Kheer (Pakistani Rice Pudding)
- Serves: 6 People
- Prepare Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 75 minutes
- Calories: 290
- Difficulty: Easy
Kheer is Pakistan's much-loved rice pudding: rice cooked slowly in whole milk until it breaks down and the milk thickens into a creamy, gently sweet pudding scented with green cardamom and topped with pistachios and almonds. It is made for Eid, for Ramadan iftar, for the 11th of Rabi ul Awwal and for weddings, and in many families it is simply what you make when guests are coming.
The secret is patience. Soaked rice is lightly crushed so it releases its starch, then simmered in a wide, heavy pan and stirred often so the milk reduces without catching on the bottom. No cornflour or condensed milk is needed: about an hour of slow cooking does the work. A splash of kewra or rose water at the end gives the classic Pakistani fragrance.
Kheer thickens a lot as it cools, so take it off the heat while it is still a little loose. Serve it warm in winter or chilled in small clay bowls (kunnay), the traditional way, which absorb a little moisture and make it even creamier.
Ingredients tap to tick off
Directions tap a step when done
- Drain the soaked rice and crush it lightly between your fingers or pulse it 2 to 3 times in a chopper, so the grains are broken but not powdered.
- Bring the milk to the boil in a wide, heavy-based pan, stirring so it does not catch.
- Add the crushed rice and cardamom. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom and sides, until the rice is completely soft and the milk has reduced by about half.
- Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Cook for another 10 minutes until the kheer coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in most of the almonds and pistachios, the raisins and saffron, if using. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the kewra or rose water. The kheer should still be slightly runny; it thickens as it cools.
- Pour into serving bowls or clay pots. Serve warm, or cool and chill for at least 3 hours.
- Decorate with the remaining nuts and rose petals or silver leaf just before serving.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I stop kheer from burning?
Use a wide, heavy-based pan, keep the heat low after the milk boils and stir often, scraping the bottom. A heat diffuser or flat tawa under the pan helps.
Can I make kheer with brown rice or other milk?
Brown rice works but needs about 30 minutes longer. Lactose-free whole milk gives the same result; plant milks make a thinner pudding.
Can I use condensed milk to save time?
Yes. Simmer the rice in 1 litre of milk for 30 minutes, then add a 397 g tin of condensed milk instead of sugar and cook for 10 more minutes.
How long does kheer keep?
Up to 3 days covered in the fridge. Stir in a splash of milk if it becomes too thick.
Kheer (Pakistani Rice Pudding)
- Serves: 6 People
- Prepare Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 75 minutes
- Calories: 290
- Difficulty: Easy
Kheer is Pakistan's much-loved rice pudding: rice cooked slowly in whole milk until it breaks down and the milk thickens into a creamy, gently sweet pudding scented with green cardamom and topped with pistachios and almonds. It is made for Eid, for Ramadan iftar, for the 11th of Rabi ul Awwal and for weddings, and in many families it is simply what you make when guests are coming.
The secret is patience. Soaked rice is lightly crushed so it releases its starch, then simmered in a wide, heavy pan and stirred often so the milk reduces without catching on the bottom. No cornflour or condensed milk is needed: about an hour of slow cooking does the work. A splash of kewra or rose water at the end gives the classic Pakistani fragrance.
Kheer thickens a lot as it cools, so take it off the heat while it is still a little loose. Serve it warm in winter or chilled in small clay bowls (kunnay), the traditional way, which absorb a little moisture and make it even creamier.
Ingredients
Directions
- Drain the soaked rice and crush it lightly between your fingers or pulse it 2 to 3 times in a chopper, so the grains are broken but not powdered.
- Bring the milk to the boil in a wide, heavy-based pan, stirring so it does not catch.
- Add the crushed rice and cardamom. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom and sides, until the rice is completely soft and the milk has reduced by about half.
- Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Cook for another 10 minutes until the kheer coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in most of the almonds and pistachios, the raisins and saffron, if using. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the kewra or rose water. The kheer should still be slightly runny; it thickens as it cools.
- Pour into serving bowls or clay pots. Serve warm, or cool and chill for at least 3 hours.
- Decorate with the remaining nuts and rose petals or silver leaf just before serving.
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I learned to cook beside my mother and grandmother. After years in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where friends kept asking me for a proper karahi or biryani, I started PakistanRecipes.com to share authentic Pakistani home cooking, written for kitchens anywhere in the world.
