Boiled Rice Kheer

This is a kheer that is actually healthy to eat.  I prepared it out of a special rice which is popularly known as Mangalore Ukda rice. It has a prominent reddish outer skin and is not polished away like other rice varieties. The word  “ Ukda” means Boiled. The rice is boiled and then processed further to form a dry grain. As a preparation of this dish one has to wash this rice 2-3 times and pressure cooked for a fairly long time till it turns out very soft. Usually 2 whistles on a high flame and then kept for half an hour on a slow flame is recommended. Consequently ,  a large amount of water is added into the pressure cooker along with the rice.

This form of Rice is usually eaten along with the water in which it is cooked and is popularly known as “kanji.”The outer red skin of the Rice makes it more nutritive than other white forms of rice as it is full of niacin, Pyridoxine and Thiamine which are B group of vitamins. It also contains calcium, iron and copper thus making it a complete “ Whole Grain” with all its goodness. I prepared a kheer or ‘Payasam’ as it is popularly called in the south. In many areas of Maharashtra such rice kheer is often called ‘Doodhpaak.’

Ingredients:

Boiled Rice- Pressure cooked till soft -2 Cups

Milk- 2 cups

Sugar-1 ½ cups or as to suit one’s taste

Mixed dry fruits- Almonds, pistachios, cashews and raisins.

Kesar or Saffron- a few strands dissolved in some warm milk

Cardamom or elaichi powder- ½ tsp

Method:

In a pan, boil the milk and add the cooked rice into it. Stir continuously and let is cook for 10-15 minutes till the milk reduces and the mixture thickens. Add  sugar and stir again cooking for some time. Add Saffron in milk and the dry fruits chopped into pieces. Finally add the cardamom powder and serve hot or chilled.

I have tried to make it as a low fat version. Condensed milk or full cream milk can be used to make it richer. Also Khoya can be added. The dry fruits and also be fried in ghee before adding to the kheer. It all depends how rich you want the kheer to be!