Ingredients
Base
- 1 litre full-fat milk
- ¼ cup (50g) basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 20 minutes
- ½ cup (100g) sugar, adjust to taste
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
Optional aromatics
- Pinch of saffron strands, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
Garnish
- 2 tbsp cashews, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 2 tbsp slivered pistachios
Instructions
Start the milk
- Bring milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn't scorch on the bottom.
- Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling milk. Stir well.
Simmer
- Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered, stirring every 3–4 minutes, for 45–50 minutes. The milk will reduce significantly and thicken — this is the whole point. Don't rush it with higher heat; the milk will stick and burn rather than reduce evenly.
- You'll know it's ready when the rice is completely soft (no bite at all) and the milk has thickened to a creamy, coating consistency. The volume will have dropped to roughly half.
Sweeten and finish
- Add sugar and cardamom. Stir well and cook another 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves fully and the kheer looks glossy.
- Add saffron milk if using. Stir through and remove from heat.
- The kheer will thicken further as it cools — pull it slightly thinner than your target consistency.
Garnish
- Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls.
- Top with cashews, raisins, and pistachios. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Storage
- Fridge: Up to 3 days. It thickens considerably when cold — stir in a splash of warm milk before serving to loosen.
- Reheat: Gentle stovetop heat with a little extra milk, stirring continuously.
- Freeze: Not recommended — the texture turns grainy.
Variations
- Condensed milk shortcut: Replace 200ml of milk with sweetened condensed milk and reduce total sugar. Cuts cook time by 15–20 minutes, but the flavor is noticeably sweeter and less nuanced.
- Rose water finish: Add 1 tsp rose water off the heat for a floral note common in North Indian versions.
- Jaggery kheer: Substitute grated jaggery for sugar for a deeper, caramel-like sweetness. Add it off the heat — boiling jaggery in milk can cause curdling.
- Chilled payasam style: Serve cold with a few strands of saffron and crushed cardamom for a South Indian payasam vibe.
Notes
- Basmati is traditional, but any short- or medium-grain rice works. Shorter grain varieties break down more and give a thicker, starchier kheer.
- The rice-to-milk ratio here is intentionally loose — the kheer is meant to be scoopable but pourable. For a thicker kheer, reduce milk to 750ml.
- Frequent stirring isn't just about preventing burning — it also breaks up any skin that forms on the surface and redistributes the starch evenly.
- See also: Sooji Kheer for a quicker kheer that takes about 25 minutes and needs no soaking.
Added Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026