Almost every cuisine has their own version of rice pudding. Mention kheer to an Indian anywhere in the world and you’ll likely get a faraway look and stories remembering great-grandmother Nanni, Sunday afternoons with family, and the comforting joy of eating kheer. A few things do make kheer unique to India, including the use of India’s special basmati rice, adding the soft fragrances of ground cardamom and saffron, and the use of crunchy nuts with raisins for toppings.
Nanni’s version of this kheer would take over three hours of constant stirring on the stove. By using an Instant Pot, it now takes around 20 minutes to make. Don’t tell Nanni, but this is just as good as hers was…without the loving memories, of course.
Kheer – Instant Pot Rice Pudding
This creamy rice pudding couldn't be easier to make. At its core, its 3 basic ingredients: milk, basmati rice, and sugar. The addition of crunchy nuts, fragrant spices, and fruity raisins merely add more deliciousness to this unforgettable desert.
Print PinServings: 6
Equipment
- Large pot
- Bowl, colander, wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 14 oz Can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp Ghee (butter OK)
- 12 cups Whole milk
- ½ cup Sugar
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsp Ground cardamom
- 1 2-inch Cinnamon stick
- 1 pinch Saffron (optional)
- 1 cup Mixed pistachios, almonds and cashews
- ¼ cup Golden raisins
Instructions
- Heat ghee or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add rice and toast for 2 minutes. Add milks, sugar, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon stick. Add saffron, if using, and bring to a boil.
- Immediately reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 90 minutes. Place a wooden spoon across the top of the to keep the milk from rising ad spilling over. Scrape down the sides and stir every 15-20 minutes.
- Kheer is done when the milk has reduced by half and has a thick, creamy consistency. Remove from the heat and discard cinnamon stick. The kheer will thicken as it cools. It is meant to be closer to the consistency of a thick soup rather than a traditional pudding.
- Serve kheer hot, warm, or cold. Ladle into bowls and top with nuts and raisins.
Nutrition
Calories: 769kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 392mg | Potassium: 1127mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 791IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 676mg | Iron: 2mg
