Rice Kheer Recipe is an age-old traditional Indian pudding. Here is a tried and tested chawal ki kheer recipe of my family.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
- Kheer – The Indian Pudding
- My Mom’s Rice Kheer Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Kheer
- My Tried and True Tips
- Rice Kheer Recipe
Looking for more Diwali recipes? Try my 50+ Traditional Diwali Recipe Ideas , or if you are a paneer lover, 15 Best Paneer Recipes for Diwali . We have 10 Indian thali festive thali meals that will make your Diwali feast one of the best.
Kheer – The Indian Pudding
Kheer is a creamy, luscious, purely vegetarian, gluten-free Indian milk pudding. The rice kheer is one of the most common types of dessert made on every auspicious occasion. Also, known as chawal ki kheer. ‘Chawal’ is the Hindi term for rice.
My Mom’s Rice Kheer Recipe
On a festive morning, while gliding around the kitchen skillfully completing the remaining chores, my mother would simultaneously prepare her signature rice kheer with – rice, milk, and sugar .
While the kheer bubbles and simmers calmly in the pot, she takes out a box full of dry fruits from the wooden cabinet in the kitchen. She thinly slices them manually for the kheer. The expensive spices like saffron, and edible flowers are never part of her kheer recipe, still, it has a delicious taste.
The secret behind her delectable rice kheer is the organic buffalo milk, handpicked tukda basmati rice , both sourced from the local farmer’s market and the last, slow cooking process.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Rice: The broken basmati or the tukda basmati is what I use to make an aromatic kheer. You can use any short – medium grain rice like Jasmine, Gobind bhog, Jeera Samba, Sharbati, or any other similar variety of rice.
- Milk: Full-fat cow or buffalo milk along with cream (malai) is the soul of a good kheer.
- Sugar: You can add either granulated white sugar or jaggery powder.
- Green Cardamom Powder: For a subtle aroma and taste.
- Ghee: To fry the rice and nuts
- Nuts: Almonds, pistachio, cashews, chironji, raisins. You can add a combination of either of these nuts.
How To Make Kheer
Step 1) Rinse the rice till the water runs clear. Soak for 20 minutes.
Step 2) After 20 minutes, drain all the water from the soaked rice. Heat ghee in a pan. Add rice, and fry for 3 – 5 minutes to soften the rice.
Step 3) Add milk, and cardamom powder, stir and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Now, slow cook the kheer till the rice is soft, and the milk is thick.
Step 4) Once the texture of the kheer turns creamy, add sugar. Stir and simmer the kheer till the sugar is completely dissolved.
The rice kheer is ready!
Additional Toppings for Rice Kheer
- Heat ghee in a small pan. Add sliced nuts and dried fruits. Fry for 1 – 2 minutes without burning.
- Pour these ghee-fried nuts over the rice kheer before serving. They give a delicious crunch to the kheer.
My Tried and True Tips
Tip 1: Picking the Right Rice : In my view, the best rice for kheer is medium grain white rice. Avoid using long-grain rice like basmati for making rice kheer, as it does not have enough starch. Brown Rice or any rice with husk is also not my first choice for making any authentic kheer.
Tip 2: Uncooked Rice : Many readers in the past asked me about using cooked/steamed rice for making Indian kheer. I strongly said ‘NO’. The rice has to be slow-cooked in milk for a desired creamy texture.
Tip 3: The Milk : Prefer using full-fat, organic cow or buffalo milk for making rice kheer. You can use non-dairy milk like coconut or almond for a vegan kheer.
Tip 4: The Right Time To Add Sugar : The sugar is always added towards the end of the cooking process. If you add sugar at the beginning of the process the cooking time gets double and the milk does not thicken properly.
Tip 5: Stir and Slow Cook : While slow-cooking kheer, continuously stir it using a ladle at regular intervals. You can use the slow cook mode of an instant pot as well for making a delicious bowl of rice kheer.
Tip 6: Consistency : This kheer firm up as it cools. Hence, adjust the consistency accordingly. Do not thicken it too much while cooking. Otherwise, after a few hours, it will become a thick, semi-solid goop.
More Indian Kheer Recipes
- Lauki Kheer
- Paneer Kheer
- Seviyan Kheer
- Badam Kheer
- Gujarati Doodh Pak
- Apple Quinoa Kheer
- Bengali Orange Kheer
more Indian kheer recipes for all festive celebrations.
