It is that time of the year again when the holy month of Ramadan culminates and Eid celebrations are ushered in and welcomed in full fervour. During this festive occasion, the prime focus is sweet dishes, giving the festival its name – Meethi Eid. On this festive occasion, Muslim brothers and sisters all over the world pray and thank Allah for the grace and benevolence that kept them steadfast during the holy month.

The 1-month long Iftar feasting is filled with rich and meaty dishes. But the final day is all about starting anew, on a sweet note. During the holy month of Ramadan, the evening Iftar meal is usually rich and meaty. But once Ramadan month comes to an end, the following day is celebrated as Eid by partaking a sweet dish the first thing in the morning. It signifies starting your day on a sweet note after a month of praying and abstinence.

You can prepare traditional sweet dishes such as Sheer Khurma, Meethi Seviyan, Ras Malai, Firni, Fruit Custard or our personal favourite Kheer- Basmati Rice Pudding.

The basic recipe is rather simple and it uses just 4 elementary ingredients. Once you’ve taught yourself the basic base, you can mix and match to suit your taste and preference. You could maybe swap the ground cardamom with ground cinnamon. Or you could add a tinge of maple syrup to enhance the taste and aroma. If you are a nutty person, you could add your favourite nuts and dried fruits.



Basmati Rice Pudding – Kheer

Cooking Time – About 50 minutes

Serves – 6 to 8

A Simple List of Ingredients:

• 1 litre Whole Milk
• 4 ounces (100 grams) Taj Classic Basmati Rice
• 1 teaspoon Cardamom/Cinnamon Powder (or to taste)
• 4 ounces (100 grams) Sugar (or to taste)
• Chopped almonds, to garnish
• Ahmed Kewra Water
• Khoa

1. Soak 4 ounces (100 grams) Taj Classic Basmati Rice in a bowl for one hour, allowing the water to be absorbed by the rice. Now drain the rice and grind the rice until it is slightly crushed. Be careful not to grind it too much.
2. Chop generous amount of almonds (or any of your favourite nuts) and keep them ready.
3. Pour 1 litre milk in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Boil it over a medium heat, uncovered for about 10 minutes. Put a wooden spoon over it to avoid overboiling.
4. Add the crushed Taj Classic Basmati Rice to the boiling milk.
5. Once the milk reaches the boiling level, add the crushed Taj Classic Basmati Rice to the milk. Now, cook for about 30 minutes over a medium flame, allowing the rice to soak up the milk.
6. Remember to stir occasionally so that the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom. You may even notice the rice getting puffed as it soaks up the milk.
7. Now, you may sprinkle 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom (or cinnamon).
8. Now’s the time to stir in the spice of the dessert. Add 4 ounces(100 gms) of sugar, more or less according to your sweet preference.
9. Add the chopped almonds (or any nut you prefer) and Khoa. Give it a good stir.
10. Add a few drops of Ahmed Kewra water to enhance the flavour and taste.
11. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and leave it to cool, or serve hot, if you prefer.
12. When you wish to dish up, garnishing it with chopped almonds or chopped pistachios, is what we’d highly recommend. It’s a great taste enhancer.

Hope you savour the delicious Basmati Rice Kheer while celebrating Eid Al-Fitr with your Muslim brothers and sisters and enjoying the spirit of brotherhood. It’s time to switch gears from fasting to feasting mode, so go ahead and make the most of the Eid celebrations.