Roasted Vermicelli Kheer (Indian Pudding)

Now that the cooler weather has arrived, so has alot of the interest in warmer foods and beverages. There is nothing more “warming” or relaxing than a hot bowl of soup, or hot drink on a cold day – it makes the cold more manageable right?

Well, in alot of Indian families, we have a dish called “Kheer” that is a type of traditional pudding eaten hot or cold, but in my opinion, best at room temperature.

Kheer or Kiru ( Maldivian : ކިރު) is a rice pudding popular in Indian subcontinent , made by boiling rice, broken wheat , tapioca , or vermicelli with milk and sugar; it is flavoured with cardamom , raisins , saffron , cashews , pistachios or almonds . It is typically served during a meal or as a dessert. It is also known in some regions as payasam , payasa , and phirni , [3] while in Bengal the payesh is a variation of Kheer.

** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kheer

I remember my mom used to make it with rice when I was younger. I loved it then but now as an adult, I have recently been preferring it with roasted vermicelli instead. And I remember picking out ALL the raisins when younger, and now as an adult, I LOVE eating the raisins because they are like little sponges of the sweetened milk and cardamom. Funny how tastes and preferences change when we get older! (Or – maybe I’ve just realized the error of my ways from NOT just eating the deliciousness already in front of me when I was younger.)  :O)

In any case, I love making this Kheer with the roasted vermicelli because the pasta has a hint of starchiness in it that adds a nice thickness to this milk-based pudding. Plus, with the addition of the raisins, mixed nuts and the spices/aromatics like cardamom and saffron, it is really becomes more than just a “rice pudding” and an extremely delicious treat anytime!

A perfect kheer, in my opinion, should have a good balance of liquid so you can drink the sweetened milk, BUT also has a healthy amount of thickness from the rice/vermicelli so you can scoop it up with a spoon and eat it. 

Now that I’ve hopefully gotten your attention, here is the recipe for you to try out yourself!

Roasted Vermicelli Kheer (with Mixed Nuts) 

Serves: 6-8 people

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of milk (whole or preferred type)
• ½ cup of sugar (add more sugar if you want sweeter)
• 1 tsp fresh ground cardamom
• ¼ cup of roasted vermicelli noodles (add ½ cup if you want thicker consistency)
• 5 Tbsp of freshly ground pistachios and almonds (grind together) **add cashews if desired
• Few threads of saffron (8-10)
• ¼ cup of extra whole nuts for garnish (pistachios, almonds, cashews) **optional
• ¼ cup of raisins for garnish **optional OR can be added during cooking process

NOTE: ½ cup of plain cooked white rice can be used in place of vermicelli noodles if desired (add 3/4 cup if you want a thicker pudding consistency)

Instructions:

1. In medium sized saucepan or small pot, heat milk, sugar, ground cardamom, freshly ground nuts on medium to low heat until bubbly.
2. Lower heat and add vermicelli noodles, and raisins (optional)
3. Boil close to 20 minutes on low heat until vermicelli is fully cooked
4. Once cooked, add saffron threads and heat another 5-10 minutes or until your kheer has a soft golden/yellow color.
5. Turn off stove an allow to cool off for about 10-15 minutes before serving with your garnishes on top. OR you may cool off in fridge for about 1-2 hours until fully chilled before serving.
6. Garnish with whole nuts and raisins if desired. ** optional
7. Serve in small individual size bowls or cups.

NOTE: Also, if you want to add some “dried fruits” into this dish – chop them up into small bite size pieces and mix in before serving. It really adds a whole new dimension to the kheer and makes it more hearty.

I hope you get an opportunity to make this Kheer in your kitchen. If you do, let me know your thoughts in the comments below or tag me on IG @cmspiceculture.

Enjoy! :O)