The list of the kind of kheer that are prepared in the country might take you by surprise. For the unversed, kheer is an Indian milk pudding that is sweet and creamy. While this kheer can be made with raw rice, vermicelli is also extensively dunked into it in several parts of the country. Filled with dry fruits and nuts, the richness of this Indian dessert is enhanced. The good part about kheer is that it can be served hot or cold, making it ideal for both winters and summers.
My personal favourite has to be rice kheer and my most favourite version of it is the one made by my grandmother. Taking her own sweet time, she would prepare this heavenly bowl of rice kheer every summers and we would relish it to our heart’s content. There hasn’t been a single time that it has turned out creamy and I’m thankful for that. However, when I tried my hand at making one myself, the results were not very pleasing. There was a burnt taste in the rice pudding and it wasn’t anywhere close to what she makes for us.
Are you attempting to make rice kheer at home too? Here are some hacks that can actually make you ace the kheer game in just one go.
1. Rice Is The Core
While boiling rice to be served with vegetables, we rinse them thoroughly so that they are clean and without any unwanted particles. Although this is an important step to perform when using rice, if you are planning to make kheer with it you shouldn’t rinse it too much. This will make the rice lose its lustre and starch. Hence, your kheer wouldn’t be as creamy as you want it to be.
2. Avoid Lumps
It is possible that your kheer might start showing lumps once cooked. A few reasons for this could be: either you’ve cooked the rice too much or it is possible that the milk has been reduced too much or too less than the required amount. In order to rectify, simply add some more milk and stir continuously to break the lumps.
3. Burnt Or Brown Rice
The trick here is to use a heavy-bottomed pan while cooking kheer. The rice turns out burnt if it starts sticking to the pan. In that case, you should use a thicker wok which doesn’t allow too much heat to reach the ingredients. Continuous stirring of milk along with rice over low to medium heat also ensures it doesn’t get overcooked.
4. Be Generous With Ghee
If you want a rich kheer, you ought be generous with the ghee. Oodles of ghee needs to be added to enhance the flavour and get the right texture.
5. Choice Of Milk Makes A Difference
The creamy kheer owes itself to thick milk. Using toned or fat-free milk won’t give you the same results as a full cream one.