Saffron and Apple Rice Kheer is a unique and delicious fusion of traditional chawal kheer with apple sauce. A perfect dessert for the upcoming festive season.
Saffron and Apple Rice Kheer
Saffron and Apple Rice Kheer is a rich, creamy, and sweet dessert. You will love the flavors of cardamom and rose water that compliments this dessert perfectly. Rice kheer topped with apple sauce is a perfect and unique fusion for festive seasons.
Rice Kheer is one of my favorite desserts and also my comfort food. I prefer this dessert as both warm and chilled.
A plain rice kheer can also be served with your favorite jam as a topping. You can also drizzle one of your favorite sauces like caramel, chocolate, or strawberry. Yes, it is that versatile.
OLD FASHIONED STYLE CHAWAL KI KHEER | RICE DESSERT
How is a traditional rice kheer different from instant rice kheer?
A traditional kheer is made by the slow-cooking method and Instant kheer is made either from a ready-made dessert pack or by adding instant ingredients that require less cooking time.
In a traditional method, only milk fresh is used along with whole rice and real flavors. Whereas, in instant rice kheer, condensed milk, semolina, or broken rice is used along with other artificial flavors and sweeteners.
MATKA RICE FIRNI
What are the main ingredients for making rice kheer?
- Rice – I have used basmati rice for the kheer. If you wish you can also use jeera rice or any quick-cooking (not par-boiled) aromatic rice.
- Sugar – For rice kheer, it is only white sugar. For apple sauce, you can use either white or brown sugar. Those who are diabetic can use stevia.
- Flavors – Saffron, cardamom and rose water, and few flavorings.
- Milk – Cows milk is an essential ingredient in this kheer. However, you can use powdered milk too.
- Apples – I have used royal gala apples. Any regular apples are fine.
What rice is best for making rice kheer?
Basmati rice and Jeera short-grain rice are the perfect varieties of rice to be used in a rice kheer dessert. The rice should be aromatic and that which cooks well with milk.
Tips on making the perfect rice kheer
- Always soak the rice well before adding it to the milk.
- Cook the kheer on slow flame and do not hurry.
- Add the flavors and sweeteners only after the rice and milk are cooked.
- Keep stirring throughout the cooking process to avoid the kheer from sticking to the bottom and burning.
- If the kheer looks too dry at the end, you can always add boiled milk to get the proper consistency.
How to prepare Rice Kheer?
Step 1 – Wash and soak the rice. I wash the rice under running tap water at least 2 or 3 times or until the water looks clear. Just soak the rice for a minimum of 30 minutes. Soaking for 1 hour is even better.
Step 2 – Soaking of Saffron strands. This is an essential step, and you will be surprised to see the deep saffron color in the liquid as it gets soaked for a long time. Always use cold water or milk to soak the strands.
Step 3 – Prepare the rice kheer – Now we start the slow cooking process of the rice kheer in a traditional method. In this method, the rice gets cooked along with the milk and at the same time, the milk gets reduced to half the quantity. Once the milk is reduced and rice gets cooked, add the sugar and the flavoring ingredients like saffron, cardamom, and rose water.
Step 4 – Apple sauce – peel and chop any kind of apples. Make sure to chop the apples into small bits. Slow the chopped apples with water, sugar, and cinnamon powder for 20 minutes. Try to mash the cooked pieces and make sure there is no more liquid in the sauce.
Step 5 – Serve rice kheer warm or chilled topped with apple sauce.
Step by step pictures of Rice Kheer
Recipe video of Saffron and Apple Rice Kheer
Saffron & Apple Rice Kheer
Equipment
- Saucepan (15 cm diameter)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup basmati rice or Jeera rice
- 1 litre fresh milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- For soaking saffron
- ¼ teaspoon saffron strands
- ¼ cup chilled milk
For apple sauce
- 3 apples
- ¼ cup sugar white/brown
- ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Wash the rice until the water looks clear. This will take about 2 or 3 washes. Add fresh water and soak the rice for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Soak the saffron strands in ¼ cup of chilled milk for 15 minutes.
- Heat 1-liter fresh milk in a saucepan on medium flame. Once the milk starts to boil gently, add only the soaked rice and discard the water.
- Simmer the milk with rice on low flame for about 45 to 50 minutes. Keep stirring every 5 minutes to avoid the kheer from sticking to the bottom.
- After 50 minutes you will see that the milk mixture is now reduced to half. The kheer will now look thick and grainy. Add sugar, soaked saffron milk, rose water, and cardamom powder. Stir gently and simmer on low flame for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
For apple sauce
- Peel and finely chop 3 apples. Cook the chopped apples with a half a cup of water, sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon powder. Stir well, place the lid and cook on low flame for 20 minutes occasionally stirring. Once the water is dried and apples are cooked through, add a pinch of saffron soaked in water. Try to mash the cooked apple chunks with the ladle. Turn off the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
- In a single serving glass or bowl, layer the rice kheer and top it with a tablespoon of apple sauce. You can either serve it warm or chilled.
Video
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