Do you love kheer but don’t want the lingering guilt that follows? Why don’t you make it sugar-free? Without having to worry about lifestyle diseases like diabetes, here is how you can make sugar-free kheer at home. Scroll through the below-mentioned cooking tips and frequently asked questions to nail the consistency on the first go.
Indian cuisine has a wide range of sweets and desserts. Known by different names like payasam, payesh, doodhpak, etc, kheer is one of the most beloved desserts in most Indian states. Just having a bowl filled with warm kheer topped with roasted nuts can instantly remind you of Sunday evenings, a Diwali feast with family, or winter vacation at your grandparents.
However, as people move towards a healthier lifestyle, minimising the sugar content becomes a priority. But who said you can’t relive the joy without adding sugar? Within one hour, you can make the thick dessert right in your kitchen using natural sweeteners. Follow this step-by-step guide and make mouth-melting kheer with the usual kitchen ingredients like milk, rice, nuts, and dates.
Start by rinsing the rice under running water. Once the water runs clear, soak the rice for about half an hour.
In the meantime, take the pitted dates and soak them in warm milk. It should take about fifteen minutes till the dates are soft. Check and transfer the softened dates into a blender and grind to make a smooth paste. Set it aside.
Take a small kadhai and heat some ghee. Chop the cashew nuts and almonds and roast them on a low flame. Once they’re crunchy, remove them from the kadhai and set aside.
Add all the milk in the same kadhai and bring it to a boil. Keep on medium heat and stir occasionally to avoid the milk from sticking to the bottom.
Once the milk boils, lower the heat and let it simmer. Drain the water from the soaked rice and add it to the simmering milk. Add saffron strands and let the contents cook for about 30-40 minutes. Remember to stir frequently to prevent the rice from burning.
Once the rice is soft and you get a creamy consistency of milk, add cardamom powder, and turn off the flame. Let the milk slightly cool before adding the date paste to prevent the milk from curdling.
After a few minutes, add the date paste and sweeten the kheer naturally. Mix vigorously till the paste is completely dissolved in the kheer.
Mix in half of the roasted nuts and transfer your sugar-free kheer into a serving bowl. Use the remaining roasted nuts as a generous garnish. If you’re using dried rose petals, add them in between the roasted nuts to make your bowl aesthetically appealing. Serve the kheer warm or chilled as per your preference.
1 One of the most important steps in the recipe is slow cooking milk and rice to get the creamy consistency. To avoid the milk or rice from burning, use the Prestige Tri-Ply Splendor Kadai. Since it’s made with three layers of metal, the kadhai eliminates hot spots that cause the milk to stick to the bottom.
2 If you’re constantly worried about the milk boiling over, you need the Prestige Svachh Pressure Cooker. Its Deep Lid design controls spillage. Even though this recipe follows one-pot cooking, you can use the TTK Prestige cooker to pre-cook the rice or boil the rice without worrying about messing up the cooktop.
3 Given the fact that dates make a sticky paste, it can be a little difficult to clean the pans after making the paste. Your best option to make the date paste is the Omega Deluxe Granite Milk Pan. With its 5-layer non-stick coating, you won’t have to worry about scrubbing to get the stains out.
Of course, just because you’re cutting out refined sugar from your diet doesn’t mean you need to bid goodbye to your favourite desserts. You can make sugar-free kheer using jaggery, coconut sugar, dates, stevia, etc.
You can easily make this recipe vegan-friendly, just swap milk with almond or coconut milk. If you’re using coconut milk, remember not to boil it on high heat as it may split. So just simmer till you get a creamy consistency.
The rice grains absorb the liquid and can thus solidify your kheer. Before serving, just stir in some more milk, and you’ll get the pudding-like consistency.
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