Vegan Kheer

I don’t often eat and very rarely make dessert, but I love kheer. Although rice pudding exists in other cuisines, I find kheer to be much richer and more flavorful. However, milk doesn’t agree with me, so I used half soy milk and half oat milk; this is 100% vegan. I don’t think I’ve had a vegan version of kheer at any restaurant, but I’ve seen a vegan kheer on happcow.net, so I adapted that one. I will not use almond milk, and I find coconut milk too strong of a flavor. Soy milk and oak milk are my favorite plant-based milk alternatives.

• 3 cups soy milk
• 3 cups oat milk
• ½ cup basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
• 6 green cardamom pods, pounded slightly to break the husks
• ½ cup sugar
• 1½ tblsp chopped unsalted cashews
• 1½ tblsp chopped unsalted pistachios
• 1 pinch saffron strands, soaked in 1 tblsp hot water

1. Place soy milk and oat milk and crushed cardamom pods in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the drained, soaked rice and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add sugar and continue cooking and stirring for another 15 minutes.
3. Add 1 tblsp each of the chopped nuts and saffron and cook for another 20 minutes, stirringly occasionally.
4. Turn off the heat and let stand for at least 5 minutes.
5. Serve warm or chilled with remaining chopped cashews and pistachios.