Sooji halwa and kheer are two indian desserts that were often made growing up, each made with easy pantry staples. I love to do the same in my own kitchen now since they evoke nostalgia and always bring a touch of homemade sweetness to the table.
What is Kheer
Classic North Indian kheer is made with just four ingredients - rice, sugar, whole milk and green cardamom. You can flavor it with saffron or rose water as well if you like. In Indian cuisine, broadly, kheer is an umbrella term for desserts made with milk. You could prepare kheer with different kinds of flours, vegetables (cue lauki kheer) or ingredients such as tapioca pearls (sabudana kheer) and foxnuts (makhana kheer). It’s simple to make, comforting, creamy and rich and needs few basic ingredients. Rice kheer recipe has endless variations across India, with each home and cook adding their own unique touch. From the choice of flavorings and consistency to how it’s sweetened, kheer is wonderfully customizable and can be tailored to fit personal tastes and preferences. It is not at all a complicated dessert to make. The idea is to slowly cook the rice in milk, and as the rice cooks, the grains break down and the rice starches get released which combine with boiling milk. Unlike rice puddings in other cultures, indian kheer is egg-free and cream-free.
My Recipe
You could make kheer in pressure cooker or instant pot, however I slow cook it on stove top in a good’ol pot. Whenever kheer was made in our home, I used to be the sous chef, entrusted with the important task of stirring. It requires a fair bit of stirring, time, and patience, but the process is always such a rewarding experience. I take a deviation from traditional kheer recipe and love using condensed milk to sweeten it instead of sugar. It’s creamy milkiness adds a rich, luscious texture that takes the dessert to the next level. Call it my secret ingredient that makes each spoonful even more indulgent! Since my grandmother always included raisins, they’re a must for me. The burst of raisins in a creamy bite of kheer is simply irresistible. You may skip raisins if you wish.You could use nuts and dry fruits of your choice. Lastly, I grind fresh green cardamom powder for kheer and other desserts. It’s a game changer and only takes a couple of minutes. Freshly ground cardamom truly outshines store-bought powder, enhancing the flavor of desserts significantly. Plus, it maintains the pristine color of white or ivory desserts, which is a big advantage.
Ingredients
White Rice - I use gobindbhog rice (non-affilate link) which is an aromatic rice variety cultivated in West Bengal. You could use any fragrant short grain white rice like Kalijeera or Kataribhog. Jasmine rice works beautifully. The science behind using these rice varities is that we do not want long grains or rice to stay fluffy after cooking, rather we want it to break down, turn gooey and render its starches into the milk. To use white basmati rice, like my grandmother did, pulse the rice grains in a dry blender a few times to break the grain(be careful to not make a powder though) and then use. Whole Milk - Full fat milk milk is the best for creamy kheer. We are not going to add khoya or evaporated milk so if you use whole milk, it will reduce during slow cooking and as the rice cooks in it, starches combined with high fat content will help you achiever a thick consistency. But if you decide last minute to make kheer and only have skimmed milk in the fridge, 2% milk or skimmed milk will also work in this recipe since condensed milk contributes quite a bit to the consistency. Sweet Condensed Milk - As I said many times, I use sweetened condensed milk. You could also use condensed coconut milk (its super delicious combined with green cardamom). The rice pudding will have a pronounced cococut flavor in tha case.
How To Make Indian Rice Pudding
Place the rice in a bowl and wash it 2-4 times under running water or until the water runs clear. Add enough water to cover the rice and let it soak for 30 minutes. Open 2 green cardamom pods, remove the seeds, and grind them into a fine powder using a small mortar and pestle. Set aside.
In a wide, heavy pot (I use a 3-quart sauce pot), heat up 1 teaspoon of ghee over low flame. Add the cashews and raisins. Stirring continuously, toast until the raisins swell slightly and the cashews turn a light golden color. Remove with a spoon and transfer to a plate. Set aside. You can chop the cashews if you prefer once they cool down.
Without washing the pot, pour in the whole milk. Optionally, add 2 whole green cardamom pods. Set the pot on a low-medium heat to bring the milk to a slow boil. Once the milk starts to boil, add the drained, soaked rice. Stir immediately to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Let the rice cook in the milk for 25-30 minutes on low heat. Don’t cover the pot. Stir the milk regularly to avoid sticking to bottom of pot , while scraping the sides of the pot and mixing the residue back into the milk. As the rice cooks, it will soften, and the starches will thicken the kheer.
After 30-35 minutes the kheer should be thick, with the rice well cooked and well combined with milk. To check, take a single grain of rice and smush it between your thumb and index finger- it will be soft.
Add the condensed milk and mix well. The kheer will become runny again. Continue to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency. Remember that the kheer will thicken further as it cools.
Remove the pot from the heat and discard the whole cardamom pods. Mix in the freshly ground cardamom powder, cashews and raisins.
Serving
Remove the pot from the heat and discard the whole cardamom pods. Mix in the freshly ground cardamom powder, cashews and raisins. Serve rightaway in small bowls or chill for a few hours before serving. As the kheer cools down to room temperature, a skin will form on top of kheer. Mix it back in. Once cooled completely, chill the kheer in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving. Serve garnished with extra nuts, rose petal dust or saffron strands. You could also serve cold kheer with warm gulab jamun (delish!).
Tips for Best Rice Kheer
