Rice Pudding / Rice Kheer in a Slow Cooker

There comes a time in every newly married women’s life when we are trying to impress our inlaws and hubby by trying to claim that we can cook well and when Indian roots are embedded in you, then rice pudding / kheer normally happens to be on the list too. We Indian gals waste hell lot of a time stirring the pudding on low heat so that the milk doesn’t stick to the bottom – yet there are the unfortunate moments when even after constantly stirring for almost an hour, few minutes of ignorance and tiredness is all it takes to give it a burnt taste or S—- the pudding completely.

This is generally the way traditional Indian rice pudding is made. Stirring milk and rice on low flame until the milk reduces by 2/3 which could take an hour or more depending on how much pudding you are making.

Don’t you think that life is too short to waste you time making such a time consuming pudding. Having said that, if you have an option to make this with breeze won’t you wanna make it.

In the time of slow cookers and condensed milk we shouldn’t be spending our valuable time in the kitchen. We could definitely catch few episodes of Gilmore Girls or Good Wife in that time if not reading a book or who cares, just sitting-absolutely doing nothing.

BTW the condensed milk in rice pudding gives it a rich and creamy taste.

All you have to do is stir all the ingredients in the slow cooker and turn the heat to high. It takes about 4-5 hours. Once its done and as the pudding sits, it thickens. You might want to leave enough liquid when you take the pudding off the heat.

Let it cool at room temperature and then cover and refrigerate it for an hour or two. Most people like it cold or at room temperature.

Before serving or once cooled, garnish with slivered or sliced almonds or coarsely chopped pistachios and saffron.

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Rice Pudding

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

4 hrs

Total Time

4 hrs 10 mins

 

Servings: 6 -7

Author: Teena Agnel

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup raw rice
• 4 cups milk Whole milk or 2% milk ideal
• 1 cup 14oz (397g) sweet condensed milk
• pinch of saffron
• 1 teaspoon cardamon powder
• FOR GARNISH Use both or any one
• 1/4 cup slivered / sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios.
• 4-5 strands of saffron

Instructions

1. Wash the rice and drain well.
2. SLOW COOKER METHOD:
3. Add all the ingredients mentioned above except the garnish to a slow cooker and stir well. Turn the heat to high and come back after 4 hours (You might wanna stir once in between if the heat is on high).
4. Alternately you can turn the heat to low if you want the pudding ready in 8 hours.
5. STOVE TOP METHOD:
6. Add all the above ingredients except the garnish to a heavy bottom sauce pan. Bring the milk to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and leave it covered with a slight opening for the excess steam to evaporate. Stir every 5-10 minutes till the rice is cooked and the pudding thickens. Takes about 30 - 40 minutes.
7. (Pudding tends to thicken once its cools. You might want to leave enough liquid when you take the pudding off the heat.)
8. Let it cool at room temperature and then cover and refrigerate it for an hour or two. Most people like it cold or at room temperature.
9. Garnish with chopped nuts and saffron before serving.

Recipe Notes

Important: Every slow cooker is different. So the 1st time when you are using this method, keep an eye every hour or 2 hours ensuring that it doesn't stick to the bottom.

You can also lightly brush the inside of your slow cooker with oil before adding all the ingredients.

Sweetness: You can add 3/4 cup of condensed milk initially and then after 2 hours if the sweetness is not enough add the remaining 1/4 cup and stir.

You might have to take a note of the sweetness and slow cooker timings the 1st time.