Kheer

With it’s rich, creamy, slow-cooked flavour, kheer is quite possibly the most popular dessert for any South Asian festivity.  I’d call this South Asian rice pudding, but that just wouldn’t do it justice. The ingredients are few and the directions simple but there’s something wonderfully marvelous about it. And I’ll just come out and say it, no one makes kheer like my Mama makes kheer. Mmm, totally awesome & perfect. You can try and recreate this recipe but I can’t guarantee it’ll taste the same without my Mama’s magic.

Eid ul-Adha Mubarak to all my Muslim readers! Have some kheer.

Kheer
[Serves 10–12]

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rice, rinsed and drained
2 litres whole milk
5 cardamom pods, crushed
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Sugar to taste (optional)
2 tbsp slivered almonds
2 tbsp slivered pistachios
1/4 cup raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center of oven
2. On stovetop, in a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat milk until it comes to a boil
3. Stir in rice and cardamom pods
4. Transfer rice-milk mixture to the oven
5. Bake for 1 hour or until thickened, stirring occasionally
6. Take mixture out of the oven and blend with an immersion blender for 1 minute (until rice is just broken up)
7. Stir in condensed milk and raisins
8. Cook for another 10-15 minutes until desired consistency is achieved
9. Pour in serving dish and garnish with almonds & pistachios
10. Let cool at room temperature, then chill overnight

Enjoy!