Doodhpak / Kheer is an aromatic, flavorful Indian dessert prepared by cooking milk and rice on a low flame for a long time and flavored with saffron, and various nuts. It is also known as Doodhpak in Guajrat and Kheer in many other parts of India. It’s a rich, and creamy Indian Rice Pudding with an interesting texture.
Gujaratis normally eat their dessert along with the meal, instead of after the meal. Hence Doodhpak – the Gujarati version of Kheer – is generally paired with Puri (deep-fried, puffed Indian bread) and some subzi – a potato curry goes well with it. So the warm puri which is generally unsalted or very lightly salted, when dipped in savory curry, and sweet, cold and flavorful Doodhpak creates an amazing taste.
You can also make Doodhpak or Kheer by skipping the nuts, saffron, etc. That would be a simple version. Though chironji/charoli is often used in making Doodhpak. Some of the alternative names of Kheer are – Payasam, Payasa, Ksheeram, Phirni, Feerni. The thickness and texture may vary in different regions of the country.
Traditionally, Doodhpak/Kheer is made by slowly cooking milk and rice for a long time. For shortcut versions, some people do use condensed milk. Condensed milk instantly gives it extra thickness, sweetness, and creaminess. I did not use condensed milk in this recipe.
Doodhpak was my Dad’s favorite desserts. Hence, I made this on his birthday on January 6th. I never got a chance to make it when he was alive. It turned out exactly the way he would have liked.
Doodhpak | Kheer | Indian Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 6 cups Milk
- 6 tablespoons Rice
- 8 tablespoons Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Saffron
- ½ teaspoon Green cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoons Chironji/Charoli
- 2 tablespoons Almonds chopped
- 1 tablespoon Pistachios chopped
- 1 tablespoon Rose petals optional, for garnishing
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Water to soak rice and saffron separately
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of water. Add ¼ teaspoon of Saffron. Keep it on the side.
- Soak 6 tablespoons of rice in 1 cup of water. Keep it aside.
- Chop almonds, pistachios.
- Heat 6 cups of milk in a heavy-bottomed vessel, preferably non-stick, on medium heat. Once the milk comes to a boil, wash the soaked rice, drain, and add it to the boiling milk. Keep the heat on medium or low-medium and keep stirring continuously. Make sure the milk doesn't burn or stick at the bottom.
- After about 30 minutes, add the saffron and water mixture. Add sugar. Add the cardamom powder, chopped almonds, and pistachios, chironji, keeping aside some of these for garnishing. Cook for another 20-25 minutes.
- Turn off the heat once done. Let it cool down and then refrigerate it. Dhoodhpak/Kheer can be eaten warm or cold, though the colder version tastes much better.
- Serve it alongside puri and subzi. Enjoy
Notes
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How to make vegan Doodhpak or Kheer?
Doodhpak or kheer are generally made with dairy milk. But you can try soy, almond, oat milk for a vegan version. Any milk that tastes more on the neutral side will work better as you can taste the rest of the ingredients better.
Is there a difference between Doodhpak and Kheer?
The dessert is called Doodhpak in Gujarat-India, and Kheer in rest of India. Generally, there is no difference. At times, Kheer can be slightly thinner compared to Doodhpak.
What is the difference between Doodhpak and Basundi?
Basundi is also a milk-based Indian dessert and made by reducing milk on slow to medium heat. The two main differences are, Basundi is of much thicker consistency compared to Doodhpak. Also, Doodhpak contains rice, whereas Basundi doesn’t. Doodhpak can be eaten cold or warm, whereas Basundi is always eaten cold.
Can Doodhpak be made in Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot?
The process of slow cooking milk and rice together makes Doodhpak very delicious and hence Doodhpak is traditionally not made in a pressure cooker. But in case you are short of time, you can do part of the process using Cooker or Instant Pot. Once cooked, you still will need to further reduce the milk and thicken it to the desired consistency on low-medium flame. Using a pressure cooker will save you some time.
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