Kheer Recipe
After literally trying to write this post 23 times (not that I’m keeping count or anything), I have learned that keeping things to a minimum, can sometimes work well. I am one of those bloggers who likes to write a lot. I can’t help myself, and whenever I am trying to write a recipe post, I always hope the post will be better than the last one I wrote.
But lately, I have been at a loss for words. I can’t seem to think straight, I am not getting as much work done as I would like, and I keep kicking myself because of it. If only I had a fast forward button that would allow me to get everything done. If only I had an amanuensis to type this post for me. If only I could control the sun to shine more into my kitchen window.
I have many wishes, and a never ending “If I…” list, but one thing is for sure- I have a really simple and delicious kheer recipe that no one will turn down.
Some of you are probably oblivious to what I am talking about right now… “What is this kheer that you speak of?”
Well, kheer is simply an indian rice pudding. It is super simple to make, and only requires one secret ingredient- a little bit of patience.
My kheer recipe is an adaptation of my father’s kheer recipe. My adaptation is simple, and uses an egg yolk- one of the things that I have not see in kheer recipes that I have come across, including my father’s.
My father’s kheer recipe is probably one of the most delicious recipes that I have ever come across, but honestly, it takes too long to make. With my recipe, you’ll have delicious kheer in a fraction of the time with all of the flavor that you expect in a recipe like this.
Kheer Recipe
Makes about 2 to 3 servingsThe best thing about this recipe is that it results in a creamy, delicious, aromatic rice pudding. This kheer recipe can be served warm or cold. It lasts about 3 days in the refrigerator, and always tastes better the second day around. As for the rose water in the recipe, it can be found at any Indian, Arabic, or Pakistani grocery store. It’s not expensive (around $2), and is totally worth every penny! I am one who adores the aroma that rose water gives off, I add in an additional 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon more of the rose water after everything has cooked.
Ingredients:
seeds of five cardamom pods, ground
2 1/2 tablespoons basmati rice, ground to resemble kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
pinch salt
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon rose water
yolk of one egg, placed in a mixing bowl
1 tablespoon pistachios, chopped
Preparation:
Bring cardamom, rice, sugar, salt, milk, and rose water to a boil in a medium sauce pan, on high heat (about 7 minutes). Stir occasionally.
Remove pot from heat.
Take about 1/2 cup of milk and rice mixture from the pan, and pour it slowly (while whisking) into the bowl with the egg yolk.
Whisk the egg yolk and milk mixture into the sauce pan.
Set the flame to medium heat, and return the pan to the flame. Stir frequently.
Cook until the mixture has thickened, about 15 – 20 minutes.
Stir in chopped pistachios. Serve warm or cold.
Keep refrigerated.
UPDATE: I accidentally typed the recipe incorrectly. The Milk amount is supposed to be 2 CUPS! Sorry everyone! It wasn’t 1/2 cup… I fixed that in the recipe. Thanks, zumach for pointing my error out!
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47 COMMENTS
March 11th, 2010
I am with you on the rose water being worth it. I use it in all my Indian sweet dishes. Have not made this in a while, and now this has got me craving it.
March 11th, 2010
Looks delicious Kamran! I love rice pudding and I can just imagine the creamy texture and lovely flavors n your kheer. And I’m with you as far as being at a loss for words- seems to be going around like a common cold or something… Cheers!
March 11th, 2010
I never knew you add an egg yolk to kheer. I’m sure it add a rich creaminess to the kheer. I have seen my mother-in-law adding sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream which makes it quite heavy!
Love how you presented the kheer in a jar.
March 11th, 2010
Mmmm…sounds and looks heavenly. I love rice pudding and kheer sounds that much better! I will definitely give this a try. Thanks for sharing this wonderful seemingly easy recipe.
March 11th, 2010
This looks delicious! I love all things flavored with rose water (like the Lebanese ice cream I made recently) and also love kheer. I’ve never made it at home, but I think I might do it soon. Love the pictures too!
And also am with you on the loss for words. I took a bit of a break because I was having trouble getting back into it after my vacation. It’s normal, I think. You came back beautifully, I should note! :)
March 11th, 2010
sorry for my typo, meant to say “adds a rich…” I shouldn’t leave comments at 1 am. ;)
March 11th, 2010
Rachael- I hear you… I think I just need a vacation from school. I cannot wait for spring break!
