Make Kheer

If you've ever been to India or even just to an Indian restaurant, you may have tried kheer, a dessert similar to rice pudding. But did you know that you can also have kheer made with vermicelli? Either way, you might crave this Indian delight and want to know how to make it. Indian kheer-- either the rice or vermicelli version-- is relatively simple to make and guaranteed to make you and your guests want more than one serving.

Steps

Making Rice Kheer

  1. Learn about kheer. Kheer is just one name for a rice pudding-like dessert that is often made in southeast Asian countries like India, Nepal and Pakistan for special occasions.[1] Kheer is a year-round favorite that can be served topped with any number of things from chopped nuts like pistachios or almonds to spices such as cardamom and saffron.
    • There is no one standard recipe for kheer. Each family and geographic region makes kheer using some variation of the recipe.[1]
    • Kheer is also known by different names including khir, payasam, payasa or kheeri.[2]
  2. Gather supplies. You’ll need to gather the ingredients for kheer before you start cooking it. The recipe is fairly simple, but you may need to go to a specialty food store for ingredients if your local supermarket doesn’t carry them.
    • For kheer that serves four people you’ll need the following ingredients: 1 cup of slightly overcooked rice, 2 cups of whole milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon raisins, 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios, 1 tablespoon chopped almonds, 1/8 teaspoon powdered cardamom, and a pinch of saffron.[1]
    • You can use any type of rice, such as long grained or basmati, for this recipe. It’s probably best to not use flavored rice like jasmine or coconut.
    • If you have leftover rice from another dish, you can use it to make kheer.[1]
    • If you are making the rice just for kheer, it’s best to overcook it a little bit to mimic the texture of leftover rice.[1]
  3. Prepare the pan and your ingredients. Before you start cooking kheer, heat the pan and prepare the saffron and raisins so that they’re ready to use as you cook. It’s important to do this before you begin cooking so that your kheer doesn’t burn while you mix the ingredients.
    • Put the raisins in a little bit of water to puff them up.[1]
    • Use any small or medium heavy bottomed pan that you have to cook the kheer.[1]
    • Heat the pan over a medium gas flame or electric stove setting.[1]
    • While the pan is heating up, grind the saffron and a pinch of sugar with a mortar and pestle. Set it to the side.[1]
  4. Cook your kheer. Once you’ve preheated the pan and done the prep work, you’re ready to cook your kheer. Make sure to not leave the pan at this stage so that your kheer doesn’t burn.
    • Add the cup of slightly overcooked rice and 2 cups of whole milk to your heated pan. Lightly stir this mixture.[1] If you like a smoother texture, mash the rice slightly before adding it to the milk.[1]
    • Add your mixture of saffron and sugar to the milk and rice in the pan.[1]
  5. Stir the mixture over the heat. You’ll need to make sure that you don’t leave the mixture in the pan at this point to keep it from burning. Keep stirring the pan until the mixture reaches a consistency that you wish.[1]
    • You should let the mixture thicken over the heat, but you can decide how thick it gets. Some people like their kheer thinner like a creamy soup while others like their kheer thick like oatmeal.
  6. Add the sugar and remaining ingredients. Once your kheer has reached the desired consistency, add the 3 tablespoons sugar and the raisins and mixed nuts. Fold these ingredients into the mixture.
    • Add the sugar before the raisins and mixed nuts. You might want to taste the kheer at this point to see if it needs more sugar.
    • Drain the raisins and add them to the mixture along with the 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios and 1 tablespoon chopped almonds.[1]
    • Remove the pan from the heat and add the 1/8 teaspoon powdered cardamom.
  7. Serve and enjoy! The time has come for you to enjoy your kheer! You can serve the dish either hot or cold, depending on your taste and the time of year.
    • Consider topping your kheer with a few chopped pistachios or almonds for the visual effect.

