Recipe for Yesterday's Indian Brown Rice Pudding

Yesterday was my first try at making Kheer. After reading tons of recipes for it, I put together my own healthier spin on this ancient dessert. Here it is...

Orange Scented Brown Rice Pudding (Kheer)

with Pistachios & Cardamom

Serves approx. 4 

4-5 cups Organic Fat Free Milk (I used 5, and I think it could have benefited from a bit less)
1/3 cup Rinsed, Uncooked Brown Bismati Rice (Soaked in water for 30 minutes if you have time)
Zest of 1 Organic Orange (I only zest from organic citrus... pesticides are icky!)
6-8 tablespoons Sugar
5 Green Cardamom Pods (whole, I found them at a great Indian grocery store in Troy, Michigan)
2 tablespoons (or a bit more if you'd prefer) Shelled , Unsalted Pistachios finely chopped

Mix your orange zest and sugar in a small bowl, let sit for as long as you can to infuse the flavors.

In a medium, heavy bottomed pot slowly bring milk, rice, and cardamom pods to a simmer, stirring often to prevent burning and a skin form forming. Reduce heat to low, continue to stir. Allow milk to reduce and rice to cook (the time on this will depend on if you soaked the rice). Remove any skin that forms.

After 20 minutes, I added the sugar and chopped pistachios and continued to cook for 20 more minutes until the rice was fully cooked, but as your cooking time will vary, just use your judgment. Cooking is fun, and if it tastes good, who cares when you added your sugar?! I don't!

Once the rice is cooked to your liking, and milk has reduced by over half, put a lid on the pot and let it sit until cool enough to refrigerate. 

Enjoy cold... after spinning class!

And don't waste that orange that you zested! Eat it (before it turns as hard as a baseball in your refrigerator), it's good for you!

Spinning, Sweets, & Spices

Today I cross train. Specifically, the torturous ritual known as spinning. Apparently it will make me a faster runner... Here's the back story.

My physical therapist (an elite marathoner himself) said that my yo-yo running is a big reason for my constant state of injury (you name it, I've had it). If I want to run the kinds of marathon times that I am dreaming of, I am going to have to get consistent to avoid injury. He made me a training schedule unlike any that I have ever seen before. It never lets up. Nope. Not until I hit 60 miles a week, anyway. Then I get one measly week of 45 miles, then right back to 60. On top of the miles, he wants me to spin hard twice a week, one hour for each session. After Boston, I am expected to keep a weekly average of 40 miles... but don't let me get ahead of myself.

If I am going to make it through another hour of spinning, I need a reward. A sweetly spiced one. That's just the type of girl that I am.

So, as Indian grandmothers worldwide are turning over in their graves, this skinny, white chick is going to make an attempt at cooking with cardamom... the green kind, in pods... Gasp.

Orange Scented Brown Rice Pudding (Kheer)

with Pistachios & Cardamom

With my revamped, healthier Indian style rice pudding, just finishing up on the stove... I am quite excited for the outcome... which I won't be able to have until after spinning, because it needs to cool. If all is well with this rice pudding (which smells fantastic right now!), the recipe will follow... if not... we'll try again!

So far...

Brown basmati rice and cardamom pods

 

Organic fat free milk

Chopped pistachios and natural cane sugar w/orange zest

Let the waiting begin!

...Later today... (post spinning)

 Success!!

My first attempt at Indian rice pudding (Kheer)!
I'll have the recipe up tomorrow.

*Please note* Kheer is not a thick pudding like traditional western puddings. It is thin, yet very tasty!