If you are searching for a good chia seed pudding recipe, let me tell you something simple. You do not need a cooking gas. You do not need a pressure cooker. You just need a glass, some milk or dahi, and a few hours in the fridge.
I started making chia seed pudding recipe at home because I wanted to eat something sweet but healthy. And honestly it changed my mornings. No more skipping breakfast. No more eating biscuits. Just open fridge, take out the pudding, and eat. In this article I will show you three ways to make it. Basic with yogurt and chocolate. Plus calorie numbers.
What Is Chia Seed Pudding?
Chia seeds are small black and white seeds. They come from a plant called Salvia hispanica. This plant is from Central America. But today you can buy chia seeds in any big Indian city. You can also order them online on Amazon or Flipkart.
When you put chia seeds in liquid, they swell up. They become like a gel. This gel like texture makes the pudding thick and creamy. You do not need to cook anything. You do not need to boil anything. You just mix and wait.
Chia seed pudding is very popular among people who do not eat heavy food at night. It is also popular among people who are trying to lose weight. And it is very popular among people who do not have time to make breakfast in the morning. You make it at night. You keep it in the fridge. In the morning you take it out and eat.
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Basic Chia Seed Pudding That Anyone Can Make
You need only few things for this. Do not buy expensive brands. Normal chia seeds from Amazon or local store is fine. I buy from a brand called True Elements but you can buy any.
Here is what you need.
Chia seeds. Take 2 big spoons. Not small spoon. The big spoon that you eat dal with. That size.
Milk. Half cup. Any milk is fine. Cow milk. Buffalo milk. Amul milk. If you are vegan then take almond milk or soy milk. Even coconut milk works very well but coconut milk is heavy so keep that in mind.
Sweetener. 1 small spoon. Honey is good. Jaggery powder is also good. If you don't have both then normal sugar also works. I have used sugar many times. It tastes same.
Vanilla. A few drops. This is optional. If you don't have vanilla then don't buy for this. It tastes fine without vanilla.
Salt. Just a very very small pinch. Like chutney jitna. This is not for taste. Salt brings out the sweetness better. Trust me on this.
How to make Chia Seed Pudding?
- Take a glass. A glass jar is best because you can see inside. But steel ka glass also works. Plastic bhi chalega. Bas dhakna hai.
- Put the 2 big spoons chia seeds in the glass.
- Add half cup milk.
- Add honey or jaggery.
- Add vanilla drops if you have.
- Add that small pinch salt.
Now stir. Stir very very well. I am telling you yaar this is the most important step. If you don't stir properly then all seeds will stick together in one big lump. And then inside that lump the seeds will remain dry and hard. So stir like your life depends on it. For at least 30 seconds.
Now wait for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes you will see the seeds have already started becoming soft and the milk is becoming thick. Stir again. Do not skip this second stir. This second stir breaks any small lumps that started forming.
Now cover the glass with a lid or a small plate. Put it inside the fridge.
Now wait. Do not eat immediately. The seeds need time to drink the milk. Minimum 4 hours. But I always keep overnight. I make it at 10 pm and eat at 8 am. That is perfect.
In the morning take it out. Stir once. You will see the pudding is thick like dahi. On top you can put fruits. Banana pieces is very common. Mango is also good but mango season hai tabhi. Apple is always available. Berries if you have money. I usually put banana because banana is cheap and gives natural sweetness. Your basic chia seed pudding is ready.
Now some days I don't put any fruits. I just eat as it is. It tastes like a light sweet milk pudding. Very good for summer mornings.
Chia Seed Pudding With Yogurt Indian Style
Now this one is my favourite. Because we Indians have dahi in our fridge 24x7. My mother makes fresh dahi every night. So I always have yogurt.
But here is one thing. Do not use very sour dahi. If your dahi has been in fridge for 3 days and it has become very sour, do not use it for this pudding. The pudding will taste khatta and sweet together and it feels weird. Use fresh dahi. Same day or one day old is best.
Here is what you need for chia seed pudding with yogurt.
Chia seeds. Same 2 big spoons.
Thick yogurt. Half cup. Not runny yogurt. The thick one which you eat with paratha.
Milk. Just 2 big spoons. This is to make the yogurt thinner so it mixes properly.
Sweetener. 1 big spoon honey or jaggery. Yogurt is sour so you need more sweetener than the basic recipe.
