Kheer: The Recipe to Make the Indian Rice Pudding

Kheer is a typical Indian dessert that has a lot in common with the classic English Pudding. It is a sort of pudding made with basmati rice and milk, flavored with rose water and cardamom, then decorated with unsalted pistachios or chopped almonds.

There are many versions of this recipe as the ingredients can change based on the region of India in which it is prepared: some use almond milk, some use condensed milk, some enrich the preparation with saffron, raisins or cashews; furthermore you can decide whether to cook the rice whole or chopped.

In any case, the preparation is very simple and quick: just bring the milk, flavored with the cardamom berries, to a boil in a saucepan, pour in the rice and cook until the bottom has thickened well; add the sugar and pistachios, chopped with a knife, mix thoroughly and then leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or better yet overnight.

The result is a creamy and enveloping rice pudding, ideal to serve as a dessert, perhaps at the end of an Indian dinner or a delicious afternoon snack. Find out how to prepare Kheer by following the step-by-step procedure and tips.

How to Prepare Kheer

Heat the milk over a low heat in a thick-bottomed pan.

Add the cardamom pods.

Pour in the rice and bring to a boil.

Cook, stirring constantly, to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Turn off as soon as the milk has thickened.

Chop the pistachios with a knife.

Pour the Kheer into a bowl and remove the cardamom pods.

Add the sugar.

Pour in the rose water and some chopped pistachios.

Mix well.

Cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or, better yet, overnight.

Pour the Kheer into individual bowls, garnish with the remaining pistachios and serve.

How to Store Kheer

You can store the Kheer in the refrigerator for 2 days, covered with cling film or in a suitable airtight container.