Looking for an easy delicious fusion dessert? Try this unique twist to Indian rice pudding ‘kheer’, inspired by Turkish dessert ‘Sutlac’. Made with basic ingredients like milk, rice & sugar, it is so tasty, simple to make and perfect for any occasion.
Sutlac (pronounced as ‘soot-laahch’), is popular traditional Turkish milk based dessert which is baked & served in small clay pots. It can be enjoyed both warm, at room temp or chilled depending on the weather.
I tried this divine tasting dessert on my trip to Istanbul and couldn’t wait to replicate it after coming back. I asked the server about the ingredients, who graciously shared with us that its made with mainly 4 ingredients milk, sugar, rice, vanilla and little bit of flour (to thicken it).
Its lush creamy texture was almost like Indian dessert ‘Kheer’ but it had slightly charred milk-skin on top with caramelised custard like flavour. I skipped the flour and prepared the rice pudding (kheer) in Indian style on stovetop and then finished it in the oven till it had golden brown spots like Sutlac.
The best part is that it can be made ahead of time and stored in fridge till the time of serving. It is a great option for parties, potlucks or for festivals like Holi, Diwali etc.
Though it takes little bit of time, patience (and of course stirring) but it is totally worth the wait. I made this pudding on Raksha bandhan this year and everybody in my family loved it.
This oven baked rice pudding is:
- Gluten free
- Vegetarian (no eggs)
- Easy make ahead dessert recipe
- No cream & No condensed milk
Rice Pudding Ingredients:
Rice: Use uncooked small grain or broken rice variety to make this rice pudding. It needs to be washed well before using to get rid of any dirt on them as otherwise it can cause the milk to split while cooking.
Milk: For creamy rich texture, please use fresh full fat or whole milk. Low fat milk is also fine but you may miss creaminess in pudding. To make it vegan, use almond or soy milk.
In traditional Turkish rice pudding, the rice is first cooked in water and then in milk but here I have cooked them in milk from start to finish as we do generally while making kheer.
Sugar: I have used regular granulated sugar as sweetener. Powdered sugar or castor sugar can also be used. Avoid using jaggery as it can make the milk curdle if cooked for too long.
Also, one of the important tip here is to add sugar once the rice is cooked completely as adding sugar in the beginning of cooking process prevents the rice from softening completely.
Cardamom: Also known as ‘elaichi’ it gives a wonderful aroma to the rice pudding (kheer). You can crush the seeds of freshly peeled cardamom or use store bought cardamom powder.
Other flavouring options: As cardamom is not readily available everywhere, you can replace it with rose water, cinnamon or vanilla extract. Saffron strands can also be added for giving aroma & gorgeous golden yellow hue to the kheer.
Nuts: Though the dessert is complete in itself but for nutty taste and crunchiness, you can add some nuts in the pudding or garnish it with chopped nuts like pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds or cashews. For making it nut-free, skip adding any nuts.
Raisins: If you are someone who loves raisins, then do add them in the rice pudding (in last 5 min of cooking). They add wonderful juicy texture and naturally enhances its sweetness.
Baking Pots Used:
You can use any oven safe baking dish or ramekin bowls to make this pudding. I have used oven safe earthen clay pots here which I especially got from turkey (You must be thinking ‘these are easily available in India also’, yes I know but heart wants what it wants.)
Filling the baking tray with water: The baking tray in which we will bake the rice pudding bowls need to be filled with water. This is an important step and not to be missed as the steam from the water creates a moist environment inside the oven and prevents the milk pudding from becoming dry or overcooked.
More Indian fusion desserts:
Ingredients: (For 4 to 5 servings)
- Uncooked Rice (small grain)- 1/4 cup
- Milk (Whole milk / full fat)- 4 cups (1 litre)
- Granulated Sugar- 1/3 cup
- Cardamom Powder*- 1/2 tsp (for flavoring)
- Chopped Pistachios (or any nuts)- For garnishing
(*Instead of cardamom, you can even use vanilla extract, cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, saffron strands or rose water.)
Directions:
Step 1:
Wash the rice once to get rid of any dust and transfer over a sieve. Shake the sieve gently to drip any excess water from rice. Keep aside.
Step 2:
Place a heavy bottom pan or pot on stove and add milk to it. Turn on the flame and add rice to it. Mix well and bring the milk to boil.
Step 3:
Simmer and let the rice cook in milk for 30-40 minutes while stirring every 5 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
Step 4:
Once the rice is cooked and milk is reduced, add sugar & cardamom powder. Mix well. Taste and increase the sugar if required.
Cook for another 10-12 minutes while stirring till it become thick enough (almost like the consistency of custard). Once done, turn off the flame and let it cool for 5 minutes. (The rice pudding is ready at this step. It is also fine if you don’t want to bake it. Enjoy it warm or chill to serve later.)
Step 5:
Set the oven for preheating to 200°C (400°F). While it is preheating, arrange the oven safe bowls in a baking tray and transfer rice pudding in each of it (make sure you mix well before transferring so each bowl has both rice & milk). Fill the tray with water.
Step 6:
Bake the rice pudding in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) on top shelf for 10-12 minutes till they get slightly charred golden spots on top. Please watch their top while baking as time can vary depending on the oven.
(Some ovens have uneven heating causing dark spots quickly on one spot. In this case, remove the tray from oven after half time, rotate it and then place it back in oven.)
Remove the bowls from oven once done. Cool them at room temperature first and then chill in fridge for at least 2-3 hrs before serving. Garnish with pistachios, hazelnuts or any nuts before serving.
Tips:
- If you want to cut short cooking time, dissolve 1 tbsp cornstarch in 1/2 cup room temp milk. Whisk it well and add it to the pudding while it is cooking. You can even add some sweetened condensed milk to thicken it quickly.
- For more servings, double the recipe but the cooking time may increase accordingly.
- If you are adding saffron, then first dissolve it in 2 tbsp of hot milk while crushing it with back of spoon to extract all the colour and flavour.
- Whether it is cardamom or rose water, the aromatics should be added in end. If they are added too early in cooking, then they loose their aroma due to overcooking.
FAQs:
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it and store it in fridge covered for upto 3 days. Covering it important to prevent the pudding from drying and absorbing other odours other from food in fridge. I would not recommend freezing as its texture changes.
Can I skip the baking part?
Yes, this milk dessert can be enjoyed without baking also. After cooking on stovetop, you can serve it warm or chill in fridge before serving.
Pin for later:
More kheer (pudding) recipes:
- Makhana Kheer (Foxnut Pudding)
- Sama Rice Kheer (Barnyard Millet Pudding)
- Mango Sabudana Kheer (Tapioca Pudding)
If you try this easy baked rice pudding recipe & share pics on social media, then don’t forget to tag on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.
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(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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