Rice Kheer with Coconut Milk

Ingredients

Detail measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's the overview.

Rice - Basmati or Sona Masoori rice works well so does any other short grain rice. Avoid using Jasmine or sticky rice. Wash and rinse it in cold water and drain excess water.

Milk - this recipe uses coconut milk to thicken the kheer. Coconut milk gives excellent decadent feel along with marvelous flavor to this kheer. Almond milk also works.

Desiccated coconut flakes or coconut powder- for an extra layering of texture, I use coconut powder. It gives ultra rich taste without adding heavy cream.

Sweetener - to sweeten the kheer, you can use any sweetener of your choice. I prefer to use date paste (dates blended in water) Regular sugar, coconut sugar, palm sugar, jaggery, maple syrup, or agave nectar also work but will have different flavor.

Saffron - this is how traditional kheer gets it's golden and orange hue.

Cardamom and nutmeg powder - ground cardamom seeds and nutmeg powder add intense and distinctive aroma to this kheer or Payasum.

Garnishes : Raisins and crushed nuts like almonds, cashews or pistachios are added as garnish. You can also use rose water for additional Persian flavors.

How to make Instant Pot Coconut Milk Kheer with Rice

• Blend the dates with little water. Add all ingredients except half of the coconut milk in the instant pot. Give it a good stir so everything mixes well. Close the lid with vent in SEALING position.
• Set instant pot to PORRIDGE mode for 20 minutes on high pressure. When instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
• Open Instant Pot lid. Mash cooked rice with the back of a spoon. Add rest of the coconut milk and stir well.
• Rice kheer/ Payasum is ready. Garnish with few saffron strands on top. Serve warm.
• To get the desired consistency, additionally cook on SAUTE mode for 2-3 mins if needed. You can also keep it on KEEP WARM mode until ready to serve.

How to make rice kheer on stove top

• Add the coconut milk in a heavy bottom pan and let it come to boil. Add rinsed and drained rice and nuts ( if using). Give it a good stir, reduce the heat to medium-high and let it cook. Stir intermittently.
• Let it simmer till rice get cooked, about 10-15 minutes. Stir from the bottom of the pan a few times to ensure that it doesn't burn.
• Add sugar and coconut powder. Keep stirring till sugar dissolves. Add saffron and cardamom and nutmeg powder. Add nuts if using. Stir well. Turn off the heat when you get right thickness to your liking.
• Mash the rice kheer using a potato masher or the back of a ladle to make the rice pudding creamy. Garnish with few saffron strands on top. Serve warm. Enjoy !

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Benefits of making rice kheer in Instant Pot

Traditional recipe of making Rice Kheer or Payasam involves hours of intensively involved cooking and monitoring. The rice while cooking with milk needs to be monitored constantly as it tends to burn quickly if ignored.

However electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot, makes the process of making kheer a complete breeze. The best thing is it's hassle free - stirring free. Just a dump and go type recipe. The dreamy creamy dessert gets ready in less than 30 mins!

The Porridge setting in instant pot is ideal to make this recipe. Since cooking is done with lid closed, all the flavors infuse intensely. With much less monitoring, you have just as good if not better results.