Rice Pudding (Indian Rice Kheer)
Basmati rice simmered slowly in whole milk until the milk reduces by about half, then sweetened, scented with cardamom and saffron, and finished with almonds and pistachios. Eggless, one pot, and good warm or chilled.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup basmati rice about 50 g
- 4 cups whole milk divided
- 1 tablespoon ghee or unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar 3 to 5 tablespoons, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom or seeds from 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
- 10 to 12 threads saffron optional
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios unsalted
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins optional
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a few changes of cool water until the water runs mostly clear. Cover with fresh water, soak for 30 minutes, then drain well.
- Crush the saffron threads between your fingers and soak them in 1 tablespoon of warm milk taken from the 4 cups.
- Melt the ghee in a heavy-bottomed 3 to 4 quart pot over medium heat. Add the drained rice and stir for about 1 minute, until the grains look glossy.
- Pour in the rest of the milk and bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring often so nothing catches on the bottom.
- Turn the heat to low so the milk barely bubbles. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot every 3 to 4 minutes, until the rice is very soft and the milk has reduced by about half.
- Stir in the sugar and cook for 5 minutes more, until it dissolves and the kheer coats the back of a spoon. It will still look looser than you want; it thickens as it cools.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the cardamom, the saffron milk, most of the almonds and pistachios, and the raisins if using.
- Serve warm, or cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to serve chilled. Top with the remaining nuts just before serving.
Rekha's Notes
Thickness: kheer sets noticeably as it cools and even more in the fridge. If you plan to serve it cold, take it off the heat while it is still a little pourable. To loosen chilled kheer, stir in warm milk 2 tablespoons at a time.
Sugar timing: add the sugar only after the rice is fully soft.
Nutrition: values are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data, with raisins included.
Nutrition
Calories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 10gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 105mgFiber: 1gSugar: 28g