Rice Kheer Recipe

چاول کی کھیر

Creamy Pakistani rice kheer slowly simmered with basmati rice, full-fat milk and cardamom, then finished with nuts for a rich but spoonable texture.

Key cooking point: Rinse and soak the rice as described, then cook it until completely tender before judging thickness; firm grains will not soften quickly once the milk has reduced.

Creamy rice kheer garnished with nuts and saffron in a serving bowl
Rice kheer with creamy milk, rice and nut garnish; served as a South Asian pudding. Image: Teena Sometimes · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped/resized for display
Prep10 min Cook65 min Total Serves6 CategoryDesserts
Published by Pakistan Food Last updated: Editorial standardsReport a correction

Ingredients for Rice Kheer

  • 1 litre full-fat milk
  • ¼ cup basmati rice, rinsed and soaked for 20–30 minutes
  • ½ cup sugar, or to taste
  • 4 green cardamoms, lightly crushed
  • 2 tbsp sliced almonds
  • 2 tbsp sliced pistachios
  • 1 tsp rose water, optional

How to Make Rice Kheer — Step by Step

  1. Step 1Drain the soaked rice. Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring it gradually to a gentle simmer, stirring across the base so the milk does not scorch.
  2. Step 2Add the drained rice and crushed cardamom. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until the rice becomes very soft and the milk reduces noticeably.
  3. Step 3Lightly mash some of the softened rice against the side of the pot and stir it back in; this releases starch and thickens the kheer naturally without needing a separate thickener.
  4. Step 4Add the sugar only after the rice is tender. Stir until dissolved, then continue simmering gently because the sugar can loosen the mixture temporarily.
  5. Step 5Add most of the almonds and pistachios and cook briefly until the kheer is creamy but still slightly looser than your final target, since it thickens further while cooling.
  6. Step 6Turn off the heat and add rose water if using. Serve warm, or cool promptly and refrigerate before serving chilled, garnished with the remaining nuts.

Technique That Matters

Kheer thickens from both milk reduction and rice starch. Keep the simmer gentle, stir more often as it thickens, and stop while it is slightly looser than your final serving texture because cooling makes it firmer.

Visual & Doneness Cues

  • Rice grains should be very tender and easy to press between the fingers.
  • The milk should look creamy and coat the spoon without a raw watery layer.
  • The base of the pot should stay clean when scraped; browned stuck milk can flavour the whole batch.
  • Hot kheer should be a little looser than the texture you want after chilling.

Rice Kheer Cooking Tips

  • Rinse and soak the rice as described, then cook it until completely tender before judging thickness; firm grains will not soften quickly once the milk has reduced.
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot and stir along the base and corners, especially as the milk thickens, to prevent a scorched layer from forming.
  • Keep the simmer gentle rather than boiling hard. If milk rises quickly or the bottom starts catching, lower the heat and stir before continuing.
  • If the kheer is still thin after the rice is soft, continue a gentle uncovered simmer and stir regularly; do not rush it with high heat.
  • If it looks too thick while hot, stop reducing and loosen it with a little warm milk. It will thicken further as it cools.
  • Add sugar after the rice is tender and the milk has reduced somewhat, then taste and adjust gradually; nuts and rose water are optional finishing ingredients.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using strong heat to speed reduction and scorching milk solids on the bottom.
  • Stopping because the clock is finished while the rice is still firm.
  • Reducing to the final cold thickness while the kheer is still hot.
  • Adding a large amount of sugar before judging how much the milk will reduce.

Substitutions & Adjustments

  • Full-fat milk gives the richest body; lower-fat milk usually needs more careful reduction and will taste lighter.
  • Basmati adds aroma, but another rice can work if you adjust cooking time and understand its starch level.
  • Nuts are optional and can be omitted for allergy or preference; keep cardamom measured so it does not dominate.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Cool leftover kheer promptly, keep it covered and refrigerated, and discard it if it has been left unrefrigerated for an unsafe length of time.

Reheating: Kheer thickens in the refrigerator. Reheat gently with a splash of milk, stirring from the base until smooth, or serve chilled if that is your preference.

Questions About Rice Kheer

Why is my kheer watery?

It may need more gentle reduction, the rice may not have released enough starch, or too much liquid was used. Remember that kheer also thickens while cooling.

Why is kheer grainy?

Possible causes include scorched milk solids, poorly dissolved sugar or rice that was not cooked evenly. Keep the simmer gentle and stir from the base.

When should I stop cooking kheer?

Stop when the rice is fully tender and the hot milk is creamy but still a little looser than the texture you want after cooling.

Serving idea: Serve kheer warm for a softer, milkier texture or chilled for a firmer pudding. Garnish with the reserved almonds and pistachios and, if desired, a few strands of saffron; use small bowls because the full-fat dessert is rich.

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