Make ultra creamy rice kheer in the Instant Pot in less than 40 minutes. Less stirring and perfectly cooked kheer that will be ready with little effort. Also included is a traditional stove top pressure cooker method.
Note: This recipe was originally posted in January 2010 as a stove top pressure cooker recipe but I have updated the post to include the more popular Instant Pot method.
Rice kheer is an Indian dessert made from staple ingredients such as milk, rice and sugar. It’s usually flavoured with cardamom or saffron and garnished with nuts.
For Indian kheer, you do not need to grind down the rice. This is more common in Pakistani recipes and is known as phirni. I’ve made a fusion caramel phirni .
Ingredients notes
Full recipe in the recipe card below
Rice – For kheer, basmati is perfect, but other white rice will work too. English rice pudding recipes use short grain rice such as rice pudding rice or arborio. You could also try the Indian variety gobindbhog rice which is short grain, sticky and aromatic. Note that different rice types and brands all cook at different rates. My preference is to wash the rice before using in the recipe. Some choose not too as it makes the kheer even richer and more creamy.
Milk – For a rich and creamy taste whole milk is must. If using semi-skimmed or skimmed, you may want to add single or double cream or evaporated milk.
Sugar – I use granulated white sugar.
Spices and Nuts – To add Indian flavour to the kheer, I add cardamom. I’ve only used a little saffron to garnish. For garnishing, I use a mix of almonds and pistachio. Optionally, you can swirl over some Instant Pot strawberry and rhubarb jam once the kheer has totally cooled down.
Add a flavour variation by making mango kheer – mango pulp added after Kheer is cooked and cooled down totally.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method & A note from my Mum, Jagruti
Since the stovetop pressure cooker arrived in Indian kitchens with its little recipe books, one dish always stood out. It was kheer. I still remember when my mum bought a 6-litre Hawkins pressure cooker. She made kheer in it that very day and could not praise it enough. From then on, the only way she made kheer was in a pressure cooker.
Naturally, I picked up that method too. You might wonder about the taste or texture, but this pressure-cooker kheer is every bit as delicious as the traditional version. It’s creamy, rich and completely irresistible. And it comes together with minimal effort – no sweating, no stress, and no standing over the stove for hours.
You’ll need a 5 litre pressure cooker to make kheer for 4 people. Try not to use a small pressure cooker as there is a chance that the milk mixture will overflow.
Method:
- Bring milk to a boil in a pressure cooker without closing the lid.
- Add ghee, sugar and washed rice and stir the mixture till sugar dissolves in the milk.
- Close the cooker with the lid and bring it up to full pressure, reduced heat to low and cook for 10-12 minutes.
- Let the pressure cooker cool down naturally.
- Open the lid and stir the kheer, add cream or evaporated milk and cardamom.
- Place the cooker once again on a heat and simmer ( without the lid) the kheer for a couple of minutes more or until it reaches a creamy consistency.
- Serve hot or cold in a serving bowl, garnish it with slivered pistachio, almonds, saffron threads, edible silver or gold foil and edible rose petals.
Serving Suggestions
Kheer is often made during festive occasions or as a prasad. It can be served and enjoyed at any temperature as a dessert.
In our family we serve kheer with deep fried poori along with aloo matar or aloo chole (chana bateta nu saak) at breakfast.
Gujaratis also served with round and soft Gujarati rotlis at religious ceremonies too.
Instant Pot Kheer
Equipment
- 6 qt Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 cup Milk whole
- ⅛ cup Basmati rice
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 100 millilitres Double cream or evaporated milk (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom powder
- 3-4 tablespoon Nuts Slivered
- 7-8 strands Saffron optional
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup cold water in the INSTANT POT inner pot.
- Add 2 cup whole milk, 1/8 cup basmati rice, and 1/2 cup sugar.
- Close the lid and select the ‘PORRIDGE’ button and set for 20 minutes.
- Wait for the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid.
- Give it a quick stir and switch on ‘SAUTE’ mode for 5 minutes.
- Add cardamom, chopped nuts and cream if using.
- Allow the kheer to thicken a little if it needs, then remove from the heat.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Instant Pot Kheer
Equipment
- 6 qt Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 cup Milk whole
- ⅛ cup Basmati rice
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 100 millilitres Double cream or evaporated milk (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom powder
- 3-4 tablespoon Nuts Slivered
- 7-8 strands Saffron optional
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup cold water in the INSTANT POT inner pot.
- Add 2 cup whole milk, 1/8 cup basmati rice, and 1/2 cup sugar.
- Close the lid and select the ‘PORRIDGE’ button and set for 20 minutes.
- Wait for the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid.
- Give it a quick stir and switch on ‘SAUTE’ mode for 5 minutes.
- Add cardamom, chopped nuts and cream if using.
- Allow the kheer to thicken a little if it needs, then remove from the heat.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Fight back flu and colds with this Goji Berries, Mushroom and Sweet Potato vegan soup that is nothing but a powerhouse of goodness!
Love to use Instant Pot for your cooking? have a look at our many vegetarian and vegan Instant Pot Recipes
GOJI BERRY, MUSHROOM AND SWEET POTATO
Goji berries are a little expensive to get but cheaper than going to a medical store, and nowadays easily available everywhere.
THIS SOUP IS GOOD FOR
✔️Immune system – clods and flu ✔️Heart and Circulation – High cholesterol ✔️Joints and Bones – Arthritis ✔️Skin – Acne
Can I make this soup in the Instant Pot?
More soup recipes
Goji Berries, Mushrooms and Sweet Potato Soup
ingredients
- 50 g goji berries
- 400 g organic mushrooms sliced
- 3-4 medium sweet potatoes, diced with skin left on ( lots of goodness is in the skin )
- 1 big onion roughly chopped
- 2-3 green chillies chopped
- 1/2 tsp. red chilli flakes ( optional )
- 5-6 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 tbsp. fresh ginger chopped
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1-litre vegetable stock
- salt and pepper
instructions
NOTES:
This soup can be prepared in an Instant pot or any other electric pressure cooker.
I have garnished the soup with rosemary, just for the photographic purpose as I was run out of fresh green chillies. However, when we had the soup we really enjoyed the rosemary flavours in this soup :)
Note:- This post was originally posted in December 2014 but I have updated the post since with newer photos and content.
