Indian Rice Pudding

Creamy and rich Indian Rice Pudding is the ultimate dessert you will often find in the Indian restaurants & homes. No celebration or special meal is complete in an Indian home without this traditional dessert. This better than restaurant, Indian Rice Pudding is simply the best – creamy, thick, fragrant and super delicious. Make it under 45 minutes on the stovetop or in the instant pot with my easy recipe.

A traditional Indian Rice Pudding is creamy and is delicately scented with cardamoms. Sometimes ghee and saffron are also used to impart a rich and classic flavor. Sweet raisins and different kinds of nuts like cashews, almonds and pistachios are used to garnish & provide a crunch.

About Indian Rice Pudding

You are sure to come across many kinds of Rice Pudding from different states and cultures. Kheer, Paal Payasam, Paramannam, Phirni, Payesh, Payasa are some of the different kinds of Indian Rice Puddings. All these have 2 ingredients in common – milk and rice, but vary in the ratios.

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The method of preparations, kind of rice and sweetener used is different which makes a difference to the end product. In this post I share a recipe to make the fastest and one of the most delicious Indian Rice Pudding. It is roughly adapted from many different traditional Indian rice pudding recipes. It tastes delicious and is easy to whip up with pantry staples.

Ingredients & Substitutes

• Rice – You may use any kind of white rice – short, long, newly harvested etc. But starchy rice works best. I have used organic sona masuri raw rice here. If using brown rice, hand pound rice or any other with more bran, please read my expert tips below.
• Milk – Use full fat / whole milk. Low fat will work but the pudding won’t be rich. To make it plant based, you may use any plant based milk. But your pudding will take on the flavor of the plant milk.
• Spices – Cardamoms and saffron are used to impart their unique flavors. If you don’t have saffron you may leave out. Rose water or kewra water can also be used optionally, for a floral aroma.
• Organic sugar – Sugar is widely used to sweeten Indian rice pudding but restaurants use sweetened condensed milk for richness and flavor. To use jaggery, coconut jaggery, palm jaggery, read my expert tips section below.
• Ghee – A tablespoon of ghee makes a huge difference to the flavor of this rice pudding. We use it to fry the cashews and raisins. But if you can’t have ghee, simply toast the nuts until crunchy and use them to garnish.
• Rice Flour – I like to use a small amount of rice flour in this and it is optional. It helps to thicken the rice pudding faster & makes it creamy. You can substitute with custard powder.
• Nuts & raisins – I love using plenty of cashews, unsalted pistachios and raisins. They add a nice crunch and your rice pudding looks visually appealing.

Photo Guide

How to make Indian Rice Pudding (Stepwise Photos)

1. Pour 5 cups milk to a heavy bottom pot. Bring to a gentle boil on a medium heat. Meanwhile rinse half cup rice, drain the water and add it to the hot milk.

2. Cook on a medium heat, stirring often at the bottom and sides. until the rice is soft, and slightly mushy. It takes me 20 mins to reach this stage.

3. This step is optional but helps thicken the pudding faster. Add 1 tablespoon rice flour (not glutinous flour) to a small bowl and mix with half cup milk/ water.

4. Mix well to make a lump-free slurry.

5. When the rice is slightly mushy, mash it slightly with the back of the ladle/ spatula to thicken.

6. Pour the rice slurry slowly to the rice pudding, stirring well with your other hand to incorporate it. The temperature falls here, bring it back to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes or until it turns thick and creamy.

7. Add ¼ to ⅓ cup sugar (or 3 to 4 tbsps condensed milk) & cook until the pudding is thick, yet of flowing consistency. It will become thicker after cooling. Taste test and add more sugar if you want.

8. Stir in ½ teaspoon ground cardamom. If you want you may also add 1 pinch of saffron (crushed) or/ and 1 tsp rose water.

9. Turn off the heat. Add ¼ cup chopped unsalted pistachios. (If you have only salted, blanch them in hot water for 1 to 2 mins. Drain, pat dry in a cloth and chop.)

12. This is the consistency we prefer. It will become slightly thicker after cooling down.

Optional – Fry Nuts and Raisins

13. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a small pan. Add ¼ cup split cashews and fry them until golden. Remove to a small plate. If you don’t want ghee, simply toast them in the pan.

14. Stir in ¼ cup raisins and fry until they turn plump. To avoid ghee, add the sweet raisins directly to the pudding. They will soften.

15. Pour the ghee and the raisins as well over the rice pudding. Mix well. If you want to serve the pudding later after reheating, keep the raisins separate and add them after reheating. Sometimes heating raisins with pudding may cause the pudding to split.

Garnish with nuts and raisins. Serve Indian rice pudding hot or chilled as a dessert. Stores well in the refrigerator for 2 days. Reheat with a splash of water on the stovetop or in the instant pot (3 to 4 mins pressure cook)

Instant Pot Pudding

• Press the saute mode and add 1 tablespoon ghee. When it melts, fry the cashews until light golden. Stir in the raisins and press cancel. Fry until they turn plump and remove to a plate.
• Pour half cup water and 5 cups milk. Stir in rice and sugar. Secure the Instant pot lid and position the vent to sealing. Press porridge mode and set the timer to 16 minutes.
• When the pressure drops completely, open and press the saute mode. Mash the rice slightly. Cook until thick and add cardamoms and saffron.
• Garnish with nuts and raisins.

Expert Tips

• Make your own rice flour – Spread 1 tablespoon rice over a moist cloth and wipe clean. Pat dry with a kitchen paper and add it to a small grinder. Make a fine powder. Use only 1 tablespoon rice flour.
• To use brown rice – soak them for 4 to 5 hours or overnight, drain and use. To use, hand pound rice, soak for 1 hour. You may need more liquid, use more water as required.
• To use jaggery, melt ¾ cup grated jaggery (or 1 cup powdered jaggery) in half cup water. Boil until the syrup turn slightly thick, but of flowing consistency. Turn off and cool completely. Strain this to the rice pudding and stir. It is important to cool the jaggery syrup completely else it will split the pudding.
• If your jaggery is clean without impurities, you may cool down the pudding slightly and then stir in the jaggery/coconut jaggery/ palm jaggery. Avoid cooking after adding this kind of sweetener.

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