Dates & Almond Kheer

'Kheer' is synonymous with Indian Households. It is the best way to cherish sweet moments with family during festivals and a perfect prasadam for pujas at home. We Indians just love to be traditional, don't we? :) 

Be it a Rice Kheer or Sabudana Kheer, we simply dote on it! Its a culture which has cascaded down from generation to generations - from our Grand Mothers to our Moms and then to us. 

If you yearn for the goodness of your granny's or mommy's home-cooked sweet delicacy, try this Dates & Almond Kheer and it will bring back the authentic flavors of Nostalgia!

Ingredients:-

Milk - 500 ml

Water - 100 ml

Dates (de-seeded) - 30 gms

Almonds (soaked in water for 3 hrs) - 20 gms

Pistachios - 15 gms

Kishmish - Handful of them

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp

Rose water - 2-3 drops

Sugar - As per taste

Saffron - 2-3 threads

Ghee - 1/2 tbsp

Steps to Follow:-

1. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the milk and water and give it a boil.  (Set aside 1/4 cup of milk)

2. Let the milk simmer in low flame. Meanwhile, peel off the almond skin and coarsely grind around 20 gms of Dates and 10 gms of skinned almonds in a mixer along with the milk kept aside.

3. Add the dates-almond paste to the milk and stir thoroughly and let it simmer for another few mins.

4. Chop the remaining dates, skinned almonds & pistachios and add them to the mixture.

5. Add rose water, cardamom, kishmish to the kheer.Give it a stir.

6. Check for sweetness and if you wish to add sugar, add it as per your taste.

NOTE: As per the sweetness required, you can replace sugar with condensed milk as well. 

7. Once the milk has reduced a bit in quantity and has slightly thickened, turn Off the flame.

8. Let the kheer cool and transfer in a bowl and garnish with saffron and almond at the time of serving.

Quick Tip: You may garnish with chopped fresh rose petals as well and for sure your dish will steal the show! A luscious treat to the taste-buds and to the eyes. :)

Stay sweet and spread love!