Creamy Kheer Recipe (Indian Rice Pudding)

This sweet and creamy kheer recipe is flavoured with saffron and cardamom and is super easy to make. A delicious and simple Indian dessert!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 239kcal

Author Shivani Raja

Measure out the rice into a small bowl and wash until the water runs clear. Drain the rice using a sieve to remove any remaining water.
Add the ghee to a heavy bottomed pan over low-medium heat. Once melted, add the split cardamom pods and the washed, drained rice. Stir to combine and toast for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the milk to the pan. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently (this should take 5-7 minutes). Once boiling, reduce the heat down to low and simmer the kheer for 40-50 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until it has thickened.
[optional] If you prefer the rice grains to be shorter, take a metal whisk and gently whisk the kheer to break up the rice grains. You want to do this at a point when there is still some liquid in the kheer, but the rice has cooked and is able to break up.
Add the sugar (I recommend starting with 1/4 cup then adding more later if desired), saffron and pinch of salt. Stir and continue to cook the kheer for 5-10 more minutes until it has reached your desired consistency.
Taste the kheer and add more sugar if desired. Add more milk if you desire a thinner kheer, or cook for longer if you prefer your kheer to be thicker. Bear in mind that the kheer will thicken slightly as it cools.
Remove the cardamom pods from the kheer before serving and garnish with the chopped nuts (optional). Enjoy hot or cold!

Store prepared kheer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, add the kheer to a saucepan and heat gently on the stovetop over low-medium heat. If your kheer as thickened significantly in the fridge, you can add some extra milk to loosen it up.
See the blog post above for recipe variations.