Chef Samira Nanda is host of Essence of India on Gusto TV (gustotv.com). Sundays at 7PM/7:30PM ET / 4PM/4:30PM PT on Bell TV Ch. 619.

Diwali Kheer (Rice Pudding)

Kheer is an ever popular sweet dish that is eaten during Diwali, the Festival of Lights. It’s a sort of Indian Christmas where we dress up and visit friends and family with gifts. We eat Mithai and Kheer.

Today we are making kheer as its ingredients are easier to find in Canadian supermarkets.

In India rice kheer is the most popular although one can also use fine noodles. In Canada, one can use the regular vermicelli noodles available at any grocery stores.

It’s a very popular Diwali recipe across India.

Ingredients:

¼th Cup or 100 g Basmati rice/or a half a packet of vermicelli noodles
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 liter fresh milk
Cardamom / Elaichi powder- a pinch
For Garnish: Sliced pistachios, Almonds, Raisins, saffron strands
An extra ingredient can be a fruit like peaches or apples or mangoes, for added health and taste

Instructions:

Boil fresh milk in a heavy bottomed pan.
Add rice or vermicelli noodles to the milk and mix.
Cook on a low flame till the rice grains turn soft and begin to break.
Now add cardamom powder to the rice-milk mixture and stir well.
Keeping the slow flame, mix in the sweetened condensed milk into the pan and stir thoroughly.
Simmer for another 4-7 minutes. Remove from fire and pour kheer into a serving bowl.
During Diwali, pretty silver bowls are used, or decorated bowls to add to the festivities.

Garnish with sliced pistachios, almonds and Raisins and fine saffron strands (an interesting fact on saffron- its the most expensive spice in the world and their was a heavy saffron trade between Europe and the East and there were even Saffron Wars fought back in the 14th century.

Chef Samira Nanda is host of Essence of India on Gusto TV (gustotv.com). Sundays at 7PM/7:30PM ET / 4PM/4:30PM PT on Bell TV Ch. 619.

Photo credit: Essence of India on Gusto TV gustotv.com