Cardamom powder. A small pinch. This is my Indian touch. Cardamom and dahi goes very well together. Try it once.
Now method.
Take a bowl. Not a glass because yogurt sticks to glass. Take a normal steel katori.
Put chia seeds in the katori.
Now in another small bowl take the yogurt. Add the 2 spoons milk. Whisk it with a spoon until the yogurt becomes smooth and all lumps are gone. This takes only 20 seconds.
Now add this smooth yogurt to the chia seeds. Add honey. Add cardamom powder.
Mix everything. Mix very well. Again the same rule. Mix properly so that no dry seed remains.
Wait 5 minutes. Mix again.
Cover and put in fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
When you take it out the next morning, the pudding will be very very thick. Thicker than the basic one. It will look like shrikhand but not as sweet. The taste is creamy and little sour and little sweet and cardamom smell is there.
You can put crushed almonds or pistachios on top. That looks very fancy. But even without nuts it tastes good.
I eat this chia seed pudding with yogurt when I am going to gym. It gives me energy but does not make me feel heavy.
One warning. Do not leave this yogurt version outside the fridge for more than 1 hour. Because yogurt goes bad faster than milk. So make it. Fridge mein rakho. Nikalo. Khao. Done.
Chocolate Chia Pudding For Sweet Cravings
Sometimes you want to eat something sweet. Like you want to eat chocolate but you also don't want to ruin your diet. That time make chocolate chia pudding.
This one is very popular with children. My nephew does not eat any healthy thing. He only eats biscuit and chips. But when I make chocolate chia pudding he eats everything and asks for more. And I feel happy because he is eating chia seeds without knowing.
Here is what you need.
Chia seeds. 2 big spoons.
Milk. Half cup.
Cocoa powder. 1 big spoon. Make sure it is unsweetened cocoa powder. Not drinking chocolate powder. Drinking chocolate has sugar already. You need plain bitter cocoa powder. Cadbury has one. Urban Platter also good.
Sweetener. 1 big spoon honey or jaggery powder. Because cocoa is bitter so you need enough sweetener.
Vanilla. A few drops. Vanilla and chocolate is a good combination.
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Now method. Listen carefully because cocoa powder makes lumps.
- First take a glass. Put cocoa powder in the glass. Add 2 big spoons of warm milk. Not hot. Just warm. Mix with a spoon until the cocoa becomes a smooth paste. No lumps in the paste. This is important.
- After the paste is smooth, add the remaining milk. Add chia seeds. Add honey. Add vanilla.
- Stir very well. Then wait 5 minutes. Stir again.
- Cover and put in fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
- Morning mein nikalna. The pudding will be dark brown. It will look like a dessert. The taste is like a light chocolate mousse. Not too heavy. Not too sweet.
On top you can put grated chocolate. Or coconut powder. Or chopped walnuts. My personal favourite is putting a small spoon of peanut butter on top. Peanut butter and chocolate together is heaven yaar.
This chocolate chia pudding is also good for kids lunch box. Put in a small container. Give a spoon. They will eat in school.
Chia Seed Pudding Recipe Calories Exact Numbers
Now let me talk about calories because many people ask this. I will give you simple numbers. No complicated math.
First understand that chia seeds have calories. But these are good calories. They come with fiber and protein. So your stomach feels full and you eat less overall.
Here is the calorie count for one serving. One serving means the whole pudding you make with 2 big spoons chia seeds.
Basic chia seed pudding with cow milk and 1 spoon honey.
- Chia seeds 2 spoons. 140 calories.
- Half cup cow milk. 60 calories.
- One spoon honey. 60 calories.
- Total 260 calories.
Now chia seed pudding with yogurt.
- Chia seeds 2 spoons. 140 calories.
- Half cup thick yogurt. 70 calories.
- Two spoons milk. 10 calories.
- One big spoon honey. 70 calories.
- Total 290 calories.
Now chocolate chia pudding.
- Chia seeds 2 spoons. 140 calories.
- Half cup milk. 60 calories.
- One spoon cocoa powder. 20 calories.
- One big spoon honey. 70 calories.
- Total 290 calories.
So between 260 to 290 calories per serving.
Now what does this mean for you.
If you are a woman. Your daily calories should be around 1800 to 2000. One chia seed pudding is only 260. That is very less. You can eat this for breakfast or evening snack.
If you are a man. Your daily calories around 2200 to 2500. Same thing. One pudding is fine.
