RICE KHEER - CHAWAL KI KHEER

      "Rice Kheer" is a wonderful Indian Dessert prepared with Rice, Milk & Sugar.  Simple ingredients make this Kheer a pure decadence.  I have always known & have grown up eating Payasam/Pradhaman in my life.  When Doordarshan or the famous DD a national network entered South Indian homes with the arrival of the Television Culture, bought along with the exposure of new lifestyle, language and cuisine. There I came to know that 'Kheer' is the word used for Payasam like Desserts in North India with slight variations.
     Obviously, the basic ingredients also went along with regional availability.  Though this Rice Kheer is basically prepared with Rice like the South Indian Paal Payasam/Ari Payasam.  Most of the recipes use Basmati Rice, even long-grained variety of Rice can be used in this Kheer.  Rice Kheer or colloquially called Chawal(Rice) ki Kheer is a simple dessert, yet creamy and thicker compared to its South Indian sibling Payasam.
      My acquaintance with this Rice Kheer was through the famous giveaway Recipe Book catered by Nestle Milkmaid. This Rice Kheer can be made in a traditional method where Milk & Rice is slow-cooked until it thickens. Another easy version is by cooking the Rice Kheer with Condensed Milk which makes the Kheer thicker & creamier and also sweetens the Kheer.  This Rice Kheer recipe is prepared in an authentic method which calls for reducing and thickening the milk on a low flame. I have used Basmati Rice and have slow-cooked with Milk until you get a perfectly cooked Rice with a creamy texture, then the Rice Kheer is sweetened with Sugar, flavoured with Cardamom, Kewra Essence & Saffron Strands and elaborately garnished with slivered Nuts and Rose Petals.  Slow cooking on a low flame gives a rich & creamy texture with an off-white hue to the Rice Kheer with an additional note of aroma from the flavourings added and from the reduced milk. Rice Kheer/Chawal ki Kheer is usually served warm/chilled.
    

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Cuisine - North Indian
Recipe Type - Kheer/Pradhaman/Payasam, Dessert
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 4- 6
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5-10 Minutes
Soaking Time - 20-30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 30 -45 Minutes


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HOW TO MAKE RICE KHEER

RICE KHEER - CHAWAL KI KHEER

INGREDIENTS :

For Rice Kheer:

Ghee - 1 Tspn
Basmati Rice/Long-grained Rice - 1/4 Cup
Milk - 4 Cups
Sugar - 4 -6 Tbspns
Cardamoms - 5 Pods.
Saffron - a Pinch(Optional)
Kewra Essence  - few Drops(Optional)

For Garnishing:

Almonds - Few
Pistachios - Few
Cashew Nuts - Few
Rose Petals - Few
Saffron Strands - Few

METHOD :

For Rice Kheer/Chawal ki Kheer:

• Powder the Cardamoms into a fine powder and keep it aside.
• Chop the Almonds, Pistachios, Cashewnuts & keep it aside.
• Wash the Basmati Rice twice or thrice or until the water runs clear.
• Soak the Basmati Rice in water for about 20-30 Minutes.
• Once soaked, drain & discard the water and keep it aside.
• Heat Ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan, add the powdered Cardamom & give a quick stir. 
• Fry this on a very low flame for few seconds.
• Immediately add the soaked Basmati Rice and fry this on a very low flame for few minutes.
• Stir it continuously and fry it until aromatic.
• Pour in the Milk to the Rice -Cardamom Mix.
• Boil the Rice - Milk mix on a medium-low flame, stirring it at intervals.
• Once the Milk boils reduce the flame to low and cook for another 20-25 Minutes.
• Care should be taken that the mix does not scorch at the bottom. 
• The amount of Milk should have reduced and the rice should be cooked well. 
• Add in the Sugar and mix well.
• Drizzle the Kewra Essence/Rose Water, half the amount of chopped Nuts and give a quick stir.
• Cook Rice Kheer/Chawal ki Kheer on a low flame until it reaches the desired consistency.
• Switch off the flame and serve it Hot or Chilled.
• Can Garnish Rice Kheer/Chawal ki Kheer with slivered Almonds, Pistachios, Cashew Nuts, Rose Petals or with Saffron Strands.

RICE KHEER - CHAWAL KI KHEER

NOTES:

• I have used Basmati Rice in this Kheer Recipe, can also use any other long-grained rice for the recipe.
• Frying the powdered Cardamoms & soaked Basmati in Ghee makes the Kheer aromatic.
• Adding Saffron is purely optional.
• Adding Kewra Essence is purely optional.
• Adjust the amount of Sugar to suit your Sweet Tooth.
• Adjust the consistency of  Rice Kheer/Chawal ki Kheer to your preference.
• The Kheer tends to get thicker even after switching off.
• Can serve Rice Kheer/Chawal ki Kheer hot or chilled, to suit your preference/climatic condition.
• Garnish Rice Kheer/Chawal ki Kheer with preferred choice of Nuts.
• Garnishing it with Rose Petals & Saffron strands are purely optional.