Chawal ki Kheer – Pakistani Rice Pudding

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In Urdu there is this expression – “haath ka maza” – it literally translates to the taste in someones hand, but is a nod to the idea that there is an intrinsic style to everyone’s cooking. My MIL is our resident expert chawal ki kheer maker, while this recipe incorporates a tip from her it does not attempt to be hers. Something about her haath ka maza I think.

It is still really good if I do say so myself and a derivative of this recipe I found from a lovely blog I discovered recently. The blog is called Rookie with a Cookie and she cooks with a zestful passion that had me reading her posts well into the night. Her chawal ki kheer is one that mimics the classic kheer you get in Pakistan, the kind in two earthenware bowls tied together. While I love that dearly, I wanted to make a more homestyle kheer and ended up making a quicker version of hers that incorporates a tip from my MIL.

My favourite part about this recipe is the preboiling of the rice and mashing to teeny tiny pieces. It makes me question my previous raw rice moves. hmmm 

Ok so here are my quick kheer tips:-

1. Keep your skim milk to yourself
2. Do not bust out the nonstick pan, your kheer will burn
3. Low and slow is the way to go

Also many of the recent recipes I have been sharing are by request from my instagram fam, if you have something you’d like to see let me know and I will do my best!

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Chawal ki Kheer - Pakistani Rice Pudding

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice, soaked
• 1 litre whole milk
• 5-6 cardamom pods
• 10 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup cream (or half n half)

Instructions

1. Boil your rice until it is mushy - this is at least 10 minutes of active boiling

2. While that happens use a wide bottomed steel pot (NOT NON STICK) to bring your milk to a simmer

3. Lightly bruise the cardamom pods and add them to the milk, keep the temperature low, 

4. Once the rice is mushy, drain most of the water and then mash it up thoroughly on a plate with a fork

5. Add to the milk mixture along with the sugar. Mix well.

6. Cook on low - a gentle simmer for an hour. The milk will scald at the bottom of the pan but should not burn. Stir with a rubber spatula every now and then to check.

7. The kheer will cook down quite a bit in this time, add 1/4 cup of the cream you are using and taste - add more sugar or cream if desired

8. Serve garnished with nuts or plain. 

Recipe Notes

I have ruined many a pot trying to rush the process, spare yourselves! The kheer cooks beautifully at a low temperature, and requires little babysitting. Turn the heat up and you are on perpetual stirring duty.