Instant Pot Kheer (Payasam)
Kheer or Payasam, a popular Indian dessert, is rice pudding made with rice and milk, infused with saffron, cardamom, and assorted dried fruits. This Kheer made in the instant pot is a game changer. The best part about this is that there's no stirring, and it's ready in under 40 minutes!
Servings: 6
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Ghee divided
- 1/2 cup Basmati Rice rinsed, or another aromatic white rice
- 4 1/2 cups Milk whole
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Sugar (adjust to taste), see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom powder (Elaichi)
- 1/8 teaspoon Saffron (Kesar) (optional)
- 1/4 cup Mixed Nuts chopped or sliced (cashews, almonds, walnut, pistachios) (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Sanitize the Instant Pot steel insert, lid, and sealing ring thoroughly. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it.
- Rinse the rice 2-4 times until the water runs clear.
- Heat the Instant Pot in Saute mode. Add 1/2 tablespoon ghee and let it melt. Add the rinsed rice and saute for 30 seconds. (It is optional to saute the rice, but it adds richness and aroma to the kheer. If skipping, directly add the rinsed rice to the Instant Pot).
- Add the water, milk, sugar, cardamom, and saffron. Give it all a good stir.
- You can add the nuts now if you like. You can also saute the nuts and raisins in ghee and then add them after cooking the kheer (see roasting nuts section).
- Close the lid with the vent in sealing position. Set Instant Pot to PORRIDGE mode for 20 minutes on high pressure. When the Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
- Remove the lid and mix well. Kheer is ready. It might seem a little thin in consistency, but it does thicken up as it sits in about 30 minutes. You can cook on SAUTE mode for 2-3 mte.
Roasting Nuts & Raisins
- Heat a small pan on medium-low heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of ghee to it. Add the sliced or chopped nuts to the pan. Saute for a minute until they lightly change color. Then add the raisins and saute for another minute. Remove from the pan so they don't overcook or burn. The nuts and raisins are ready to add to the cooked kheer.
Video
Notes
Sugar Substitute: Although I have not tried it myself, some readers have suggested that if using jaggery or coconut sugar in place of regular sugar, then add it after cooking on porridge setting (else the milk can curdle).
Storing: When kheer is stored, it gets thicker and creamier. If you prefer, you can thin the consistency by adding more milk.
PLEASE READ: This recipe was created in a 6-qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Pressure Cooker. I do not recommend making this in a 3-qt or doubling the recipe in a 6-qt, as the milk boils and can come out.
Kheer sticking to the bottom of the pot: I got feedback from some that the kheer sometimes sticks to the bottom of the pot. Some tips below to avoid this:
- Try boiling 1/2 cup of water in the Instant Pot on sauté mode, then add the remaining ingredients. Make sure the water is already steaming before adding other ingredients.
- After opening the pot, remove the instant pot steel insert from the pot so that the bottom layer does not overcook or stick to the pot.
- Add cinnamon powder and vanilla essence to get a different flavor.
- You can use brown sugar instead of white sugar, based on your preference.
Nutrition
Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 0.4mg