Kheer (Sweet Rice)

Kheer is a popular dessert from the Indian sub-continent, made primarily with rice, milk and sugar. The word “Kheer” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Skheer” meaning milk. So milk being the main ingredient in a kheer recipe, many variations can be made by using vermicelli, sago (tapioca pearls), lentils or vegetables like pumpkin.

Rice kheer is a traditional North Indian rice pudding made with basmati rice, sugar, full fat milk and cardamoms. Sometimes it is also flavoured and spiced with clove, saffron, kewra or rose water. Rice kheer is made across India and a popular variation of this is the South Indian Rice payasam. The South Indian version uses ghee and jaggery.

• 4 cups milk (for instant pot 2½ cups milk) (refer notes)
• ¼ cup water (avoids burning)
• ¼ cup rice (basmati or any rice)
• 6 to 8 tablespoons organic sugar (6 tbsps for moderate sweetness)
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder or elaichi (about 2 to 3 pods)
• 10 cashews or blanched almonds chopped
• 10 pistachios chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoon sweet raisins (optional)
• 1 tablespoon ghee optional for frying nuts
• 1 pinch saffron or 1 tsp edible rose water

1. Wash rice a few times & drain completely. Chop the nuts & set aside.
   How to Make Kheer
2. Pour ¼ cup water to a large heavy bottom pot. This prevents kheer from getting scorched at the bottom.
3. Then pour milk & bring to a boil. 
4. Keep stirring the milk often to prevent the fats getting stuck to the bottom.
5. Add drained rice and begin to cook on a medium flame until the rice is soft, completely cooked and lightly mushy. 
6. Keep stirring often to prevent the milk getting scorched at the bottom.
7. Stir in the sugar and continue to cook until the rice kheer turns thick. 
8. Keep stirring often in between to prevent burning.
9. Add cardamom powder, rose water and nuts. Stir and continue to cook for 5 minutes. 
10. Turn off when the rice kheer reaches a desired consistency, slightly runny.
11. Kheer thickens once it cools down. Garnish rice kheer with more nuts and serve.
12. Optional – Most people don’t like ghee in their kheer. You can also skip this. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small pan and fry the cashews until golden. 
13. Then add raisins and stir until they turn plump. Remove them and set aside.

• Nuts: Some people prefer to blanch the nuts & use. You can just skip frying the nuts & blanch them instead. Here is how to do it the blanching.Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Then add nuts and soak for about 10 mins. Peel off the skin and pat dry. Chop them as desired. Alternately, you can just use some dry roasted cashews.

Original recipe link here.