Rice kheer recipe | How to make kheer

Rice kheer recipe – Kheer is a one pot traditional Indian sweet dessert made for festivals & celebrations. Chawal ki kheer or rice kheer is a traditional rice pudding made for most occasions in Indian homes. Kheer and payasam are the terms used interchangeably and both are derived from the sanskrit terms “ksheer” & “payasa” both meaning milk. Rice kheer is made with full fat milk, rice, sugar and cardamom powder.

Though there are many kinds of kheer, the one made with rice is most common one. This is similar to the rice payasam made with jaggery in the south.

We make kheer at home during festive occasions. Most times with jaggery and sometimes with sugar.

To make rice kheer, many people prefer basmati rice since it makes the dish very flavorful. The rich, creamy and delicious taste comes from simmering the milk on a low heat for some time. If you are new to Indian cuisine, these FAQ may help you.

What is kheer?

Kheer is a traditional Indian dessert made using milk, rice and a sweetener. Instead of rice it can also be made with other ingredients like vermicelli, sago and even with carrots. But rice kheer is the traditional one.

How to make kheer?

Kheer is made by simmering rice in full fat milk until it is cooked. Then it is sweetened and flavored with cardamom powder. It is garnished with nuts and raisins.

Which rice is used to make kheer?

Most commonly basmati rice is used to make kheer as it lends a fragrant & delicious aroma. However in different regions of India, different kinds of rice are used which are grown locally. So feel free to use any normal rice if you do not have basmati rice.

Can I use jaggery to make kheer?

Yes kheer can be made with jaggery. There are 2 ways to add jaggery. The first method is to bring down the temperature of the kheer first and then add the powdered jaggery.

The second method is to make a jaggery syrup first, filter to remove impurities and then cool it down completely. Just stir it to the cooked milk & rice

Kheer in Instant pot vs regular pot

Making kheer in a regular pot does take some time & it needs continuous stirring to prevent the milk from getting scorched at the bottom. But making kheer in Instant pot is a breeze as all you need to do is just dump the ingredients in the pot & press the button.

I have been making kheer more often ever since I started to use instant pot. All I do is just put the ingredients & turn on the porridge button. I have also made it a couple of times with jaggery. Once the rice and milk are cooked stir in the grated jaggery.

More kheer recipes
Vermicelli kheer
Badam kheer
Sheer khurma
Sabudana kheer
Moong dal kheer

Rice kheer recipe

Rice kheer recipe | How to make kheer

The ultimate kheer recipe to make in a regular pot or instant pot. Instructions included for both the methods. Rice kheer is a rich Indian pudding made with rice, milk and sugar. This makes a great dessert for any occasion. Serve warm or chilled.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time45 minutes

Total Time55 minutes

Servings4 people

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

Ingredients for kheer

• 4 cups milk (2 to 3 cups for instant pot) (refer notes)
• ¼ cup rice (basmati or any rice)
• 1/3 to ½ cup sugar (prefer organic) (1/3 cup for moderate sweetness)
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder or elaichi (about 2 to 3 pods)
• 10 cashews or blanched almonds chopped
• 10 pistachios chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoon sweet raisins (optional)
• 1 tablespoon ghee or butter optional for frying nuts

How to make the recipe

Preparation for rice kheer recipe

• Wash rice a few times & drain completely. Chop the nuts & set aside. 
• Optional – Heat 1 tbsp ghee or butter in a heavy bottom pot and fry the cashews until golden. 
• Then add raisins and stir until they turn plump. Remove them and set aside.

How to make rice kheer

• Bring milk to a boil in the same large heavy bottom pot. 
• Keep stirring the milk often to prevent the fats getting stuck to the bottom.
• Add drained rice and begin to cook on a medium flame until the rice is soft, completely cooked and lightly mushy. 
• Keep stirring often to prevent the milk getting scorched at the bottom.
• Stir in the sugar and continue to cook until the rice kheer turns thick. 
• Keep stirring often in between to prevent burning.
• Add cardamom powder and nuts. Stir and continue to cook for 5 minutes. 
• Turn off when the rice kheer reaches a desired consistency, slightly runny.
• Kheer thickens once it cools down. Garnish rice kheer with more nuts and serve.

Instant pot kheer

• Press the saute button and add 1 tablespoon ghee or butter to the inner pot of the Instant pot. 
• Add the cashews and fry them until light golden. Then add raisins and stir until plump. Remove these to a plate.
• Then transfer milk, rice & sugar to the inner pot of Instant pot. Mix all of them together. Secure the lid of the instant pot.
• Position the steam release value to sealing. Next press the porridge button.
• It is preset to 20 mins. When it is done press cancel & switch off. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
• When the float value drops, open the lid and add cardamom powder. Stir well. 
• For a thicker consistency you can cook on saute mode for a few mins.
• Transfer kheer to serving bowls & garnish with nuts & raisins. You can also chill the rice kheer and serve.

Video

Video of rice kheer recipe

NUTRITION

Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 8.2% | Vitamin C: 0.5% | Calcium: 30% | Iron: 3.5%

Notes

1. Nuts: Some people prefer to blanch the nuts & use. You can just skip frying the nuts & blanch them instead. Here is how to do it the blanching.
   Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Then add nuts and soak for about 10 mins. Peel off the skin and pat dry. Chop them as desired. Alternately, you can just use some dry roasted cashews.
2. Milk for Instant pot version: This recipe can be made even with 2 cups of milk. It will taste like a normal pudding and not a rich kheer. To get the rich, creamy & authentic taste use about 2.5 to 3 cups of milk. Evaporate & thicken the excess milk on a saute mode once the pressure releases.

Preparation for rice kheer recipe

1. Keep your ingredients ready. We will need about 4 cups or 1 liter of full fat milk. 1/3 to ½ cup of sugar, ¼ tsp cardamom powder, ¼ cup basmathi rice, you can also use any other rice. Nuts as desired. You can also use sweet raisins.

2. Wash and soak rice for about 30 mins. This helps to cook the rice quickly. Drain and set aside.

3. While the rice soaks, you can blanch the nuts in hot water and peel off the skin. Chop them and set aside. OR Alternately, you can just use some roasted cashews and skip blanching nuts.

How to make rice kheer

4. Add milk to a heavy bottom pot and bring it to a boil on a medium flame. You can also grease your pot with ghee or rinse it before use. This prevents the milk fats from sticking up to the bottom.

5. When it turns hot or comes to a boil. Add drained rice.

6. Keep stirring often to prevent burning. Keep the flame on low to medium.

7. Cook until rice is soft and slightly mushy. You can mash it with a spoon and check.

8. Add Sugar. You can add more or less to suit your taste.

9. Lower the flame and cook until the kheer thickens. You will have to scrape the sides and stir often.

10. Add nuts and cardamom powder. Stir and cook for 5 mins. If adding raisins just do it towards the end. Do not cook after adding them.

11. When it reaches a thick but of runny consistency switch off the stove. It thickens upon cooling down.

Garnish rice kheer with nuts before serving.