Indian

Serving

Kheer

Name: Kheer
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1/4 cup Basmati rice (washed); 4 cups full-fat milk; 1/3 cup sugar; 1/4 tsp cardamom powder; 10 saffron strands (soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk); 2 tbsp chopped nuts

A rice pudding made by boiling rice, broken wheat, tapioca, or vermicelli with milk and sugar.

45 minutes

Serves 8

Dessert

16 min prep

25 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy Tree nut

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Good to know

One-pot

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners

Instructions

6 steps

1
Prepare the Rice: Wash the Basmati rice thoroughly and soak it in water for 20 minutes. Drain well. You can lightly crush the grains with your fingers for a creamier texture.
2
Boil the Milk: Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
3
Cook the Rice: Add the drained rice to the boiling milk. Lower the heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides of the pot.
4
Thicken the Kheer: As the rice cooks, it will release starches and thicken the milk. The kheer is ready when the rice grains are completely soft and almost meld with the thick milk.
5
Sweeten and Flavor: Stir in the sugar, cardamom powder, and the saffron-infused milk. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves.
6
Garnish: Turn off the heat. Fold in the chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios). Serve hot as a comforting pudding or chill in the refrigerator for a thicker, cold dessert.

Kheer — plated and served — Serving moment. How Kheer looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

66/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 64

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 58

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

130

Calories

4 g

Protein

19 g

Carbs

4 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Kheer is a rice pudding found across the Indian subcontinent under different regional names, thickened entirely by slowly reducing milk with rice rather than by eggs or cornstarch, a technique shared with related puddings such as payasam in the south.

Listahan note

This version lightly crushes the soaked rice grains before cooking, so more starch releases into the milk and the pudding thickens without needing an unusually long, unsupervised simmer.

Technique cues

Soaking the rice for 20 minutes and lightly crushing the grains afterward releases more surface starch, which speeds up how quickly the milk thickens once the rice goes in.
The milk needs frequent stirring as it reduces, scraping down the sides of the pot, since a skin forms quickly on the surface and can scorch onto the bottom if left unattended.
Cooking the rice uncovered in the simmering milk for 25 to 30 minutes, rather than covered, lets enough liquid evaporate for the kheer to thicken to a pourable, custard-like consistency.
Saffron is bloomed in a small amount of warm milk before being stirred in, which draws out more color and aroma than adding the dry strands directly to the pot.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Prepare garnishes, sides, or serving dishes while Kheer handles its longest bake, chill, or set step.
Make-ahead: Kheer's dough or batter (built around cardamom powder) can usually be made a day ahead and refrigerated, then baked fresh — many doughs actually improve with an overnight rest. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.
Leftover move: Leftover Kheer freezes well — wrap individual portions tightly and thaw at room temperature, or crumble it over ice cream for a quick second life. This one leans on the cardamom powder. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.
Cleanup rhythm: Soak the mixing bowl and beaters for Kheer right away — sugar and butter residue hardens fast once it cools. This one leans on the cardamom powder. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

1/4 cup Basmati rice

Structural base

Purpose: cup Basmati rice defines the shape and texture of the dish.

Handling: Rinse, soak, whisk, or separate as the recipe requires so the texture stays clean.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

4 cups full-fat milk

Richness and texture

Purpose: cups full-fat milk rounds the texture and helps the dish feel complete.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use unsweetened dairy-free alternatives only where they still provide enough fat and body.

1/3 cup sugar

Sweetness and aroma

Purpose: cup sugar adds aroma, sweetness, or warmth without needing extra garnish.

Handling: Measure before heating and break up clumps so the mix distributes evenly.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

Flavor support

Purpose: tsp cardamom powder supports the balance of Kheer and should taste integrated.

Handling: Measure before heating and break up clumps so the mix distributes evenly.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

10 saffron strands

Flavor support

Purpose: saffron strands supports the balance of Kheer and should taste integrated.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

Technique notes

Kheer can be served warm right off the stove or chilled for a denser, firmer texture, and both are considered standard rather than one being a shortcut.
Chopped almonds or pistachios folded in at the very end keep their crunch, rather than softening the way they would if cooked into the pudding.
The pudding continues to thicken as it cools, so it should be pulled from the heat while still slightly looser than the final texture wanted.

Ingredient swaps

Dairy-free direction: Swap the full-fat milk for a neutral dairy-free butter and a full-fat plant milk (oat or coconut give the closest richness) — the texture shifts slightly but the dish holds together. This one leans on the cardamom powder.
Nut-aware direction: Skip the nut garnish or use toasted seeds (sunflower or pumpkin) instead. This one leans on the cardamom powder.
Lower-sodium direction: Hold back roughly a third of the salt at first; taste once everything else has had time to come together. This one leans on the cardamom powder.
Weeknight shortcut: Get the batter or mix-ins ready and refrigerated the day before; all that's left the night of is the oven. This one leans on the cardamom powder.

Serve alongside

Fresh berries
Citrus fruit salad
Mint leaves
Black coffee
Hot tea
Sparkling water with lemon

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store covered for 3 to 4 days, refrigerated when dairy, eggs, custard, or fresh fruit are involved.
Reheat gently only when warmth improves the texture.
Freeze sturdy baked portions up to 2 months; avoid freezing delicate fresh toppings.

Equipment

Mixing bowls
Baking dish or pan
Cooling rack

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