Kheer /Rice sweet pudding:

Kheer is considered an essential dish in many Hindu and Muslim feasts and celebrations. It is prepared using milk, rice, ghee, and dry fruits (almonds, pistachios, Raisins) and sometimes flavored with saffron. While the dish is most often made with rice, but when made with vermicelli, its called Semiyan (sayviah).

While preparing kheer, the authentic, way requires a lot of patience, time and effort, but there is also a quick and simple way to do it, without compromising on the taste at all! I 'll tell you how. ;)

You need:

Fine quality basmati rice – 1 Cup

Cardamom – 4 pods

Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Evaporated milk – 1 Can (big)

Sugar – ¾ cup (adjust as per taste)

Saffron – 4-5 Strands

Dry fruits – Almonds, Pistachios, Cashew nuts, Raisins

1. Pressure cook rice with 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of water and 4 pods of green cardamom. Rice should be pretty soft and moist. Now remove cardamom pods.
2. Now in a deep pan, boil 1 cup of milk with cardamom powder, and 2 strands of saffron.
3. Add the rice and being to a boil.
4. Add evaporated milk and sugar now.
5. Cook till you get the consistency of your choice.
6. Switch off heat and add all the dry fruits of your choice and remaining saffron.
7. Serve hot or chilled.

*You can omit the saffron and make just cardamom flavored kheer.