Quick Extra Creamy Instant Pot Kheer

What is Kheer?

Although when we speak of kheer we often default to Chawal ki Kheer or Rice Pudding, in my Pakistani household, the kheer my mother made most, was this Bread Kheer. My mother is not one for slow cooking, but I suspect this Instant Por Kheer would meet my practical mama’s approval. A kheer in essence is what we think of as a pudding, creamy, but with some texture coming from a variety of things from rice to bread to even sweet potato! It’s velvety texture typically come from artful slow cooking, like in this traditional kheer recipe inspired, in part, by my MIL.

Does this Kheer taste Slow Cooked?

This Instant Pot Kheer recipe has been a long time coming. I have made, remade, and had it tested and retested thanks to the generosity of my friends and Instagram community. We learnt together that while more evaporated milk was delightful it’s natural sugars caused the Instant Pot to go to burn in some models. We also learnt that ⅓ cup was deemed not sweet enough and that some people love saffron (or even rose) in their kheer, while for others it is a hard pass.

Why this Kheer works: Breaking down the Ingredients

Making Kheer in Instant Pot and getting slow cooked results required some playing around, but the combo below works beautifully. Do read through before tweaking!

Rice: I pre-grind and soak basmati rice to both plump/soften the rice and eliminate the need for aggressive mixing at the end. I also keep the water I soaked it in because that starchy liquid is going to help the texture of the kheer. If your rice is not ‘clean’ and needs to be picked through first then go ahead otherwise there is no need to prewash. The Trifecta of Dairy: Milk, Cream, and Evaporated Milk combine here to create a base for the kheer that is rich tasting and creamy. The evaporated milk is the secret ingredient for slow cooked flavour, the other two provide the liquid and balance that make this recipe sing. Cardamom: With such a low effort kheer it is worth taking the time to freshly grind cardamom because the aroma of fresh truly can’t be beat. Salt: the tiniest pinch, and I emphasize, the TINIEST pinch, although non traditional brings the other flavors of this kheer sharply into focus. To Saffron or not to Saffron: Saffron gives a lovely flavour to kheer, I use it sometimes, but never miss it when I don’t. A saffron-less kheer has a clean flavour and a lighter colour than it’s warmer fragrant counterpart.

How to use the Instant Pot to make Creamy Kheer

There are three key parts to getting this Instant Pot Kheer right 1.) Dissolve the sugar in the liquids first - this is insurance against preventing burning. 2.) Use the LOW PRESSURE setting. The low pressure setting prevents burning, and gives the right texture. To change the setting from the default high pressure simply press manual, and then the pressure button. 3.) A quick whisking. Whisk it quickly at the end to break up any clumps and make sure the rice grains are evenly distributed.

Kheer & Tikiyaan

It is the month of Rajab so I would be remiss if I didn’t share that Kheer and Meethi Tikiyaan are a delightful, classic combination, and such an integral part of my childhood. The crunch and aroma of ghee and saffron scented tikiyaan paired with the clean creaminess of kheer is decadent and delightful. 1.) Can I make substitutions in the three milks? While you can absolutely make substitutions, any change will naturally alter the final dish. Some, however, are safe, like using half and half instead of Milk + Cream. 2.) What kind of cream do I need? Any kind of fresh cream works - whether it’s table cream, whipping cream, etc. Labeling tends to vary across the globe. 3.) Can Kheer be made in advance? While you can certainly make it a day in advance it is optimal to consume within 3 days of making it. 4.) Can I freeze kheer? Bread Kheer is remarkably freezer friendly, but rice kheer isn’t. I’d recommend consuming it after you make it - or sharing with family/friends! 5.) Can I use other sugars? While I haven’t tried it I suspect that coconut sugar and sugar in the raw would both work. Brown sugar would change the texture, flavour and colour of the kheer so I would steer clear.

MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTION: CAN I INCREASE THE QUANTITY?

The question I have hands down been asked the most by those who have made this recipe is whether it can be doubled or tripled and the answer is YES! As long as you fully dissolve the sugar as per instructions you can make whatever quantity easily fits in your Instant Pot. The pressure time will not change, just the time it takes to come to pressure and the time it takes to release will increase!