Recipes › Rhubarb › Rhubarb and Rose Kheer
Rhubarb and Rose Kheer
Kheer is the great Indian rice pudding — slow-cooked, deeply fragrant and unashamedly rich. Here, sharp spring rhubarb is cooked down into a vivid pink compote and swirled through at the end, cutting through the sweetness of the cardamom and rose water cream with a welcome tartness. It is one of those desserts that looks far more impressive than the effort required.
Rhubarb is usually ready April to June. More rhubarb recipes, or see what to sow this month where you are.
Ingredients
- 500 g rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 2cm pieces
- 1200 ml whole milk
- 60 g basmati rice, rinsed under cold water
- 60 caster sugar for kheer
- 50 caster sugar for rhubarb
- 6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 60 ml double cream
- 1 tsp dried rose petals (optional)
Contains: milk.
Method
- Put the rhubarb pieces and 50g of caster sugar in a small saucepan. Place over a medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes until the rhubarb has completely collapsed into a thick, bright pink compote. Set aside.About 12 min
- Pour the whole milk into a wide, heavy-based saucepan and add the cardamom pods. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, watching it carefully so it does not boil over. Once boiling, add the rinsed basmati rice and stir well.About 8 min
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 35 minutes, stirring every 4–5 minutes and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent catching. The mixture should thicken considerably and reduce by about a third. The rice grains should be completely soft and starting to break down.About 35 min
- Remove the cardamom pods. Stir in the 60g of caster sugar and the double cream. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rose water.About 3 min
- Spoon the kheer into four serving bowls or glasses. Drop spoonfuls of the rhubarb compote on top and use a skewer or the tip of a knife to swirl it gently through the surface. Scatter over dried rose petals if using. Serve warm, or leave to cool and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to serve cold.About 5 min
Tips
- Do not rush the milk reduction — this is where all the flavour develops. Keep the heat gentle and stir regularly. If the bottom catches at all, immediately pour the milk into a clean pan and carry on.
- The kheer thickens considerably as it cools. If serving cold and it is too stiff, stir in a few tablespoons of cold milk to loosen it to the right consistency.
- Taste the rhubarb compote before adding it — if your rhubarb is very tart you may want to add a little more sugar.
Ring the changes
- Replace rose water with a small pinch of saffron bloomed in 2 tablespoons of warm milk, added at the same stage, for a more traditional kheer flavour.
- For a dairy-free version, use full-fat coconut milk in place of whole milk and omit the double cream — cook time will be similar but watch the heat carefully as coconut milk catches faster.
Keeping it
Store covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. The kheer will thicken significantly when cold — stir in a splash of milk before serving. Store the rhubarb compote separately if making ahead.
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