If you are trying to lose weight. Then eat this instead of your normal dessert. Instead of eating one gulab jamun which is 150 calories and gives nothing but sugar, eat this pudding which is 260 calories but gives fiber protein omega 3.
If you are trying to gain weight. Then make this pudding with full fat milk and add nuts and honey. That will be 400 calories.
So you see. You can adjust according to your need.
When To Eat And How To Store?
Many people ask me ki isse subah khau ya raat ko. So let me tell you.
- Best time is morning breakfast. Make at night. Eat in morning. You save time.
- Second best time is before gym. Eat one hour before gym. Gives energy.
- Third best time is as a dessert after lunch. Instead of ice cream.
- Fourth best time is night snack. If you feel hungry at 10 pm and want something sweet.
- Do not eat more than one serving per day. Two servings is 500 to 600 calories. That is like a full meal. So keep it to one.
- How to store. Keep in fridge in closed jar. It stays good for 3 days. Do not keep open. Do not freeze. Freezing makes it watery.
If you are taking to office. Put in small container. Keep in your bag. Eat within 4 hours.
Problems And Solutions
I have made many mistakes while making chia seed pudding. Let me tell you so you don't make same mistakes.
Problem. Pudding is watery.
Solution. You added too much milk. Next time add less milk. Or add one more spoon chia seeds and wait 2 more hours.
Problem. Hard lumps inside.
Solution. You did not stir properly. Always stir two times. First time when you add milk. Second time after 5 minutes.
Problem. Not sweet enough.
Solution. Add more honey next time. But remember more sweetener means more calories.
Problem. Bitter taste.
Solution. Your chia seeds are old. Or cocoa powder bad quality. Check expiry date.
Problem. Yogurt pudding became watery.
Solution. You used thin sour dahi. Use thick fresh dahi. Also add less milk.
Problem. Seeds sticking to teeth.
Solution. You did not wait enough time. Seeds need minimum 4 hours. If you eat after 2 hours, seeds are still hard from inside.
Some Extra Tips From My Experience
I have been making chia seed pudding for almost 2 years now. So I learned some things.
- Tip one. Always use glass jar if you have. You can see if seeds are mixed properly.
- Tip two. Do not skip the second stir after 5 minutes. This one thing makes biggest difference.
- Tip three. Use slightly warm milk for chocolate pudding. Cocoa mixes better.
- Tip four. Taste before putting in fridge. Adjust sweetener at that time. After it becomes cold, sweetness feels less. So make it little more sweet than you want.
- Tip five. For yogurt version take yogurt out of fridge 15 minutes before using. Room temperature yogurt mixes better.
- Tip six. Do not put fruits inside while pudding is setting. Fruits release water and make pudding thin. Put fruits only at time of eating.
- Tip seven. If making multiple servings, make each jar separately. Do not mix everything in one big bowl because stirring becomes difficult.
Conclusion
Chia seed pudding is a simple and healthy dish. You do not need to cook. You do not need many ingredients. You just need chia seeds, milk or yogurt, and a sweetener. You mix and you wait. The next morning you have a tasty pudding that is good for your stomach, heart, and weight.
In this article I gave you three recipes. The basic one. The one with yogurt for Indian taste. And the chocolate one for children and sweet lovers. I also gave you the exact calorie count for each recipe. Now you know exactly what you are eating.
You also learned how to store the pudding, when to eat it, what problems can happen, and how to fix them. You read the answers to common questions that many people ask.
Now it is your turn. Go to the kitchen. Take a glass. Put 2 spoons of chia seeds. Add milk or yogurt. Add honey or jaggery stir well Keep in the fridge sleep wake up eat.
FAQs
Can I use water instead of milk.
Yes but taste will be very plain. Not recommended. Use milk or yogurt or coconut milk.
Can I make without fridge.
If no fridge then you cannot make thick pudding. But you can make quick version. Mix and keep outside for 2 hours. It will become soft but not thick. Eat within 2 hours. After that it will go bad.
Is this good for weight loss.
Yes because fiber fills stomach. But do not put too much honey. Keep sweetener less.
Can I give to small child.
Yes above 2 years. Give half portion only. Check if child not allergic to seeds.
How much chia seeds per day safe.
2 big spoons per day is safe. That is about 20 grams. Do not eat more. Too much causes gas and stomach pain.
Can I use jaggery instead of honey.
Yes jaggery powder works same. Use same amount.
