Kheer or Kheeri or Payesh, Payasam or Phirni is a sweet dish and a type of wet pudding popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice, although rice may be substituted with one of the following: daals, bulgur wheat, millet, tapioca, vermicelli, or sweet corn.
Kheer or Kiru (Maldivian) is a rice pudding from the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, made by boiling rice, broken wheat, tapioca, or vermicelli with milk and sugar; it is flavoured with cardamom, raisins, saffron, cashews, pistachios or almonds. It is typically served during a meal or as a dessert. It is also known in some regions as payasam, payasa, and phirni,while in Bengal the payesh is a variation of Kheer.
How To Make Kheer ?
Ingredients
- ½ cup Barnyard Millet (समा चावल)
- 1 tsp Ghee (घी)
- 1 medium Sweet Potato – finely chopped (शकरकंदी)
- 500-600 ml Milk (दूध)
- ¼ cup Sugar (चीनी)
- ½ tsp Cardamom Powder (इलायची पाउडर)
For Fried Nuts
- 1 tbsp Ghee (घी)
- 10-12 Almonds (बदाम)
- 1 tbsp Chironji (चिरौंजी)
For Puri
- 1 medium Potato – fine mashed (आलू)
- 1 cup Water Chestnut Flour (सिंघाड़े का आटा)
- Sendha Namak to taste (सेंधा नमक स्वादानुसार)
- 1-2 tbsp Water (पानी)
- Oil for frying (तलने के लिए तेल)
Process
- Heat a pot or kadai on medium heat and add barnyard millet and saute for a minute.
- Then add some ghee and saute until fragrant now add chopped sweet potato and continue sauteing for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
- Add the milk and let it cook completely or until thickened.
- Once thickened properly add some more milk then bring it to a boil and add sugar, let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Now finish it with cardamom powder, fried nuts, mix and switch off the flames.
For Fried Nuts
- In a small pan heat ghee and add almonds, let them fry for half a minute then add the chironji, continue frying for another half minute.
- Remove and keep aside for further use.
For Puri
- In a bowl add finely mashed potato, water chestnut flour, sendha namak and knead it properly.
- Now sprinkle some water and knead it into a soft dough. Keep aside for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat oil on medium heat for frying.
- Then take a small portion from the dough and then using the palm of your hand flatten it out by applying some ghee.
- Repeat this for all of the dough and deep fry them in medium hot oil until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve hot with kheer.
Type Of Kheer
Rice Kheer
Traditionally a South Indian wedding dessert, rice kheer or Paal Pasayam is something everybody enjoys after a good spicy meal. Milk and sugar are simmered for a long time along with overcooked rice, till its whitish -pink in colour. Grab a spoon or drink it straight from the bowl! Hotness personified, literally.
Apple Kheer
It’s the Indian version of what the westerner’s call custard! The yummy, crunchy, wholesome bits of apple with hot sweetened milk is just texture apart. It’s got a Mughlai origin, and yes apple pies are not the only things to make from apples!
Paneer Kheer
On hearing about paneer, all the dishes that come to our mind are spicy, barbecued or gravy intensive! Well, think again! Presenting paneer kheer, a mild textural pleasure eclectic dish! Served cold straight from the freezer and topped with your favourite dry fruits is a summer must have.
Orange Kheer
This awesome bowl of dessert makes your eyes pop as your taste buds go crazy, having the sweetness of the milk and tanginess of freshly cut oranges! This amazing combination of flavours when starring right at you, it’s your duty to then wipe the entire bowl clean with your tongue!
Vermicelli Kheer
Vermicelli or Seviya is again a dish loyal to the South Indians. No occasion is complete without it. These long strands of seviya are cooked slowly along with milk, sugar and a few strands of saffron for colour! Soothing your insides, this kheer truly touches your soul!
Poha Kheer
Flattened rice aka poha is enriched with carbohydrates and is really great to be eaten in winters! Combining this goodness of poha with sweet milk and making a lip-smacking kheer dessert is something to watch out for. Poha makes the rice family desserts extremely proud!
Dudhi Kheer
Dudhi or lauki kheer is used in a lot of desserts and is a winter favourite. All the health freaks have to try this. Bottle gourd or dudhi is a low-fat vegetable in itself and when cooked with low-fat milk and less sugar using cardamom makes it perfect for heart patients, bring the calorie count noticeably.
Sabudana Kheer
Indians and their fasts! Sabudana (Tapioca) kheer is best suited for those days! These soft balls of goodness when served with sweet milk makes everybody’s mouth water. Navratri nights, bring this on!
Rava Kheer
When bored at home and want something sweet to eat, all you have to fetch is some Rava (semolina), ghee, milk and sugar! Combine all these simple ingredients and make the most amazing kheer ever! Put on a movie and comfort yourself with a bowl full. On cooling down it tastes good with a chopped banana on top.
Pineapple Kheer
Everybody is familiar with the commonly eaten pineapple desserts like pineapple raita, pineapple ice cream and so on! Adding to this list is our innovative pineapple kheer! The chunky fruit pieces and sweet milk concoction gives the kheer a unique and a fresh flavour. I wish pineapples weren’t seasonal!
Makhane Kheer
Makhane is an Indian name for lotus seeds. Nutmeg is added to simmering milk to make makhane kheer extremely unique! It forms a very creamy dessert. You just can’t keep the bowl down once you start!
Who invented ?
When tracing the history of Kheeri, it has been proven that kheeri was a part of the ancient Indian diet, thanks to its mention in Ayurveda. The Odia version of rice kheer likely originated in the city of Puri, in Odisha more than 2,000 years ago.
Main ingredients: Rice, milk, sugar, cardamom, …
Variations: Barley kheeri, Kaddu ki kheeri, paal …
Alternative names: Payasam, Payasa, Ksheer…
Place of origin: Iran, Indian subcontinent.
