If you’re looking for a delicious dessert to celebrate Eid, you might want to try this fragrant rice pudding. The dish is a perfect combination of rich and creamy textures, with warm spices, sweet mango, and crunchy pistachios to add some extra flavor and texture. This dessert is sure to impress your guests and is a great way to end your Eid celebrations.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup basmati rice
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
3 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 inch cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 ripe mango, diced
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
Rosewater (optional)
Instructions:
Rinse the basmati rice in water until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
In a medium pot, heat the milk, sugar, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and ground cardamom over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to infuse.
Add the rinsed rice and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and the milk has thickened slightly. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove from heat and stir in the diced mango. Let cool slightly.
Discard the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. Spoon the kheer into serving bowls and garnish with chopped pistachios. For an extra touch, drizzle with a few drops of rosewater (optional).
Tips:
If you prefer a smoother texture, you can blend a portion of the cooked rice with a hand blender before adding the mango.
You can substitute other dried fruits like chopped dried apricots or raisins for the mango.
If fresh mangoes are not available, you can use canned mango chunks, but be sure to drain them well before adding them to the kheer.
To make this dessert ahead of time, prepare the kheer and cool it completely. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.