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 tablespoon ghee
- ▢ ¼ Cup white rice (short to medium size)
- ▢ 1 litre full fat milk
- ▢ 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
- ▢ ½ Cup white granulated sugar or to taste
- ▢ ¼ Cup pistachio and almonds, sliced
Instructions
- To prepare the rice kheer, rinse the rice with water 2 – 3 times or till the water runs clear. Soak the rice in enough water for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, drain all the water from the soaked rice. Transfer rice to a colander to drain all the water.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy bottom kadhai or casserole. Add rice, saute for 3 – 5 minutes, or till the grains of rice turn translucent.
- Add milk, cardamom powder, stir to avoid any lump formation and let it come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and let the milk simmer. Keep on stirring the rice at regular intervals.
- The whole process of slow cooking the rice in the milk takes about 30 – 40 minutes on a low flame. Continuously stir the kheer while it is simmering to avoid sticking it to the bottom of the pan. Also, scrape the sides of the pan and add this layer of cream into the kheer.
- Once the rice is cooked and the kheer is thickened, that is the signal it is ready. Add sugar, mix, and allow the kheer to simmer for 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining ghee in a small pan. Once hot, fry the sliced pistachio, almonds, raisins, chironji for 1 minute or till slightly brown. Pour this over the prepared rice kheer.
- Serve Rice Kheer warm or chilled garnished with saffron and dry fruits.
Recipe Notes:
- The best rice for kheer is medium grain, uncooked white rice. Do not use pre-cooked or instant rice for making kheer.
- You can make rice kheer in a slow cooker as well.
- The rice kheer firm up as it cools. Hence, do not make it too thick otherwise after cooling down it will become like a semi-solid pudding.
- Adding saffron to the rice kheer is optional. You can add it for sweet aroma and beautiful colour.
- Rice Kheer is best enjoyed warm. Store the leftover rice in a refrigerator for 1 week. Heat in the microwave and add a splash of water to loosen it up. It reheats very well.
Nutrition
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Rice Kheer Recipe
Equipment
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- ¼ Cup white rice (short to medium size)
- 1 litre full fat milk
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
- ½ Cup white granulated sugar or to taste
- ¼ Cup pistachio and almonds, sliced
Instructions
- To prepare the rice kheer, rinse the rice with water 2 - 3 times or till the water runs clear. Soak the rice in enough water for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, drain all the water from the soaked rice. Transfer rice to a colander to drain all the water.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy bottom kadhai or casserole. Add rice, saute for 3 - 5 minutes, or till the grains of rice turn translucent.
- Add milk, cardamom powder, stir to avoid any lump formation and let it come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and let the milk simmer. Keep on stirring the rice at regular intervals.
- The whole process of slow cooking the rice in the milk takes about 30 - 40 minutes on a low flame. Continuously stir the kheer while it is simmering to avoid sticking it to the bottom of the pan. Also, scrape the sides of the pan and add this layer of cream into the kheer.
- Once the rice is cooked and the kheer is thickened, that is the signal it is ready. Add sugar, mix, and allow the kheer to simmer for 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining ghee in a small pan. Once hot, fry the sliced pistachio, almonds, raisins, chironji for 1 minute or till slightly brown. Pour this over the prepared rice kheer.
- Serve Rice Kheer warm or chilled garnished with saffron and dry fruits.
Notes
- The best rice for kheer is medium grain, uncooked white rice. Do not use pre-cooked or instant rice for making kheer.
- You can make rice kheer in a slow cooker as well.
- The rice kheer firm up as it cools. Hence, do not make it too thick otherwise after cooling down it will become like a semi-solid pudding.
- Adding saffron to the rice kheer is optional. You can add it for sweet aroma and beautiful colour.
- Rice Kheer is best enjoyed warm. Store the leftover rice in a refrigerator for 1 week. Heat in the microwave and add a splash of water to loosen it up. It reheats very well.
Nutrition
My baked shahi tukra recipe will remind you of a rich, comforting bread pudding with fewer calories.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
- About Shahi Tukda
- Why Bake Shahi Tukra?
- How To Bake Shahi Tukda
- Watch Shahi Tukra Video
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Baked Shahi Tukra Recipe
About Shahi Tukda
Shahi Tukda is one of the most relished Indian desserts. As the name suggests, Shahi Tukra, or shahi toast, is a royal indulgence, having its roots in Mughlai Cuisine . Shahi means ‘royal,’ and Tukda means a ‘piece.’ Hence, the name of the dessert – a royal piece in itself is rich and indulgent.
In other words, Shahi Toast can be defined as an Indian-style bread pudding flavoured with aromatics such as saffron, cardamom, rose petals, and nuts.
You must have all seen shahi tukra during the Ramadan street food festival .
It is a widely popular dessert in the Awadhi, Mughlai, and Hyderabadi Cuisines . No royal feast is considered complete without enjoying shahi tukda for dessert.
Why Bake Shahi Tukra?
