Three desserts in a row! You will just have to believe me when I say that I do cook regular everyday meals and desserts are very rare 🙂 In fact, I had a wonderful Bitter Melon recipe all lined up…..ready with pictures and even somewhat of a clumsy video! Then I realized that I would be posting the recipe on Father’s Day, when something sweet would be more celebratory. And this very simple and homely kheer (rice pudding) seemed far more appropriate.
The idea for this particular one came about quite by chance. I had posted a picture of a traditional south Indian yogurt-rice topped with blood oranges on Instagram, and a friend remarked that it looked like kheer. We got talking about how delicious that would be and the last of the oranges were used for just that.
This is a light dessert. Creamy but not rich and very aromatic because of the Basmati rice and some blood orange zest. I usually have only 1% and skim milk at home so I added some cashews that were first soaked and then ground to a paste to make it creamy, and the raw sugar colored it a lovely tan. Delicious when had chilled and a perfect ending to a heavy meal.
Wishing everyone a Happy Father’s Day! And especially on this day, I think of my father and this cartoon I once cut out of the newspaper as a teen and had given him. When I left India, he made a copy of that cartoon and sent it to me. It is one of my most precious possessions. Dad taught me by example some of the best qualities a person can have – generosity, never holding a grudge, unconditional love, hard work and family first. He was my teacher, friend and I could count on him to make me feel better when I had troubles big and small. We were morning coffee buddies…he woke up the earliest and set the south Indian coffee filter. Then would wake me up by saying that the first drops were ready – those were the strongest and full of flavor, and we would sip our coffee and watch the sun rise over the Arabian sea. He gave me and my sister the same opportunities he gave my brother and always dreamed big for us. A very talented photographer and an avid gardener, he always encouraged me to pursue creative activities. I think he would have been happy and proud to see my blog 🙂
Blood Orange Kheer
Makes approx. four 1/2 cup servings
1/4 cup Basmati rice
3 cups milk (I used 1% but 2% or whole milk would be better)
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar ( I used 1/3 cup raw sugar)
2 small blood oranges (or any orange)
10 cashews, soaked in hot water for an hour, drained and made into a paste
3-4 cardamom pods
slivered almonds for garnish
Zest one orange and keep aside. Then peel the orange and remove the membrane from the segments. Chop the segments and keep in the refrigerator.
Remove the seeds from the cardamom and powder finely. I use a mortar-pestle. Do use freshly powdered cardamom and not the ready-made stuff. It makes a huge difference in the flavor.
Rinse the rice a couple of times and put it in a large saucepan along with a cup of water. Bring to a boil and then cook covered on low heat until most of the water has evaporated. This should take about fifteen minutes.
The add a cup of milk and bring to a boil on medium heat, reduce the heat to low and cook until almost all the milk has evaporated, stirring occasionally. This should take approx. ten minutes.
Add the next cup of milk and repeat as above.
Finally, add the last cup of milk and sugar and cook for until the mixture starts to thicken. Add the cardamom, orange zest and cashew paste and cook until it becomes a thick pudding.
Cool completely and chill the pudding. Mix in the chopped orange before serving. Garnish with the slivered almonds.
* If the pudding has become too thick upon cooling, add a little more milk to bring it to the right consistency.
Lakshmi
June 19, 2016 at 7:09 pmLovely writeup about your father.
Lakshmi
June 19, 2016 at 7:09 pmLovely writeup about your father.
Bina
June 19, 2016 at 7:11 pmThank you so much, dearest Lakshmi.
Bina
June 19, 2016 at 7:11 pmThank you so much, dearest Lakshmi.
baker in disguise
June 21, 2016 at 12:15 amReading about your father…you are so much like him Bina!! and yes, he would have been so proud of you…and the creativity that you showcase on this blog! big hug!!
baker in disguise
June 21, 2016 at 12:15 amReading about your father…you are so much like him Bina!! and yes, he would have been so proud of you…and the creativity that you showcase on this blog! big hug!!
Bina
June 21, 2016 at 12:19 amThank you so much for those unbelievably kind words, Sarvani. Am so glad the blog started a wonderful friendship 🙂
Bina
June 21, 2016 at 12:19 amThank you so much for those unbelievably kind words, Sarvani. Am so glad the blog started a wonderful friendship 🙂
kankana
June 21, 2016 at 1:05 pmDads are simply the best 🙂 So cute of him to take a copy and send you! Those blood oranges on that light kheer looks stunning. And those bowls Bina, super cute.
kankana
June 21, 2016 at 1:05 pmDads are simply the best 🙂 So cute of him to take a copy and send you! Those blood oranges on that light kheer looks stunning. And those bowls Bina, super cute.
Bina
June 21, 2016 at 1:09 pmThey are 🙂 Yes….I still have all the letters and cards and go through them ever so often 🙂
Thanks so much, Kankana! The addition of blood oranges was a bit unconventional but it worked with all the delicate flavors in the kheer:)
Bina
June 21, 2016 at 1:09 pmThey are 🙂 Yes….I still have all the letters and cards and go through them ever so often 🙂
Thanks so much, Kankana! The addition of blood oranges was a bit unconventional but it worked with all the delicate flavors in the kheer:)
Anonymous
June 23, 2016 at 2:58 pmHello BIna,
I am very sure your father will be very proud of you. I am surely proud of you…whatever inherent qualities he taught you it shows. I can vouch for that even having such a brief encounter online. I loved the recipe. and that compels me to think that I do not have a single blood orange recipe. I loved the cartoon strip wish I could just send it to my dad too. But I would preserve it with its personal essence. xoxo Roy
Anonymous
June 23, 2016 at 2:58 pmHello BIna,
I am very sure your father will be very proud of you. I am surely proud of you…whatever inherent qualities he taught you it shows. I can vouch for that even having such a brief encounter online. I loved the recipe. and that compels me to think that I do not have a single blood orange recipe. I loved the cartoon strip wish I could just send it to my dad too. But I would preserve it with its personal essence. xoxo Roy
Bina
June 23, 2016 at 3:01 pmThank you so much, dearest Roy!! I am so thankful for our friendship and your words are very special to me. Love and Hugs.
Bina
June 23, 2016 at 3:01 pmThank you so much, dearest Roy!! I am so thankful for our friendship and your words are very special to me. Love and Hugs.
SPK
July 3, 2016 at 12:13 pmTerrific pix with uncle – perfect with cartoon – loved it!!
SPK
July 3, 2016 at 12:13 pmTerrific pix with uncle – perfect with cartoon – loved it!!
Bina
July 3, 2016 at 12:14 pmThanks so much, S. 🙂
Bina
July 3, 2016 at 12:14 pmThanks so much, S. 🙂
Devaki
February 15, 2017 at 11:49 amI came looking for this recipe after seeing it on your Instagram. What an amazingly beautiful blog!
Devaki
February 15, 2017 at 11:49 amI came looking for this recipe after seeing it on your Instagram. What an amazingly beautiful blog!
Bina
February 15, 2017 at 11:51 amThanks so much, Dev! You are very kind. I hope you liked the kheer 🙂
Bina
February 15, 2017 at 11:51 amThanks so much, Dev! You are very kind. I hope you liked the kheer 🙂