The popularity of kheer needs no separate introduction! It is easy to make and holds a constant place across every regional cuisine in India. Kheer is basically an Indian pudding loaded with the goodness of milk, dried fruits and nuts. Also called payasam in South and payesh in Bengal, you will find various kheer recipes nation-wide. However, rice kheer (chawal ki kheer) remains an all-time hit among all. In fact, it is a must-have traditional dessert in almost every celebratory feast. A quintessential rice kheer recipe includes white rice, boiled in milk with sugar, dry fruits and some cardamom powder for flavouring.
We bring you a unique recipe that will give a colourful twist to the traditional white kheer - it's the black rice kheer. All you need to do is replace the regular white rice with black rice. This will add a rich and beautiful dark purple colour to the regular bowl of kheer. Besides, black rice is also known for its several healthy nutrients, making it a preferred choice over regular rice.
For the uninitiated, black rice, also called the forbidden rice, is a very old variety of rice that has been growing in India since centuries. As per Macrobiotic Nutritionist and Health Practitioner Shilpa Arora ND, "Black rice is packed with antioxidants, especially anthocyanin, which has several health benefits to its credits. It is also good for skin and hair due to the vitamin E-content." Black rice is also a good source of protein, compared to the carb-loaded white rice.
This black ricekheer recipe includes sugar. But if you want to keep a check on your weight or blood sugar, replace it with some healthier sweetener options. It just needs 30 minutes to prepare this lip-smacking black rice kheer!
Also Read: Kavuni Arisi: Cooking With Black Rice
Here's The Written Recipe For Black Rice Kheer:
Ingredients:
Black rice- half cup
Milk- 1 cup
Sugar- one-fourth cup
Almonds- 2-3 (sliced)
Cashew nuts- 2-3 (sliced)
Raisins- 2-3
Cardamom powder- 1 teaspoon
Method:
Step 1. Soak the black rice for 3 to 4 hours.
Step 2. Boil the milk and add the soaked black rice to it.
Step 3. Cook on medium flame and keep stirring.
Step 4. Add sugar when the milk thickens. Cook till the rice is boiled well.
Step 5. Add cardamom powder at the last and mix well. Switch off the flame.
Step 6. Transfer the kheer to a bowl and garnish with the dried fruits and nuts.
Prepare black rice kheer today and surprise your family with yummy and colourful dessert.
Happy cooking!