Making Vermicelli Kheer

  1. Learn about vermicelli kheer. Vermicelli kheer is one popular variation of a rice pudding-like dessert often made in southeast Asian countries like India and Pakistan for special occasions.[3] This simple and quick recipe is a year-round favorite that can be served topped with any number of things from chopped nuts like pistachios or almonds to spices such as cardamom and saffron.
    • There is no one standard recipe for kheer. Each family and geographic region makes kheer using some variation of the recipe.[1]
    • Vermicelli kheer is also known as semiya payasam.[3]
  2. Gather supplies. You’ll need to gather the ingredients for your vermicelli kheer before you start cooking it. The recipe is fairly simple, but you may need to go to a specialty Indian food store for ingredients if your local supermarket doesn’t carry them.
    • For vermicelli kheer that serves four people you need the following ingredients: ½ cup roasted vermicelli; 2 ½ cups warmed whole milk; ½ cup sweetened, condensed milk; 2-3 tablespoons mixed, dried fruits and nuts; ½ teaspoon cardamom powder; 1 tablespoon ghee; a pinch of saffron.[3]
    • If you live near an Indian food store, you can buy roasted vermicelli so that you don’t need to roast it separately.[3]
    • The amount of milk you use can increase or decrease depending on how creamy you want your kheer.[3]
    • Use any dried fruits and nuts you like such as raisins, dried cherries, cashews, almonds, or pistachios.[3]
    • Ghee is a type of Indian butter. If you cannot find it, you can use clarified butter.
  3. Roast the dried fruits and nuts and vermicelli. Before you can start cooking your vermicelli kheer, you’ll need to quickly roast the dried fruits and nuts. If you don’t live near an Indian food store or simply just prefer to do the work yourself, you’ll also need to roast your vermicelli.
    • Use any small or medium heavy bottomed pan that you have to roast the nuts and dried fruits and vermicelli.[3]
    • Heat the pan over a medium gas flame or electric stove setting and add the ghee.[3]
    • When the ghee has melted in the heated pan, add the nuts and brown slightly. Then add the raisins until they puff up.[3] Set this roasted mixture of dried fruits and nuts aside while you roast the vermicelli.
    • Add the vermicelli to the remaining ghee or clarified butter in the pan until it is also a golden brown. Leave in the pan.[3]
  4. Cook your vermicelli kheer. Once you’ve roasted the vermicelli and dried fruits and nuts, you’re ready to cook the vermicelli kheer. Make sure to not leave the pan at this stage so that it doesn’t burn.
    • To the roasted vermicelli in the pan, add the milk and a few of the nuts.[3]
    • Put a lid on the top of the pan for about 6-8 minutes to cook the vermicelli.[3]
  5. Add the condensed milk, cardamom and saffron and cook longer. Once the vermicelli has cooked, remove the pan lid and add the ½ cup sweetened, condensed milk; ¼ teaspoon powdered cardamom; and pinch of saffron.[3]
    • Taste the mixture and add more condensed milk if you want the kheer to be sweeter.[3]
    • After you’ve added the condensed milk, cardamom, and saffron, allow the mixture to cook for a few more minutes and thicken to a desired consistency.[4]
    • Let the mixture thicken over the heat and decide how thick it gets. Some people like their kheer thinner like a creamy soup while others like their kheer thick like oatmeal.
  6. Garnish with the remaining dried fruits and nuts.[3] Use whatever leftover dried fruits and nuts you have on top of your kheer. If you like, you can garnish with different fruits and nuts than are in the kheer for more complex flavors.
  7. Serve and enjoy! The time has come for you to enjoy your vermicelli kheer! You can serve the dish either hot or cold, depending on your taste and the time of year.
    • You can also garnish your vermicelli kheer with fruits like strawberries, bananas or apples for extra flavor and visual effect.



Warnings

  • If you are diabetic, consider an alternative to the sugar.
  • Avoid making if you are allergic to milk or gluten.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 http://showmethecurry.com/desserts/rice-kheer-chawal-ki-kheer-sweet-dish.html
  2. ↑ http://showmethecurry.com/desserts/rice-kheer-chawal-ki-kheer-sweet-dish.html
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 http://chefinyou.com/2012/10/semiya-payasam/
  4. ↑ http://chefinyou.com/2012/10/semiya-payasam/

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