The Perfect Kheer Recipe for this Eid!
Here's a delicious and nutritious recipe of Kheer from Rice: A Global History by Renee Marton.
Total time
10-15 minutes
Prep time
close to 2 hours
Amount
4-6 people, depending on portion size
Ingredients
- 2 pt (1.1 litres) whole milk
- 2 tbsp long-grain rice (such as basmati)
- 4 whole green cardamom pods (lightly crushed)
- 10 unsalted pistachios
- 2 tbsp sugar
- vark (edible silver or gold leaf
- available from specialist cake shops or some Asian grocers)
- chopped pistachios
- optional
- Pour the milk into a heavy-based pan and heat gently (you can preheat the milk in a jug in the microwave, then transfer the hot milk to the pan, to save time, if you prefer). Add the rice and cardamom pods to the milk.
- Slowly bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer rapidly, stirring from time to time to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the milk is reduced by about half; this may take as long as 1¼ hours. While the milk is simmering, roughly chop the pistachios.
- When the milk has reduced by half or more, remove and discard the cardamom pods. Transfer the rice pudding to a bowl. Add the sugar and taste, adding more sugar if you want it sweeter. Add the chopped pistachios, stir well, and leave to cool.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and cool in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, spoon into individual serving bowls.
- Decorate with vark, if using.
- Sprinkle a few more chopped pistachios on top, if liked.
Rice: A Global History by Renee Marton
by Renee Marton
‘Outstanding’ Wall Street Journal
‘Makes a great gift for the food-lovingest reader or the book-lovingest cook in your life’ New York Times
‘Backbone of the food history section’ Bookseller
‘These are food memoirs, salacious and exotic, colourful, powdered, sweet, greasy and globe-trotting’ Chicago Tribune
An accessible, essential history of the world’s most versatile grain
Few foods are as universal as rice, yet its story is anything but ordinary. From the ancient paddies of Asia and Africa to kitchens and markets around the world, this unassuming grain has become both a dietary staple and a cultural cornerstone. In this lively and engaging account, Renee Marton unravels the rich history of rice, tracing its remarkable journey through centuries of trade, migration and culinary innovation.
Each chapter explores how rice has shaped societies and cuisines, from sustaining mighty empires to inspiring rituals, music and art. Along the way, it examines how enslaved and indentured labourers brought rice to new lands, how modern marketing gave rise to a processed rice industry, and why the type of rice on your plate often reflects deep cultural roots.
Bursting with insights and tantalizing recipes from across the globe, Rice offers a captivating exploration of how this humble grain continues to define and connect us.