Recipe Detail

Rice Kheer ( Chawal Ki Kheer) is a traditional Indian rice pudding that is quite easy to put together and makes for a great dessert. Make this creamy, one-pot dessert with basic ingredients in under 45 minutes (Gluten-Free, One-Pot, Vegetarian).

Milk – Always use whole milk (full-fat milk) to make it rich and creamy.

To make a vegan version, use any plant-based milk instead of dairy milk. Almond milk and coconut milk are my favorite vegan milk to make Indian desserts.

You can also use a combination of milk for a taste change.

Rice – The type of rice makes a huge difference in the final taste and texture of the kheer.

In a perfect kheer, rice gets incorporated into the milk and you don’t see it standing out. It is only possible if you use short-grain rice with high starch content.

Many people suggest Basmati rice to make it but actually, it is preferred to make biryani and pulao but not kheer.

Basmati is known to hold its shape and it also has low starch content. How much ever you cook it with milk, it will never become creamy.

Each region in India has a locally grown short-grain rice variety and people use it to make this dessert.

Always choose short-grain rice with high starch content. It will give the dessert a nice creamy texture.

I like to use Jeera Samba, Gobindobhog, Ambemohar, etc to make it.

My recent fav is Maharashtrian Indrayani. It just dissolves in the milk making the dessert really creamy.

If at all using basmati to make it, then use the broken variety of basmati and not the long grain.

Saffron – Saffron strands are optional but they give a lovely color and flavor.

Sugar – Adjust the amount of sugar as per your taste and preference.

You can also use brown sugar, jaggery, or other sugar-free options as a substitute.

Cardamom Powder – This is a must ingredient! Many people avoid adding it, but believe me it just changes the flavor game.

You can also use crushed green cardamom pods in place of ground cardamom.

Dry Coconut – This is optional, but I love the taste it adds to the pudding.

Other Flavoring Options – Apart from cardamom and saffron, you can also add other flavorings like rose water, kewra essence, or orange blossom water.

Nuts & Fruits – Add slivered dried nuts like almonds, cashew nuts, or pistachios, and dried fruits like golden raisins or black raisins for a lovely crunch

How To Make Rice Kheer

Rinse 3 tablespoon uncooked short-grain starchy rice with water 2-3 times and soak it in ½ cup water for 30 minutes.

Make sure to soak the rice as it makes it easier to cook.

Heat 1-liter whole milk (full-fat milk) in a heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat.

Keep stirring frequently to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pan.

When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low.

Drain the water from the rice and add it to the pan along with 15-20 strands of saffron, 15-20 raisins, and ¼ cup grated dry coconut.

Note – Do not add dry coconut unless the milk comes to a boil otherwise it may curdle.

Cook uncovered on low heat until the rice is cooked and the milk is thickened (45-50 minutes). Mash the rice frequently with the back of the ladle while cooking.

Scrape the sides of the pan every 8-10 minutes and add the solidified milk back to the pan.

Note – The perfectly cooked kheer will be thick and creamy like a chunky custard and have rice grains almost incorporated into the milk.

Keep in consideration that it will thicken some more once cooled.

Once the kheer has thickened to the right consistency, stir in ¼ cup granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder and cook for a minute.

Check for sugar and add more if required and cook for another minute for it to dissolve.

Note – Never add sugar before the rice is fully cooked. The rice stops cooking as soon as the sugar is added and if it’s not cooked well, you will be left with uncooked grains, how much ever you cook it later.

Garnish with almond and cashew nut slivers and dried rose petals and serve hot or chilled.