Indian rice pudding, or Indian Kheer, is made by boiling rice, milk, sugar, and tasty ingredients into a delicious pudding you can make in your Instant Pot! The Kheer will be creamy, aromatic, and crunchy from the cashews.

So here's the deal. I made this Indian Kheer, it turned out well, but when you open the pot you're going to be horrified and think you messed up because everything looks like a big curdled mess. It's not. Milk separates under pressure, but to me, this is what helps thicken up the final product.

What is Indian Kheer?

Kheer is an Indian rice pudding made by boiling rice, milk, sugar and other various tasty ingredients. Though it's typically boiled on a stovetop I've opted for the Instant Pot because, you know, convenience. Not to mention I'm a professed kitchen gadget fanatic.

It actually acts as an ersatz version of Khoya, which is milk solids with the water evaporated out of it. Mine also stuck to the bottom a little bit but when I stirred it all in, it just added flavor.

Indian Rice Pudding in the Instant Pot

The caramelized bits at the bottom of the Instant Pot did was make the Indian Rice Pudding taste much better than the two previous versions I made. They were fine, but they lacked a little something. Once I had made this, I realized the milk separating and caramelizing make all the difference in taste. So just keep calm, stir, add some more milk, stir up everything from the bottom, and enjoy the caramelized end product.

This Kheer has a caramel/pink tinge to it. You want this. It adds a depth of sweetness and thickness that makes this kheer bathe your tongue in creamy goodness. That pristine white you're used to seeing in the Indian restaurants is not optimal.

How To Make Indian Rice Pudding

Heat the ghee and when it shimmers, add the raisins and cashews. Stir and cook in the ghee until the cashews are lightly browned and the raisins are plumped.
Add rice, milk, sweetener, and water and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow it to release pressure naturally, as this is when a lot of caramelizing will occur.
Open it and don't freak out at the curdled milk. Stir until it's well-mixed, adding half and half a little at a time to thin it out. By this time, you will have a smooth, non-curdled kheer.
Add the cardamom and chill overnight. You can eat it hot but really it's so much better the next day.

Tips and Tricks for Indian Rice Pudding

It is ok for it to look curdled! You want this. Stir it all together after the Instant Pot comes under pressure.
If you have pistachios or cranberries, those would be fine to substitute as well.
It can be served hot or cold, but I prefer it to cool and thicken and then enjoy it!
Delicious as a leftover.

Other Indian Recipes Made in the Instant Pot

If you enjoy this Indian Kheer recipe, you'll love this Pressure Cooker Indian Zucchini Kheer recipe. It's just as good as my Indian Kheer recipe without all the carbs!

Super easy Indian Zucchini Kheer recipe for a dessert made in minutes in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Great way to use up summer zucchini in a sweet, exotic dessert.

Do you need a main course to serve alongside Kheer? My famous Instant Pot Butter Chicken will wow any crowd you serve this to.

Side shot of slow cooker butter chicken in white dish.

And if you're looking for more Indian dessert recipes, check out my Indian Halva Recipe. It's Vegan friendly and easy to make in your Insant Pot!

Customizing Your Indian Kheer

I like my Indian Kheer with the raisins and cashews cooked soft into it. If you prefer the cashews a little crunchy, fry them in the ghee first, and take them out. Then, finish the other steps and add them back when the Kheer is done, along with the cardamom. Use any nuts that you have on hand and need to use up.

Right before serving, I dust a little ground cardamom on the top of my bowl right before I serve with some additional half and half. The cardamom adds a minty, spicy, herbal finish to a thick and creamy rice pudding.