Name: Griz na Mleku
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 4 bowls
Cuisine: Serbian
Ingredients: 1000 ml pasteurized whole milk; 100 g wheat semolina; 60 g granulated sugar

Yield 4 bowls

Preparation time 5 minutes

Cooking time 12 minutes

Passive time 0 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Griz na Mleku: Creamy Semolina Pudding Cooked in Milk

Griz na mleku is one of the simplest warm milk puddings in Serbian home cooking: wheat semolina is cooked directly in milk until the grains swell and the mixture becomes creamy. Its short ingredient list leaves little room to hide technique. The milk has to be heated gently, the semolina needs to enter in a controlled stream, and the pan must be whisked often enough that neither lumps nor a scorched film develop on the bottom.

This recipe uses pasteurized whole milk for both flavour and body. Whole milk gives the pudding enough fat to taste rounded even without butter, cream or an egg enrichment. Sugar is held until the semolina has begun thickening so the cook can focus first on dispersion. With only three ingredients, additions such as cocoa, cinnamon, jam or fruit are serving variations rather than part of the base recipe and are not included in the nutrition estimate.

The most reliable way to avoid lumps is preparation before heat. Measure semolina and sugar first, keep a whisk beside the saucepan and warm the milk only until it is steaming with small bubbles at the edge. Violent boiling makes milk more likely to foam over and catch on the base. Once the semolina is added in a thin stream, steady whisking distributes the grains before they have time to swell into clumps.

Semolina continues to absorb liquid as it stands, so the pan should come off the heat while the pudding is still creamy. The readiness cue is a slow ribbon from the whisk rather than a spoon standing upright. If cooked until very stiff in the saucepan, the pudding can become heavy after a few minutes in the bowl. The final minute with sugar is enough to dissolve the crystals and confirm the intended consistency.

Griz is often eaten warm, but leftovers are perishable because the recipe is milk-based. Portion promptly, avoid leaving bowls at room temperature for extended periods, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4 °C or below. Reheated portions should reach 73.9 °C; gentle reheating with regular stirring is preferable because concentrated hot spots can form quickly in a thick cereal pudding.

Practical

ServingServe warm for the softest texture, dividing the pudding into four equal bowls. Because the base recipe contains no topping, any cocoa, cinnamon, fruit or jam added at the table changes both flavour and nutrition. A chilled portion will be firmer because semolina continues absorbing liquid as it cools.
Make-aheadThis pudding is at its smoothest shortly after cooking, so make-ahead is mainly useful for cold servings. Portion it before chilling so a large hot mass does not sit on the counter. If a skin on the surface is undesirable, cover individual portions once they have stopped producing heavy steam and are ready for refrigeration.
Storage and reheatingRefrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep them at 4 °C or below. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave, stirring several times so the centre and edges heat evenly, until the portion reaches 73.9 °C. The pudding will be thicker after chilling; stir thoroughly rather than adding an unmeasured quantity of liquid to the base recipe.

Ingredients

For the pudding

1000 ml pasteurized whole milk
100 g wheat semolina
60 g granulated sugar

Directions

Measure the ingredientsMeasure the pasteurized milk, wheat semolina and sugar before starting. Place the semolina and sugar in separate containers and keep a whisk ready beside a heavy saucepan. The semolina and sugar are measured before the milk is heated so nothing needs to be left unattended.
Heat the milk gentlyPour the milk into the saucepan and heat over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring often and scraping the base. Stop short of a hard boil. The milk is steaming with small bubbles at the edge but is not boiling violently.
Whisk in the semolinaLower the heat and sprinkle the semolina into the hot milk in a steady thin stream while whisking continuously. Cook for about 3 minutes, whisking around the sides and across the base so the grains hydrate evenly without forming lumps. The pudding is smooth, visibly thickened and falls from the whisk in a slow ribbon.
Sweeten and finishAdd the sugar and continue cooking over low heat for about 1 minute, whisking until the crystals dissolve. Remove the pan from the heat while the pudding is still creamy and immediately divide it among four bowls. The sugar is fully dissolved and the pudding remains creamy rather than stiff.

Practical

Substitutions

Lower-fat milk produces a lighter-tasting pudding with less richness. Plant-based drinks vary widely in protein, starch and sweetness, so they can change thickening and allergen status and are not equivalent to the whole-milk version. A coarse semolina also hydrates differently from fine wheat semolina and may need a different cooking time.

Control points

lumps formGuidance: Semolina was dumped in at once or whisking paused; add it in a thin stream while whisking.Adjustment: Small fresh lumps can sometimes be dispersed with vigorous whisking before the pudding fully thickens.
milk scorchesGuidance: Heat was too high or the pan base was thin;Adjustment: use medium then low heat, a heavy saucepan and continuous stirring once semolina is added.

Nutrition

Serving size1 of 4 bowls
Calories300 kcal
Carbohydrates48 g
Protein11 g
Fat8 g
Fibre1 g
Sodium110 mg

Nutrition values are approximate and can vary with ingredient brands, trimming, absorption and exact portioning.

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk and wheat/gluten. Semolina is a wheat product and is not suitable for someone who must avoid wheat or gluten.

Use pasteurized milk and clean utensils.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4 °C or below; do not hold the milk pudding warm for extended periods at room temperature.

If reheating leftovers, heat the centre to 73.9 °C and stir for even heating.

FAQ

Why does griz become lumpy?

Lumps form when semolina hits hot milk in a concentrated pile and begins swelling before it can disperse. Add it in a thin stream while whisking continuously.

Why does the bottom scorch?

Milk proteins and semolina can catch on strong heat. Use a heavy saucepan, keep the heat moderate to low and scrape the base regularly with the whisk.

Should the pudding be very thick in the saucepan?

No. It should fall from the whisk in a slow ribbon and still look creamy. It firms further as the semolina continues absorbing liquid after cooking.

Result: The finished griz is smooth and spoonable, with fully hydrated semolina and a clean milk flavour rather than a stiff cereal paste.

Key: The decisive technique is controlled heat plus continuous whisking while the semolina enters the milk; remove the pan while the pudding is still creamy.