Kheer

Kheer is rice simmered slowly in milk with sugar and cardamom until it thickens into a pudding. It is the sweet that appears at almost every Indian festival and family meal, simple enough to make on any stovetop yet treated as a genuine celebration dish.

What it really is

A small quantity of rice, often broken or a short-grain variety, goes into a large volume of milk kept at a slow simmer for a long stretch, stirred often so it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pot. As the liquid reduces, the starch released by the rice thickens the milk into something closer to a loose pudding than a soup, and the flavour concentrates as it goes rather than needing much added beyond sugar, cardamom and a few nuts.

Patience, not a thickener, is the whole technique. A kheer rushed on high heat scorches the milk and never develops the same depth; slow reduction over a long simmer is what gives it both its texture and its concentrated flavour.

How it is served

• Warm or chilled, depending on the season and the region.
• In a small bowl, garnished with chopped pistachios, almonds or a few raisins.
• At the end of a festive meal, or as the sweet course at a family dinner.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the dairy plainly.
• Say if it's served warm or chilled, since both are traditional and guests may have a preference.
• Note if nuts are used as garnish, since that's a common allergen guests will want to know about upfront.