Nadia- My father makes it with a mixture of cream and milk. I personally haven’t seen people make it with an egg yolk; I decided to make it with an egg yolk, as it isn’t too heavy, and it adds a creamy richness to everything. And no problem on the typ ;)
Alejandra- Thanks so much for your kind words! I have to make some of this ice cream that you are now making me drool over! :D
March 11th, 2010
This is beautiful Kamran. I am imagining the rich and creamy consistency of this Kheer. Same here, I am at loss of words for the past few days… more than a week now. I guess it’s normal. Hope to try this soon and better search for that rose water. Yes, I love rose water.
March 11th, 2010
I will have to look for rose water! I’ve made rice pudding using italian arborio rice before, but not ever made kheer – what an interesting technique of grinding the rice first. I will definitely have to try this, especially since it is naturally gluten free :)
March 11th, 2010
[...] kheer recipe | the sophisticated gourmet | the sophisticated gourmet tags: brewer, brown-rice, delicious-recipes, egg yolk, father, kheer-recipe, probably-one, [...]
March 11th, 2010
[...] kheer recipe | the sophisticated gourmet | the sophisticated gourmet [...]
March 11th, 2010
I absolutely love rose water. I have used it in madeline cookies. The subtle flavor is wonderful. This pudding looks very intriguing.
March 11th, 2010
My husband loves rice pudding, so I’ll attempt your recipe. As you know from my Twitters, I’m not good in the dessert department esp. baking (more scientific vs creative) but this more like making rice, ha, think I can manage it.
I do so agree with your philosophy that sometimes you can accomplish authentic flavors with a simpler recipe. I’m all for FLAVOR, less work!
March 11th, 2010
Kheer in a jar, perfection!
March 11th, 2010
Can’t wait to make this, Kamran.
1 question: Are the pistachios roasted or raw?salted or unsalted?
Thanks a bunch.. Very lovely and informative blog!
March 11th, 2010
Ooh… Looks wonderful! I’ve never made kheer before, but now I think I’ll have to give it a try.
March 11th, 2010
Is it only 1/2 cup of milk? I am wondering when you say to take 1/2 cup of the mixture out to mix with the egg yolk how much it makes in total….Sorry, I haven’t tried it yet, was just confirming the volume of milk.
I agree the rosewater gives it a wonderful aroma!
Thanks
March 11th, 2010
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by ksiddiqi92: New post! kheer recipe – http://tinyurl.com/y9fs5va…
March 11th, 2010
Judy- great question! they are roasted shelled unsalted pistachios…
zumach- what you are basically doing is tempering the egg yolk, so it doesn’t curdle up and make your rice pudding seem like a mixture of rice, milk, sugar, and some scrambled egg… You do not want a rice pudding with scrambled eggs!
You can use as much milk as you want to temper the egg yolk. My ladle happens to hold 1/2 cup of liquid…
SO, after you temper the egg yolk, you want to whisk it back into the pot of milk and rice… I hope my instructions in the recipe aren’t too confusing!
March 11th, 2010
ooh, I adore kheer! Never would have guessed to put an egg yolk in it!
March 11th, 2010
I love how much effort you put into each post. I find i wrote a lot too as I’ve always so much to say and also because my mind’s just chockful of rambling thoughts and breezey chatter so that sometimes just spills over into my blogposts. Yikes.
I’ve never had kheer but if it’s pudding, I’m way up for it. Plus, it looks yum!
March 12th, 2010
If only……… seems to be what I’m saying a lot these days too!
Have to say never seen a kheer made with egg. Interesting that!
March 12th, 2010
Looks delish. Congrats again on all of your acceptances!
March 12th, 2010
I happen to have EVERY SINGLE INGREDIENT in this recipe! Guess what I’m going to be making soon? :) This looks SO good, and THANK YOU for making it quicker–I’m a crazy busy mom…I like quick.
March 12th, 2010
[...] kheer | kheer recipe | the sophisticated gourmet [...]
March 13th, 2010
Hi Kamran, Kheer is one of my favourite desserts. Though I have never used egg yolk in it. Seems like a variation i must try!
My recipe has just 3 ingredients – milk, rice and sugar. Infact had posted it in Jan this year. You could have a look :)
I have also discovered an easier version where i make use of cooked rice and a bit of rice flour.
March 13th, 2010
Love this and especially the inclusion of the rose water. intoxicating.
