Kheer with Ismail Merchant

Ismail Merchant (December 25, 1936 – May 25, 2005) was an Indian-born film producer, best known for the results of his famously long collaboration with Merchant Ivory Productions which included director James Ivory and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. Their films won six Academy Awards.
Some of his films include -
A Room With A View
Remains of the Day
Heat and Dust
Cotton Mary
Howard 's End
The Perfect Murder
The Householder
Shakespeare Walla

Besides being a producer /director he was an accomplished cook and threw lavish parties for his friends in which he would cook.
I bought his compilation of recipes . I love reading it more than cooking from it as the ingredients he uses are way beyond me more suited to the western world. But the recipes are really good.
(sorry the photo is not very clear I double macroed it)

Since ages I had been wanting to make Kheer, an Indian rice dessert (pudding). Today I finally got down to it.

This is my own adaptation.

but I will give you Merchant 's version.

This patchwork tablecloth was made by my Mom.

I have served the Kheer in a tiny

clay cup. I bought Indian ice cream called kulfi in it and I am recycling it.

They are very cute. You can get larger ones too.

You can buy yogurt and sweets in them.

They are environmentally friendly as

paper and plastics are not involved.

Indian Rice Pudding - Kheer
1 cup long grain rice
5 1/4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup dried milk
1 tablespoon rosewater (don 't worry if you don 't have it -
I did not use it )
6-8 chopped blanched almonds
10-12 shelled unsalted pistachios chopped
1/4 cup seedless raisins
(I used lots of dried fruit and pine nuts, unsalted cashews chopped and coconut scrapings)
Boil rice in3 1/4 cups of water until the rice is very soft
Heat the milk and sugar in another pan and bring them to the boil.
Immediately reduce the heat and stir in the softened rice.
Continue cooking over medium-low heat until the mixture becomes thick. Add the dried milk and stir well.
Add the rose water, almonds, pistachios and raisins and
remove from the heat.Let the pudding cool and serve
it at room temperature.
(I like to chill the pudding)


Try it and see

The flowers at the side of the bowl

are sweet smelling summer belas.

I love their perfume.

Don 't know how they survive the blazing heat.
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Bought these from the vegetable market

(Clockwise)

Watermelon,lobhia beans, okra, green pumpkin.

The green chillies you see on the side the grocer gives free if you ask

for them.