Exotic Rice Pudding with a Secret Ingredient
Kheer is a traditional, delicious dessert, often referred to as rice pudding. To make kheer, you don’t need any special occasion—just treat yourself. Kheer has many variations. Traditionally, it is made with rice and milk, but rice can be replaced with different vegetables, fruits, or lentils. I have done many videos and posts on Manjula's Kitchen website and YouTube channel related different kheer recipes. This time, I decided to make rice kheer with a new twist. Petha is a candy-like treat made with ash gourd or winter melon, and it is readily available in Indian grocery stores. Adding Petha gives a very refreshing twist to kheer. My friends couldn't believe it, and all of them enjoyed it. For many years i've been experimenting various indian rice recipes, and today made one more change to the rice, and they kept asking about it, amazed that it was indeed rice. This recipe is very easy and takes less time than traditional kheer. Petha Rice Kheer is a fruity twist on the favorite Indian dessert, Rice Kheer. It is an easy recipe but feels like you have spent a lot of time.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ cup rice cooked
- ½ cup thinly sliced Petha, available in Indian grosser
- 2 tbsp almond powder, preferred blanched almond powder
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp cardamom crushed
- 2 tbsp sliced pistachios for garnishing
Instructions
- Blend the rice with half a cup of milk until the rice looks like pearls; do not make it into a paste, as this is a very important part of this recipe.
- Heat a pan on medium-low and add 2 tablespoons of water, ensuring the surface of the pan is wet. Add the blended rice, milk, thinly sliced patha, and almond powder. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring the milk to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and cleaning the sides to prevent the milk from burning.
- Add sugar and cardamom and cook for a few more minutes. Remember, as the kheer (pudding) comes to room temperature, it will thicken slightly. If needed, add a bit more milk and bring it to a boil once more. At this point, you can also adjust the sugar.
- The kheer is ready. Serve it chilled and garnish with sliced pistachios.
Notes
About Rice Kheer, or pudding
Different part of India Kheer is made different, in north kheer is made using any long grain rice.
In South part of India, it is known Rice Payasm and they use short grain rice, ghee and Jaggery.
In Bangel is known as Payesh with rice and date palm jaggery.
One thing common they all use different nuts of their choice.