March 14th, 2010
Darn. If I’d only bought the rosewater I saw in the US…
Anyway, I love the step of grinding the rice. It makes the texture so much more beautiful than regular rice pudding.
March 14th, 2010
So out of pure stupidity, and trust in my fingers… I stupidly thought that Zumach’s comment was talking about the 1/2 cup of milk in the recipe… Well, I screwed up! The milk amount is supposed to be 2 cups… I must have been really tired while typing up the recipe. I apologize to those of you who tried making the recipe and said, “What the HELL?!”
I am sincerely sorry!
As for the rose water comments, if you are unable to find any near you, you can make some on your own! It’s a small project, but projects are fun!! Here’s a link to a site that has some directions on how to make it… http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-rose-water-4-recipes/
March 15th, 2010
This looks just wonderful! I nice change from the usual rice pudding. Beautiful blog – I’m so glad I found you!
March 15th, 2010
The first part of this post sounds very familiar, senioritis perhaps? Waiting for the next, exciting chapter of your life to start while still trying to get through the present?
At least you have delicious kheer to see you through, but things will eventually balance out.
March 15th, 2010
Hi Julie, thanks so much for the kind comments! :)
March 15th, 2010
I totally relate to sometimes “no words” for a post. Then sometimes “too many words.” But sometimes a recipe speaks for itself and this does.
March 15th, 2010
Yummmmm I’ve never tried making kheer because I always get such good stuff at our local Indian restaurant, but now I will!
Question: is the amount of rice correct? Only 2 1/2 Tablespoons? That seems like such a small amount…?
March 15th, 2010
Kristin- kind of… I am up to my head with work that the last thing I want to do is work. I just want to rest and relax.
Angela- thanks! I’m glad that you think so. :)
Devon- the amount of the rice is correct. Almost got me scared, for a minute there! …The rice cooks, and gets larger, and the milk also reduces in volume, as it cooks. I hope that makes sense… Before I screwed up the amount of milk in the recipe (I don’t know how I typed in 1/2 cup instead of 2 cups… Go figure!), and almost thought I did the same for the rice… Luckily I didn’t.
March 18th, 2010
Kam, I’m totally with you on the writing portion, my mind goes a million miles a millisecond, I have so many thoughts and I often re-write my posts wondering if I’m too simpleminded to my readers! But we have to go with our thoughts for that’s what blogging is all about – voicing our heart and readers like myself enjoy knowing more about the writer. We want to feel what you’re feeling! :) I also like how easy this recipe is cause you know how much I love easy and what little time I have these days! thanks for sharing it! :D Your blogging buddy, Kim
March 18th, 2010
How cool are you?
“With my amazing powers of cookery, I could deduce that egg yolk would make everything a zillion times better.” And thicken it faster.
I have two places that sell rosewater… I’ve always been hesitant about flowers in my food (except candied flowers, but different story). Now I’ll give it a try, because you say so.
March 19th, 2010
Kamran-With you on not enough time in the day. I just taught a blogging class and talked to them all about setting a consistent schedule, posting at least twice a week etc. If only I listened to my own advice…
Btw, this looks really wonderful. Good dessert for this time of year!
March 22nd, 2010
Kamran, that first photo is amazing. And the recipe sounds so comforting and perfect for a rainy afternoon. :)
March 25th, 2010
I have not tried this before, but it sounds amazing!
March 25th, 2010
Hey! This is unrelated to your post; but I am also a 17 year old who likes to cook, write, and take pictures! I’m so glad I found your blog. :)
March 26th, 2010
I can totally relate on the writer’s block part! I’m a big time sufferer! Kheer looks interesting, never seen one made with an egg yolk!
March 26th, 2010
I am so with you. Sometimes it takes me a few dozen times to really write something. I write, delete, write, delete …. need to work on my workflow! I am glad you got the words out for this post!
I was out with some friend’s last night and we were talking about rice pudding and now your post! I love Kheer and have not had it in so long, let alone making it myself. Can’t wait to try this. Thanks for a great looking recipe!
March 26th, 2010
Wow! Amazing recipes. First time here.
June 24th, 2011
Nice Recipe.
July 28th, 2011
Just clarifying..2.5 tablespoons of rice?? I really want to try this myself instead of always nagging my grand,pma to make me some. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
November 1st, 2011
Wow that was strange. I just wrote an incredibly long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say wonderful blog!