Kheer, an Indian sub-continent cuisine, is a rice pudding made by boiling rice with milk and sugar. Kheer-like dessert is common in Middle East and West. It is said that Kheer was first made at Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, 2000 years ago. Kheer is prepared on different occasions like festivals and weddings. You can make Kheer from various fruits like apple, orange or banana. Zafrani (kesar) kheer is also popular among the sweet dish lovers. You can add dry fruits and spices, like cinnamon and green cardamom (elaichi), to give variations and flavours.
Origin of Kheer
Kheer is healthy and rich in calcium. It’s a versatile dish. Romans were the first to give variations in kheer by adding rose water and dry fruits. They call it stomach’s secondary refrigerator. In ancient history it is mentioned that the people then used to have kheer as dessert.
Shahi Kheer Recipe for 5-6 people
Ingredients
- 500 gm mawa (khoya)
- 200 gm cooked rice
- 170 gm sugar or according to your taste
- 25 gm crushed coconut
- 10 gm pistachios, almonds, cashews, raisins
- 2 tspn pure ghee
- 2 ltr milk
- 3-4 green cardamom, cloves (laung)
- 1 chandi ka warq (silver sheet)
How to cook Shahi Kheer
Heat the ghee in a medium-sized pot (the size of pot should be according to the quantity of kheer). After heating for one minute add cloves and cardamom. You need not peel the cardamom. Now add milk and bring it to boil. Add cooked rice and mawa (khoya) to it. Stir and mix the rice and khoya well.
After 5 minutes add sugar to it and mix well. Keep stirring continuously else the mixture will stick at the bottom of the vessel. After around 30 minutes of cooking the rice will break into small pieces and the mixture will become thick. Your Shahi Kheer is ready.
Take it out in a serving bowl and garnish it with the dry fruits and crushed coconut. Decorate it with chandi ka warq. Serve hot or cold, it depends on you how you would like to eat the kheer.
You can remove the cloves from the kheer before garnishing if you want.
Kheer can be made with the leftover rice too.
–Recipe written by Shumayala Khan