KHEER / INDIAN RICE PUDDING…Special Occasion Food

“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart.”
Erma Bombeck
Traditional Indian Desserts…KHEER / RICE PUDDING

Here’s one of our great Indian desserts, quite similar to the English rice pudding, & much loved in our part of the world. The earlier recipe for rice pudding that I posted a while ago doesn’t use condensed milk; this one does, and tastes very rich & creamy too. It is a popular egg less dessert, & a great way to finish off a meal. I find the freshly grated nutmeg gives this a warm and comforting flavour. The raisins & almonds are quite optional, & one, or both, can be given the miss if need be.

Ingredients:

Rice – 1 cup (washed & dried)
Milk – 1 ½ ltrs (whole milk)
Condensed Milk – 1 can / 400ml
Saffron strand – 1 pinch
Green Cardamom – 5-6/ seeds crushed in pestle & mortar
Nutmeg – 1/4 tsp / freshly grated
Raisins – 1 handful
Almonds – 1 handful / without skin
Sugar if required

Method:

  • Grind the rice in a coffee grinder.
  • Bring the milk to a boil, and then simmer it for 30 minutes.
  • Add the condensed milk, stirring it constantly while pouring it in.
  • Soak the saffron strands & cardamom seeds in a tbsp of warm milk.
  • Mix the rice powder in ¼ cup of cold milk.
  • Stir the rice into the simmering milk, stir continuously to avoid lumps getting formed, & bring to a boil.
  • Now once again leave to simmer until rice is cooked, and the kheer/pudding has thickened, like a thick batter consistency. Stir occasionally.
  • Add the freshly grated nutmeg + raisins + almonds and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add sugar if required. I find that the condensed milk adds enough sweetness of its own.
  • Cool till lukewarm, and then set in a big serving bowl, or individual bowls.
  • Chill well, for at least 4-5 hours, or overnight, before serving.
  • Note: Amount of rice required may differ due to starch content in different varieties. If it becomes too thick, thin it down with extra milk. If it is still too thin ( will thicken a bit & set as it cools down), add a tsp on cornflour in a tbsp of cold milk, and give it a boil. Should do the trick!
    Serves 8-10

This dessert can be made a day in advance, and the work can be further reduced if you grind the rice a couple of days before.I’m late & not feeling good at all. Anna at Morsels & Musings had a blog event for “special occasion food”. I did so want to send this one in because its a nice pudding, which has easily available ingredients, & is a hit with family and friends. Sadly, I missed the bus ‘ coz I muddled up the dates. :0(….will send it in anyway, just so Anna knows I tried!

‘Special Occasion Indian Food’…the Kheer or Rice Pudding!

Phirini / Saffron Indian Rice Pudding … think spice, think SAFFRON!

“Life is unsure; always eat your dessert first.”
Anonymous

PHIRINI/RICE PUDDING

Looks like it’s time again for ‘beyond baking’, and this time I’m hitting the saffron trail! This recipe has finally been typed and blogged thanks to Sunita’s World, who runs a really interesting spice event every month. I think it’s a pretty neat idea, and also a great learning experience. I missed the last few spices due to the ‘tension’ of trying to blog. I feel a little more confident now, and a bit more organised of course! Got a loooooooooooooong way to go, but am getting there.

Strands of Saffron…with the flowers of the Indian ‘Haar-Singaar’ tree

This months’ spice is ‘SAFFRON‘…the world’s most expensive spice by weight. I’ve just used a few strands, and they seem to work the magic. The recipe is for a creamy, delicious pudding/phirini made out of ground rice. A great vegetarian dessert option which can be set it in individual bowls too!! This is a recipe I have made over and over again, and is a firm favourite after dinner. A bowl of this was always reserved for a dear friend who LOVED it…but sans raisins. She is now in Babushka land for a while, and gets her bowl over the net!! The flavour of saffron is gentle and complements this dish beautifully. I make this with condensed milk too…another of my own recipes, which I will post another day.

Ingredients:

Rice – 3/4 cup (I use Basmati)
Milk – 1 1/2 litres (full cream/whole fat)
Cardamom – 5-6 (seeds ground in pestle & mortar)
Saffron strands – 1 pinch (soaked for 10 mins in 1 tbsp warm milk)
Raisins – ¼ cup (optional)
Almonds – ¼ cup
Sugar – ¾ cup (Start with ½ cup and increase if required)
Cream – ½ cup (optional for a GREATER tasting phirini /pudding)

Method:

  • Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and peel them. Reserve for later.
  • Wash the rice well, drain, and run in a blender with about 1 cup of cold milk.
  • Mix this into the rest of the cold milk, and put to boil. Stir constantly, to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the vessel.
  • Once it comes to a boil, add the cream if using, reduce to low heat, and cook for about 30-45 mins till the rice is cooked, and the pudding starts to thicken. Stir now and then…
  • Meanwhile, crush the cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar to release their fragrance. Once done, add a few strands of saffron, and about 1 tbsp of warm milk (I took it out of the pan while cooking); grind gently, and then leave to soak. This enhances the flavour of the saffron.
  • Once the rice is cooked, take off the heat. When this isn’t very hot, run the hand-blender through it. This will grind the rice completely, and thicken the pudding too.
  • Put back on low heat. Add the saffron mixture, raisins and almonds, reserving some raisins and almonds for garnishing. Also add the sugar and adjust taste as required. At this point if you think the pudding is too thick, you can add some more milk.
  • Take off heat, and allow to cool for 15-20mins. Turn either into 1 big serving bowl, or individual bowls. Garnish with almonds, raisins, saffron strands, beaten silver parchment (chaandi ka vark) etc.
  • Chill well for 4-6 hours (or overnight) before serving.. (Keep covered with wrap/foil in fridge).

Note: Varieties of rice differ…one kind may have more starch than the other. If you want the pudding thicker (or if it doesn’t thicken enough), add a tsp of cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp of cold milk once the rice is cooked. Give it a rolling boil. Do remember though that the phirini/pudding will continue to thicken as it cools once done.

And yes, you guessed it! Am on the THINK PINK trail still…

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