Over the years, I have realized with a busy schedule and fewer physical activities, it is wise for us not to indulge in intense calorie desserts. Hence, I developed this healthier version of shahi toast .
- using the baked bread slices instead of deep-fried ones and skipping soaking bread slices in the sugar syrup . Helps you cut down a few calories.
- it takes less time to get ready
- involves fewer cooking steps
How To Bake Shahi Tukda
Making baked shahi toast is a simple two-step process.
1) Prepare Rabri
- Heat milk in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Add saffron and cardamom powder. Stir to combine.
- Allow the milk to simmer over low heat. Stir at regular intervals to avoid burning the milk. Let the milk simmer till it reduces to almost half the original quantity and has a thick, creamy consistency. This might take 15 – 20 minutes on low heat.
- Once thick, add sugar to the milk. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat. Set rabri aside.
- Prepare Toast & Assemble :
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius for 10 minutes. Grease a baking tray with a teaspoon of ghee.
- Remove the edges of the bread slices. Cut each bread slice into two halves diagonally. Arrange the bread slices in the greased baking tray.
- Bake the bread slices in the oven till they turn crisp. In my oven, it takes 5 – 6 minutes.
- Pour the prepared rabri or milk pudding over the bread slices so that each bread slice is evenly soaked in the flavoured milk.
- Sprinkle pistachio and almond slivers and rose petals. Bake in the oven for 6 – 10 minutes on the middle rack.
Watch Shahi Tukra Video
In Double Ka Meetha, bread slices are not toasted separately. In Shahi Toast, bread slices are toasted first and then layered with rabri. Double Ka Meetha is nothing but a bread pudding. At the same time, Shahi Tukda is made from slices of bread, deep-fried and soaked in sugar syrup and rabri. The milk for double ka meetha is not as thick as rabri for shahi toast.
The authentic shahi toast is prepared with white sandwich bread slices only. But you can use brown bread or wheat bread as well.
You can store rabri in the fridge for 3 – 5 days. At room temperature, you can keep it for only 1 – 2 hours. It has dairy products. Hence the shelf life is short.
Transfer the leftover shahi toast to a box with the lid or cover the serving tray with cling foil. Keep it in the fridge for 3 – 5 days. It tastes delicious the next day and the day after. It becomes more like a mouth-melting, flavoursome pudding.
More Indian Dessert Recipes
- Jalebi
- Zarda Pulao
- Paneer Kheer
- Chawal Ki Kheer
- Moong Dal Halwa
- Khoya Gulab Jamun
- Sheer Khurma (Seviyan Kheer)
Ingredients
Ingredients For Rabri:
- ▢ 1 litre full-cream milk (full fat milk)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon saffron strands (kesar)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
- ▢ ¼ Cup granulated white sugar or to taste
Ingredients For Toast:
- ▢ 6 bread slices
Ingredients for the garnish
- ▢ 1 tablespoon pistachio sliver
- ▢ 1 tablespoon almond sliver
- ▢ 1 tablespoon edible rose petals
Instructions
Prepare Rabri:
- Heat milk in a heavy bottom saucepan. Add saffron, and cardamom powder. Stir to combine.
- Allow the milk to simmer over low heat. Stir to regular intervals to avoid burning the milk. Let the milk simmer till it reduces to almost half the original quantity and has a thick, creamy consistency. This might take 15 – 20 minutes on a low heat.
- Add sugar to the thick milk. Stir to dissolve. Taste, and if required, add more sugar. Turn off the heat. Rabri is ready. Set it aside.
Prepare Toast:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celcius for 10 minutes. Grease a baking tray with a teaspoon of ghee.
- Remove the edges of the bread slices. Cut each bread slice into two equal halves diagonally. Arrange the bread slices in the greased baking tray.
- Bake the bread slices in the oven till they turn crisp. In my oven, it takes 5 – 6 minutes.
Assemble Shahi Toast:
- Arrange the toasted bread slices in a baking dish with no or minimal gap in between each slice ( refer to the image ).
- Pour the prepared rabri or milk pudding over the bread slices in such a manner that each bread slice is evenly soaked in the flavored milk.
- Sprinkle pistachio and almond slivers and rose petals.
- Bake in the oven for 6 – 10 minutes in the middle rack.
- Serve Baked Shahi Tukra warm or chilled garnished with dry-fruits and rose petals.
Recipe Notes:
- It is always best to use full cream or full-fat milk to make rabri.
- If you do not ae cardamom powder, crush 2 – 3 green cardamom pods and add them to the milk.
- You can use whole wheat bread slices as well to make baked shahi tukda.
- Do not bake the bread slices for too long as they might turn too hard and burnt.
Nutrition
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
