Pakistan Eats

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Features
  • Collections
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Collections
  • Features
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Collections
    • Features
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Sweets

    Kashmiri Style Kheer (Rice Pudding)

    December 4, 2019 by pakistaneats 6 Comments

    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    I'm back with another recipe adaptation from Sarla Razdan's book, Kashmiri Cuisine: Through the Ages (the first one was fried pumpkin flowers). I'm especially excited about this kheer (rice pudding) recipe because the blog is extremely short on desserts. There was not a huge variety of Pakistani desserts that were prepared in my home. Aside from sawaiyyan and gajar ka halwa (check out Izzah's genius Instant Pot recipe), my mother would mostly prepare Western ones (my personal favorite was the "KitKat dessert" that was cake rusk doused in black coffee and topped with cream and crushed KitKat).

    People, including South Asians, have mixed feelings about desi desserts. They are heavy on dairy and sugar, and mostly ignore the wide variety of fruits that are available in the region. That said, if prepared correctly, they are the perfect close to a festive day. Kheer, like sawaiyyan, is a celebratory dessert that is served during Eid or at weddings. It's something that I would normally have at functions rather than at home although, I do know that variations of kheer are very popular within the home. Personally, I have always preferred sawaiyyan to kheer but this adaptation may have just changed my mind.

    In the original recipe, Razdan added raisins as well as crushed cashews. I am not a huge fan of raisins in my kheer, and found that the cashews didn't add much value. I also heavily reduced the amount of sugar and saffron. Even a pinch of saffron will add the desired gentle hue and aroma. The real game changer however, was Razdan's addition of desiccated coconut. It added much needed depth of flavor to an otherwise very simple dessert.

    Tips to Make Kheer

    Many thanks to my Instagram buddies for guiding me as I experimented with this recipe. Special shout-out to talented graphic designer, Chaudhry Aleem for sharing a lot of great tips.

    • Soak the rice for six hours or more, and make sure you break the wet rice with your hands before adding it to the milk to cook.
    • Pay attention to the pot at all times. Make sure you are stirring on a consistent basis to thicken the mixture and ensure that no rice sticks to the bottom of the pot.
    • How long you let the milk and rice cook will depend on how thick you want the kheer to be. I found 50 minutes worked for me. Some found the texture to be too wet after it came off the stove. But the mixture does thicken when you place it in the fridge. Play around with the recipe and see what you like!
    kheer rice pudding

    Kheer (Rice Pudding)

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 6

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup basmati rice soaked overnight
    • 8 cups whole milk
    • ⅓ cup sugar
    • ¼ cup almonds slivered
    • ¼ cup desiccated coconut
    • ¼ teaspoon saffron crushed
    • 3 cardamom pods cracked

    Instructions
     

    • Break the soaked basmati rice with your hands.
    • Add milk and rice to a large pot. Bring to boil, about 3 minutes, and let it simmer on low heat for 40 minutes while stirring often.
    • Add sugar and keep stirring, about 5 minutes.
    • Add the remaining ingredients and let it simmer while stirring for another 8 – 10 minutes.
    • Place in serving bowl and top with slivered almonds for garnish. Let the kheer cool down to room temperature before putting it in the fridge. Serve cold.

    Notes

    For some, the kheer might not be as thick as you want it after 50 minutes of cooking time. I found that it naturally thickens further once you place it in the fridge, and personally, I prefer my kheer to retain some creaminess. If you want your kheer to be thicker, let it simmer for an hour or more while stirring constantly. 
    Keyword dairy

    More Sweets

    • Zeera Biscuits (Cumin Biscuits)
    • suji-ka-halwa
      Suji Ka Halwa (Semolina Pudding)
    • Parsi Wedding Custard (Lagan Nu)
    • seviyan-landscape
      Seviyan (Vermicelli Pudding)

    Comments

    1. Izzah says

      December 10, 2019 at 1:56 am

      Absolutely love the styling and recipe. It looks so classic, yet special. The coconut must add such a vibrant and fresh flavor. And thank you for the carrot halwa shoutout, Maryam! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Tehmeena says

      January 09, 2020 at 11:35 am

      5 stars
      Can I use pudding rice for this recipe instead of basmati? If so, do I need to soak it?

      Reply
      • pakistaneats says

        February 11, 2020 at 5:50 am

        Hi Tehmeena - apologies for the late response. You can use any type of rice and I would always recommend soaking it. It's important to break the rice before preparing the pudding. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    3. Sam says

      December 27, 2021 at 3:09 am

      Can I use poha instead of rice? Perhaps this would be a quick shortcut?

      Reply
      • pakistaneats says

        December 27, 2021 at 5:32 pm

        Thanks for checking Sam. I don't think you will get the correct consistency and texture from using poha, but I would be curious to hear the result if you do try it!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Modern Shahi Tukray (Bread Pudding) - Pakistan Eats says:
      June 28, 2022 at 1:00 am

      […] Kheer (rice pudding) […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    About Me

    Hi! I'm Maryam, an international educator and food writer, excited about bringing you traditional Pakistani recipes from across the country. Learn more.

    Trending Recipes

    • Masoor Ki Daal (Red Lentils)
    • beef-keema
      Beef Keema with Yogurt
    • seviyan-landscape
      Seviyan (Vermicelli Pudding)
    • Palak Gosht (Mutton Curry with Spinach)

    Summer Recipes

    • Kashmiri Style Fried Pumpkin Flower
    • Nimbu Soda (Pakistani Style Lime Soda)
    • matar pulao
      Matar Pulao (Vegan Pilaf with Peas)
    • lassi
      Classic Sweet Lassi (Yogurt Drink)

    Reader Favorites

    • Nur's Borani Banjan (Eggplant with Yogurt)
    • Kali Mirch Chicken (Black Pepper Chicken)
    • Karela Sabzi (Bitter Melon Vegetable)
    • Masoor Ki Daal (Red Lentils)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Order My Debut Cookbook "Pakistan"

    Pakistan cookbook cover

    Order my critically-acclaimed debut cookbook, Pakistan, cited as one of the best Spring 2025 cookbooks by Bon Appetit, Eater, Food & Wine, LA Times, and others!

    Pakistan features stunning photography, and over 100 exciting recipes from chutneys and relishes to comforting stews, flavorful meat and seafood dishes, sweet and savory street foods, festive desserts and more!