Kheer (indian-style rice pudding)

8 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Uncooked white rice
2 cups Water for cooking rice
8 Cardamon pods; crushed seeds of
2 quarts Milk
1 cup Sugar or honey
1 tablespoon Butter
½ cup Raisins; yellow if possible (up to)
½ Saffron threads; crushed (optional)

Directions

This is in response to requests I've seen here from time to time. The following recipes are from _Flavors of India: Recipes from the Vegetarian Hindu Cuisine_, by Shanta N. Sacharoff, reprinted without permission.

Comments in parentheses are mine, and I've paraphrased some portions. I've tried these and several other recipes from this book & highly recommend it! My favorite rice is basmati, for its texture and fragrance, but you can also use jasmine rice or ordinary long-grain white rice. You may want to wash and drain the rice. If you use converted rice, increase the amount of water accordingly.

Kheer is a sweet, rich dish that is especially prepared for holidays and festive occasions.... Although the saffron is listed as an option, it really adds a distinctive color and taste to this creamy dish. Prepare well in advance, so it has sufficient time to cool (about 2 hours).

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the rice. Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer about 20 min. until the rice is nearly done. Add the milk, raise the heat to medium, and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. At the end of an hour, the rice and milk will have thickened and the volume will be reduced by about one third. Now add the honey or sugar, butter, raisins, crushed cardamon seeds and optional saffron. Stir continuously for 5 min.

to mix thoroughly. Taste and add more sugar if you feel that it sould be sweeter. Cook and stir for another 15 min. Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the kheer into a serving dish. Top with chopped pistachio nuts and cool in the refrigerator.

Serve with Indian bread as part of the main meal or eat as a dessert.

Serves 8.

JMNI@...

(JILL M. NICOLAUS)

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