Pakistan – Kheer (Rice Milk Pudding)

by Dahiza Umar

INTRODUCTION

Kheer is the traditional dessert famous in subcontinent regions like Pakistan or India and even in Bangladesh, it is usually made by adding rice to the milk and let it simmer on low heat then additional flavors are added like cardamom, saffron or rose to give this nice creamy dessert a kick to flavor. It is one of the most favorite and famous dessert that is cooked on special occasion celebration or get together to give your lunch or dinner a memorable time while eating this dessert. As it is so easy and quick to make, it is so simple to make by 2 3 ingredients that usually found in your kitchen so you can make it as after meal dessert usually which everyone love the creamy texture and richness of the KHEER.

Dessert is the special and important part of every meal, and it is not wrong to said that:

”DESSERT IS MADE BY SUGAR AND LOVE”

This dessert has many varieties even it is served hot or cold as per choice. In Pakistan, there are many season and temperature rise to 40 degrees in summer so it is served cold when served with dry fruits like almonds, pistachios, walnuts etc and when it is cold like 1 or 2 degree it is served hot to get the coziness from the cold winters.

On festivals like eid or shabrats it is distributed over the neighbors in a very traditional way, small pots made up of clay is filled with kheer and than garnished with some nuts than distributes those small clay pots filled up with Kheer on the special occasions or festivals

HISTORY

KHEER, is a word derived from Persian word SHEER, means ”sweetened milk” is made in old ages like in the region of subcontinent when it is cooked honey is added as a Royal rich dessert is made on Royal dinners on the special festivals.

PLACE OF ORIGIN

Indian Subcontinent

INGREDIENTS

• 1 liter milk
• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp green cardamom powder
• 1 tsp saffron
• 1 tsp kewra essence
• 1 tsp rose water
• 4 tbsp almonds
• 4 tbsp pistachio
• 4 tbsp walnuts
• 6 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp coconut powder
• 2 tbsp coconut sliced

METHOD

• Take a large cooking pot and add milk into it, when milk starts simmering add rice that are soaked a night beforeand let it cooked on low heat.
• Now when milk starts evaporating, starts stirring the milk mixture otherwise it burnt from the bottom.
• When milk densed and rice is cooked add sugar and other dried ingredients and let it cooked for 10 minutes.
• Now choice is yours, either served it hot and cold garnished it with dried nuts.
• Enjoy!

CUISINE : ASIAN, PAKISTAN

COURSE : DESSERT

PREPARATION TIME : 10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME : 30 MINUTES