Fragrant, creamy and delicious, kheer is a dreamy Indian rice pudding anyone can make at home.
Unlike traditional rice puddings of the West (made with just rice, sugar and milk), kheer is adorned with the scent of cardamom, the sweetness of raisins, the crunch of almonds and the natural aroma of basmati rice.
Some versions of this comforting dessert are prepared with cinnamon, saffron, coconut, mango and even pistachios and cashews. Basically, the more festive the occasion, the more ornate the rice pudding.
So if you are planning a Diwali feast or simply have a mad sweet tooth keep reading for great tips on how to make kheer like a boss.
How To Make Kheer
All versions of kheer call for basmati rice, which is a highly aromatic long grain rice. The rice should be rinsed well before cooking. Most recipes recommend soaking the rice for at least half an hour.
Because basmati rice is very long compared to say arborio, which is short and starchy, some cooks like to put the rice in a food processor and pulse to make the grains shorter (and shorten cooking time). But if you cook the basmati long enough the grains will break on their own as you stir the kheer.
For the optimum creamy kheer you'll use about 1/4 cup of basmati rice to four cups of your chosen milk (a combination of cow's milk and coconut milk also works well). The longer you cook the pudding the creamier it will get. So don't be concerned that you've added too much milk.
YouTuber Sruthiskitchen illustrates the kheer making process and recommends adding ghee so the rice won't stick to the bottom of the pot (brilliant!). Take a look:
How To Make Mango Kheer
This festive version of kheer is made with mango, saffron and pistachios. The secret ingredient in the recipe? Rose water.
Learn how to make it. Once you master the technique of how to make kheer you'll be able to put your own spin on it.
Also, don't miss our tempting list of 10 Indian sweets for Diwali.
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