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Instant Pot Indian Rice Pudding / Instant Pot Kheer

5 from 1 vote
Easy and delicious rice pudding (known as kheer in Hindi) is a no fail one pot recipe with minimal ingredients.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian, North Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Kheer
  • 1/3 cup  long grained basmati rice  (rinsed and soaked in 1 cup of water for 30 minutes)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom  (optional)
  • Pinch of saffron strands  (approximately 15 strands)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
For garnish
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • Pinch of saffron strands (approximately 15 strands)
  • 1 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tbsp pistachios chopped into thin slices (unsalted and un-shelled)

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Immersion Blender

Method
 

Prep
  1. Rinse the basmati rice well. Soak it in one cup of cold water 30 minutes. Drain the water and set the rice aside.
  2. Chop the pistachios into thin slices
Cook
  1. Select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal. Add ½ cup water to the pot. Let the water boil. 

  2. Once the water starts steaming add the milk in the pot. (This step is key. The water needs to boil and steam).
  3. Add rice and give it a good stir. Then add 1/4 cup slivered almonds.
  4. Make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Press cancel. Secure the lid on the pot and close the pressure-release valve. Select manual and cook at high pressure for 22 minutes. When cooking is complete, use natural pressure release to depressurize. Open the lid.
  5. Select saute and adjust to normal. Use an immersion blender

    to blend the kheer slightly. Blend for about 45 seconds. That will enable the rice to blend slightly and keep some grains intact.
  6. Then add a pinch of saffron strands. Add sugar, ground cardamom {optional}, and blend again with the immersion blender for 30 seconds. Let the kheer saute for about 5 minutes and stir occasionally. The kheer will thicken. Keep stirring occasionally to prevent the sugar from getting caramelized.
  7. After 5 minutes of sauteing, press cancel, and transfer the kheer into a serving bowl or small cups. Let the kheer set.
Garnish
  1. Place a pinch of saffron in a bowl in a tablespoon of milk. Let the saffron sit in the milk for 5 minutes. Garnish the kheer with saffron/milk mix and top with pistachios and slivered almonds.

Notes

  • This recipe is for delicious creamy thick kheer. If you like it watery then do not saute for very long. However, thick set, cold kheer is delicious.
  • I personally don't add ground cardamom. You can eliminate it if you like.