Instant Pot Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)
Creamy Indian rice pudding with cardamom & saffron—this dump-and-start Instant Pot kheer needs no stirring or babysitting. A festive favorite made easy!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 346kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 2 tablespoon sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoon chopped cashews
- 2 tablespoon sliced pistachios
- 2 tablespoon golden raisins
- ¼ cup water
- 5 cups whole milk can use 2%milk / almond milk/ coconut milk - see notes
- ½ cup Basmati rice or Jasmine rice or any long grain white rice
- ¼-½ teaspoon saffron ¼ tsp= light yellow; ½ tsp= rich yellow
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom to be added after cooking
Instructions
- Rinse rice 2-3 times till the water runs clear. Soak it in fresh water while you prep and gather other ingredients. Chop nuts as desired.
- Turn on saute mode. Melt ghee and add nuts, stirring continously. Toast them for 1 minute, then add the raisins and sauté for an additional minute. Remove apromptly and reserve for later.
- Add water to the pot prevents the milk from scorching, followed by milk, rice, sugar, and saffron. Let the milk heat up for 2-3 minutes, then cancel the saute.
- Close the lid and set the vent to the sealing position. Set Porridge mode for 20 minutes. Once the cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid after the pin drops.
- Using a potato masher, gently mash some rice. This releases the starch and makes the pudding naturally creamy.
- Stir in ground cardamom, toasted nuts, and raisins. Turn on saute mode and simmer the rice pudding for a few minutes to thicken to your desired consistency. Note: Keep in mind that kheer will thicken significantly as it cools. If Kheer is too thick, add more milk and simmer it for a few minutes. Adjust sugar, if needed.Enjoy it warm, or cool completely, then refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
Video
Notes
- Use whole milk for creamier kheer.
- Skip the nuts to make it nut-free.
- Add water first, temper the milk, and use a clean pot to prevent the burn error.
- Mash the rice for that sought-after creamy texture. This releases some of the starch in the grains, resulting in a rich pudding.
- Kheer thickens after cooling, so stop simmering when it's still a bit runny.
- Warm kheer tastes sweeter than cold. The quantity mentioned in this recipe is based on serving it chilled. Adjust the sugar according to your preferred eating temperature.
- Note about cardamom: Homemade ground cardamom seeds release the best flavor. Store-bought powder is very weak comparatively.
- Note about saffron: This adds a yellow tint, so skip it if you prefer a white kheer. The quantity of saffron you add determines the intensity of color.
Nutrition
Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 342IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 1mg