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Maharashtra · Dessert

Kheer (Maharashtra Style / Doodh Kheer)

Slow-cooked rice pudding simmered in full-fat milk until thick and creamy, sweetened with sugar and finished with saffron, cardamom and charoli — the Maharashtrian version of rice kheer is less dense than North Indian versions, with each rice grain tender and separate in a milky, lightly thickened base. Served at every puja, naming ceremony and festival as both prasad and dessert.

🧺 Ingredients

• 1 litre (4 cups) full-fat milk
• ¼ cup (50 g) short-grain rice (Ambemohar or Kolam), washed
• ½ cup (100 g) sugar
• 20 strands saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
• 1 tsp cardamom powder (6 pods)
• 2 tbsp charoli (chironji) seeds
• 2 tbsp pistachios, blanched and slivered
• 1 tbsp cashews, halved
• 1 tsp ghee
• Adding 2 tbsp condensed milk at the end makes it extra rich (festive version)
• Vermicelli (sevai) can substitute rice for shevyachi kheer (Recipe 36)

👩‍🍳 How to make Kheer

1. Bring 1 litre milk to a boil in a heavy, wide pan over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
2. Add washed, drained rice.
3. Reduce to low-medium heat.
4. Cook uncovered, stirring every 4–5 minutes, for 30–35 minutes until rice is fully cooked and soft and the milk has thickened noticeably.
5. Stir from the bottom at each interval — rice settles and scorches.
6. Visual cue: when you tilt the pan, the kheer should flow slowly, not like water.
7. The milk will have reduced by about one-third.
8. Add sugar.
9. Stir over low heat for 5 minutes until sugar completely dissolves.
10. The kheer will loosen slightly — that's normal; it thickens on cooling.
11. Add saffron milk, cardamom powder and ghee.
12. Stir for 2 minutes.
13. Remove from heat.
14. Add charoli, pistachios and cashews.
15. Stir gently.
16. Serve warm immediately, or cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 2 hours for a thicker chilled version.
17. Garnish with additional saffron strands and pistachios on each bowl.

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