Oat Kheer

Kheer is a form of rice pudding, but it can also be made with tapioca, rice noodles, or even oats, as it is here. It’s creamy, comforting, and floral in flavor from the cardamom, saffron, and rose water. Cardamom is a key delicious flavor, and healthful, too. Cardamom oils (ideally when the pods are freshly ground) have been shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

Serves 2

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

•2 cups (480 ml) unsweetened nondairy milk

•2 tablespoons maple syrup or desired sweetener, to taste

•½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

•⅛ teaspoon saffron, crushed

•Pinch of salt

•1 cup (80 g) old-fashioned rolled oats

•½ teaspoon rose water, optional

•Pistachios, roughly chopped

•Dried rose petals

•Saffron

•Pinch of ground cardamom

Instructions

1.Put the milk and ½ cup (120 ml) water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir frequently. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the maple syrup, cardamom, saffron, and salt. Stir and simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove ½ cup (120 ml) of the mixture and set aside for serving.

2.Add the rolled oats to the milk and simmer, stirring occasionally, until creamy and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rose water (if using) just before serving.

3.Serve in two bowls, topped with the reserved milk, pistachios, rose petals, saffron, and cardamom.

(Recipe from Plant-Based India: Nourishing Recipes Rooted in Tradition © Dr. Sheil Shukla, 2022. Reprinted by permission of The Experiment. Available everywhere books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com)