Indian Rice Pudding

No celebration in a Indian home is complete without a Rice Pudding. This better than restaurant, Indian Rice Pudding is simply the best – creamy, thick, fragrant and super delicious. Make it under 45 minutes on the stovetop or in the instant pot with my easy recipe.

A traditional Indian Rice Pudding is creamy and is delicately scented with cardamoms. Sometimes ghee and saffron are also used to impart a rich and classic flavor. Sweet raisins and different kinds of nuts like cashews, almonds and pistachios are used to garnish & provide a crunchy texture.

About Indian Rice Pudding

You are sure to come across many kinds of Rice Pudding from different states and cultures. Kheer, Paal Payasam, Paramannam, Phirni, Payesh, Payasa are some of the different kinds of Indian Rice Puddings. All these have 2 ingredients in common – milk and rice, but vary in the ratios.

The method of preparations, kind of rice and sweetener used is different which makes a difference to the end product.

In this post I share a recipe to make the fastest and one of the most delicious Indian Rice Pudding. It is roughly adapted from many different traditional Indian rice pudding recipes. It tastes delicious and is easy to whip up with pantry staples.

Ingredients & Substitutes

• Rice – You may use any kind of white rice – short, long, newly harvested etc. But starchy rice works best. I have used organic sona masuri raw rice here. If using brown rice, hand pound rice or any other with more bran, please read my expert tips below.
• Milk – Use full fat milk. Low fat will work but the pudding won’t be rich. To make it plant based, you may use any plant based milk.
• Spices – Cardamoms and saffron are used to impart their unique flavors. If you don’t have saffron you may leave out. Rose water, kewra water can also be used but they are optional. These may have preservatives/ additives.
• Organic sugar – we use sugar to sweeten but you may substitute any other sugar substitutes if you want. To use jaggery, coconut jaggery, palm jaggery, read my expert tips section below.
• Ghee – A tablespoon of ghee makes a huge difference to the flavor of this rice pudding. We also use it to fry the cashews and raisins. But if you can’t have ghee, simply toast the nuts until crunchy and use.
• Rice Flour is a magic ingredient that makes the dish creamy and cuts down the cook time. If you don’t have you may omit it or make your own by following the expert tips section below. You can also use custard powder.
• Nuts & raisins – I love using plenty of blanched chopped pistachios and raisins. Blanching & chopping pistachios takes about 15 mins, which you can do while the pudding cooks. If you can’t, leave them out.

Photo Guide

How to make Indian Rice Pudding (Stepwise Photos)

1. Pour ½ cup water and 4 cups milk (or 5 cups if not using rice flour) to a heavy bottom pot. Bring it to a gentle boil on a medium heat. Meanwhile rinse half cup rice, drain the water and add it to the hot milk.

2. Cook on a medium heat, stirring often at the bottom and sides. until the rice is soft, and slightly mushy. It takes me 20 mins to reach this stage.

3. While the rice cooks, gather the ingredients:

• ¼ to ⅓ cup organic sugar (I use ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp, the sugar I use is less sweet)
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 pinch saffron strands (crushed, omit if you don’t have)
• 1 teaspoon edible organic rose water or kewra water (optional)
• 1 tablespoon ghee (more if you want)
• ¼ cup pistachios (optional, may reduce to make low-calorie)
• ¼ cup cashews (may reduce, spli them)
• ¼ cup sweet raisins (avoid tart raisins)
• 1 tablespoon rice flour (optional, but recommended, not glutinous flour or use custard powder)

4. Optional – If using pistachios, place them in a bowl and pour 1 cup boiling hot water. Let sit for 5 mins, drain and rinse with cold water. Place them on a kitchen cloth/papers and rub to remove the skin. Fine chop and keep aside.

5. Add 1 tablespoon rice flour to a bowl and 3 to 4 tbsps milk (from the reserved 1 cup). Mix well to make a lump-free slurry. (avoid pouring all the milk at one time to prevent lumps)

6. Then mix the slurry with rest of the milk.

7. When the rice is slightly mushy, mash it slightly with the back of the ladle/ spatula to thicken.

8. Pour the rice slurry slowly to the rice pudding, stirring well with your other hand to incorporate it. The temperature falls here, bring it back to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes or until it turns thick and creamy.

9. Add the sugar & cook until the pudding is thick, yet of flowing consistency. It will become thicker after cooling. Taste test and add more sugar if you want.

10. Stir in the ground cardamom, saffron, rose water & pistachios if using.

11. Turn off the heat.

12. This is the consistency we prefer. It will become slightly thicker after cooling down.

Fry Nuts and Raisins

13. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a small pan. Add cashews and fry them until golden. Remove to a small plate. If you don’t want ghee, simply toast them in the pan.

14. Stir in the raisins and fry until they turn plump. To avoid ghee, add the sweet raisins directly to the pudding. They will soften.

15. Pour the ghee and the raisins as well over the rice pudding. Mix well. If you want to serve the pudding later after reheating, keep the raisins separate and add them after reheating. Sometimes heating raisins with pudding may cause the pudding to split.

Garnish with cashews and sliced pistachios. Serve Indian rice pudding hot or chilled as a dessert. Stores well in the refrigerator for 2 days. Reheat with a splash of water on the stovetop or in the instant pot (3 to 4 mins pressure cook)

Instant Pot Pudding

• Press the saute mode and add 1 tablespoon ghee. When it melts, fry the cashews until light golden. Stir in the raisins and press cancel. Fry until they turn plump and remove to a plate.
• Pour half cup water and 4 cups milk (or 5 cups milk if you don’t use rice flour). Stir in rice and sugar. Secure the Instant pot lid and position the vent to sealing. Press porridge mode and set the timer to 16 minutes. If using rice flour, mix together with 1 cup milk to make a lump-free slurry. Avoid pouring the slurry with lumps. Keep aside.
• When the pressure drops completely, open and press the saute mode. Mash the rice slightly. Stir the rice flour slurry & pour it slowly, stirring well to incorporate. Cook until thick and add cardamoms and saffron.
• Garnish with nuts and raisins. To use pistachios, follow the method from the stovetop method.

Expert Tips

• Make your own rice flour – Spread 1 tablespoon rice over a moist cloth and wipe clean. Pat dry with a kitchen paper and add it to a small grinder. Make a fine powder. Use only 1 tablespoon rice flour.
• To use brown rice – soak them for 4 to 5 hours or overnight, drain and use. To use, hand pound rice, soak for 1 hour. You may need more liquid, use more water as required.
• To use jaggery, melt ¾ cup grated jaggery (or 1 cup powdered jaggery) in half cup water. Boil until the syrup turn slightly thick, but of flowing consistency. Turn off and cool completely. Strain this to the rice pudding and stir. It is important to cool the jaggery syrup completely else it will split the pudding.
• If your jaggery is clean without impurities, you may cool down the pudding slightly and then stir in the jaggery/coconut jaggery/ palm jaggery. Avoid cooking after adding this kind of sweetener.

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