Kheer

Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)

A creamy, fragrant rice pudding slow-simmered in milk with sugar, cardamom and saffron, then finished with pistachios, almonds and raisins. Served chilled or warm, it is a staple of Indian festivals, pujas and celebrations.

Prep

10 min

Cook

50 min

Total

60 min

Serves

4 to 6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •65 g (1/3 cup) basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• •1 L (about 4¼ cups) whole milk, full-fat for the traditional richness
• •150 g (3/4 cup) sugar, adjust to taste
• •1 tsp green cardamom powder, freshly ground from about 6 to 8 pods
• •saffron strands, a generous pinch, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk for 10 minutes
• •20 g (1/4 cup) pistachios, shelled, roughly chopped
• •15 g (2 tbsp) almonds, shelled, slivered or chopped
• •20 g (2 tbsp) golden raisins
• •1 tsp ghee, optional, for toasting the nuts

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the rice in cool water 4 to 5 times, until the water runs clear, then drain well.
2. 2 If using ghee, melt it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the pistachios and almonds and toast 1 to 2 minutes until just fragrant; remove and set aside.
3. 3 In the same pan, add the milk and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent it catching on the bottom.
4. 4 Add the drained rice, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is completely soft and the milk has thickened to a creamy, spoon-coating consistency.
5. 5 Stir in the sugar, cardamom powder and the saffron with its soaking milk. Cook another 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the kheer thickens further; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
6. 6 Stir in most of the toasted nuts and the raisins, reserving a little of each for garnish.
7. 7 Taste and adjust sweetness. For food safety, the milk must reach a full boil at the start and remain at a steady simmer throughout, so that it is safely cooked through.
8. 8 Serve warm, or chill for at least 2 hours and serve cold, garnished with the reserved pistachios, almonds and a few extra raisins.