Chawal ki Kheer (Rice Pudding)
India's most beloved dessert: rice slowly simmered in milk until creamy and thick, sweetened and scented with cardamom and saffron, and studded with nuts and raisins.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Cook the rice in milk
Bring the milk to a boil in a large, heavy pot (at least 4L/4qt capacity) over medium-high heat. Add the drained rice, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 40-45 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the rice is very soft and the milk has thickened and reduced by about a third.
- 60g rice
- 1.2L whole milk
✅ Done when: rice is very soft and milk has thickened and reduced by about a third
Sweeten
Stir in the sugar, ground cardamom seeds and saffron, then simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is fragrant and slightly thicker.
- 100g sugar
- 5 cardamom seeds
- 1 pinch saffron
✅ Done when: mixture is fragrant and slightly thicker
Add the nuts
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Serve
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Cook the rice in milk
Bring the milk to a boil in a large, heavy pot (at least 4L/4qt capacity) over medium-high heat. Add the drained rice, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 40-45 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the rice is very soft and the milk has thickened and reduced by about a third.
- 60g rice
- 1.2L whole milk
✅ Done when: rice is very soft and milk has thickened and reduced by about a third
Sweeten
Stir in the sugar, ground cardamom seeds and saffron, then simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is fragrant and slightly thicker.
- 100g sugar
- 5 cardamom seeds
- 1 pinch saffron
✅ Done when: mixture is fragrant and slightly thicker
Add the nuts
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
The Story Behind the Dish
Rice cooked in milk is one of India's oldest dishes and is offered to the gods in temples across the country. It's known as kheer in the north, payasam in the south and payesh in Bengal.
Kheer is prepared for almost every celebration — births, weddings, Diwali, Eid — as a symbol of prosperity and sweetness.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Creamy, fragrant and simple, kheer is the dessert of celebration in every Indian home.
💡 Fun Fact
The famous temple at Puri in Odisha has served kheer as a sacred offering for centuries.
Across India
19.81°N, 85.83°E
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