Kheer Brûlée
Ingredients:
Khoya
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 milk powder (full fat)
Kheer
4 cups milk
1/4 cup rice, soaked in water for at least 2 hours, then broken up roughly with your hands
2 tbsp chopped nuts, such as pistachios and almonds (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
granulated sugar for brûlée
Instructions:
In a small nonstick pan, add butter, milk, and milk powder. Mix everything together and cook on medium-low heat until the mixture thickens like play-doh. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, add milk. (Ensure you are using a pot where the milk will not stick to the bottom and burn).
To the milk, add your rice. Use any type of rice that you’d like, but after the rice has been soaking, break it up into small pieces using your fingers. Alternatively, you can blend the rice with a couple tablespoons of water.
Bring the milk to a boil on high heat (stirring continuously), then lower the heat to medium-low. Stir continuously to ensure the milk does not burn.
Cook the mixture for 20-30 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked and soft. The milk will boil during this time so it’s important to use a large pot.
Once the milk has cooked down to about half and is slightly thickened, add the nuts, sugar, and cardamom. Once the sugar is added, the mixture will thin out again. Cook for another 5-7 minutes.
When the mixture is thick again, add the khoya and whisk it in so that it’s fully incorporated. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, then remove from the heat.
The kheer is ready as is, but at this point you can pour it into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
Once the kheer is completely cool, sprinkle about a teaspoon of sugar evenly onto the top of each ramekin, then brûlée with a torch (you can also place directly under an oven broiler for a couple of minutes (watch closely so it doesn’t burn).
Let the kheer rest for one minute after brûlée-ing, then serve.