good for fasting time
• Kids friendly

Ingredients used for making Shakarkandi Kheer With Jaggery

Sweet potato– I have used Indian sweet potato with light pink skin and white from the inside. Grate them and then add to the boiled milk. Cook till they become soft but not mushy. You can also boil them first, mash them and add to the milk. But I found better taste and texture with grated sweet potato.

Toned milk– low in calories and gives a nice thickness to the kheer. For a more rich taste, you can replace it with full-fat milk. Soya milk, coconut milk, almond milk or other plant based milk can be used for a vegan version.

Jaggery– gives a great taste and colour to the pudding. Also, a healthier version of a sweetener instead of sugar.

Cardamom powder(optional)– To make it more flavourful add some cardamom or cinnamon powder.

Nuts (optional)– add chopped nuts of your choice. Skip it if you don’t want.

Health benefits of sweet potato

• It helps in boosting our immunity and is good for eyes health as it is rich in Vitamin A and C.
• Good for heart and kidneys function as it helps in lower the cholesterol levels.
• Has a low glycemic index so that even diabetic people can consume them.
• Conatins antioxidants which lowers the risk of cancer.
• It contains good amount of soluble fibre that keeps you full for a longer time and helps in weight loss

Detailed information about nutrition and health benefits of sweet potato click here

FAQs

Why my sweet potato become discolored after grating?

The iron content present in the sweet potato reacts with atmospheric oxygen and change the colour. To avoid this reaction add the grated sweet potato immediately in the cold water till needed. Strain the water before adding to the kheer.

Is sweet potato or shakarkandi helps in weight loss?

Sweet potato is a highly nutritious fibre rich tuber which keeps you full for a longer time and thus boosts the weight loss process.

Can we use boiled sweet potato or shakargandi for making kheer?

Yes, we can. Boil it till it tenderbut not very soft. Then grate it or coasrly mashed it and add to the slightly thickened milk. cook it for 1-2 minutes, add jaggery or any other sweetener and enjoy.

For how long we can store this delicious Shakarkandi Kheer With Jaggery?

Leftover kheer can be stored in an air tight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. When needed take out the kheer, enjoy it either warm or chilled.

Step by step instructions of making Shakarkandi ki kheer with jaggery

1.Add crushed jaggery in a bowl with around 2-3 tablespoons of water. Microwave it for a minute or cook on a gas top for 1-2 minutes. Mix well and put it aside till the jaggery dissolved completely. 

2.Now, in a saucepan, add milk and wait till it starts boiling.

3. Meanwhile, wash and peel off the skin of the raw sweet potato. Then grate it with the help of a grater. Put it aside.

4. Once the milk starts boiling, add grated sweet potato to it. Mix well. Then cover the pan and simmer it. Cook it for 10-12 minutes till the sweet potato become soft, not mushy. Stir in between for proper cooking.

5. Now, put a strainer on the pan and strain the dissolved jaggery mixture. Add the cardamom powder. Mix nicely and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

6. Switch off the flame. Transfer to serving bowls, garnish with chopped nuts and pistachios. Serve warm or chilled. Enjoy!

Serving suggestions

Serve this lip-smacking dessert after a nice warm main course meal or as an evening snack. Sweet potato is allowed to eat during fasting time so, it is a good option to replace meals during vrat time. 

Tips and tricks

1. Don’t grate the sweet potato beforehand. It should be done just before we put the milk for boiling to avoid discoloration.
2. Strain the jaggery mixture to remove any dirt or impurities in it before adding to the kheer.
3. After adding jaggery sometimes milk becomes curdle slightly. But do not worry it would not affect the taste. It happens due to the quality of the jaggery.
4. I have used jaggery in this recipe. You can also replace it with date sugar, coconut sugar, raw sugar, honey or maple syrup etc according to your taste preferences.
5. Sweet potato has a natural sweetness So, we do not need to add a lot of sweetener to it. You can even skip or adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste buds.

Recipe card

My latest video

Try this easy and healthy shakarkandi ki kheer with jaggery recipe. If you like the recipe share it with your friends and family and don’t forget to give us a 5 star rating. How it works for you, take a picture and tag it #healthically on Instagram. Or, save it for later on Pinterest. I love to see them. Happy cooking!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube.