Saffron Breakfast Kheer

A luxurious Indian-inspired breakfast porridge made with brown rice, nuts and warming spices. This creamy kheer is enriched with cashews and almonds, perfumed with cardamom, saffron and cinnamon, and naturally sweetened with honey and golden raisins.

4 servings

1 hr 15 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 cup long-grain brown rice
•¾ cup cashew nuts
•⅓ cup blanched almonds
•4½ cups almond milk
•6 pods cardamom pods
•⅔ cup raisins
•¼ teaspoon ground ginger
•1 pinch saffron threads
•1 stick cinnamon stick
•2 tablespoons golden honey
•1 whole lime zest
•2 tablespoons toasted coconut flakes

Cooking Instructions

1.
Soak the rice in one bowl and the cashews and almonds in another in cold water for at least 30 minutes but ideally overnight.
30 min
2.
In the morning, drain the rice and put it into a saucepan with the milk and 2 cups (500 ml) of cold water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes at a gentle bubble until the rice has puffed up and the liquid is beginning to thicken.
20 min
3.
Meanwhile, drain the nuts and finely chop them-you can do this in a food processor if you like. Bash the cardamom pods in a mortar with a pestle, spice grinder, or mixing bowl with rolling pin and remove the fragrant seeds, then discard the pods and grind the seeds until you have a powder.
10 min
4.
After 20 minutes add the nuts, raisins, spices, and honey to the rice and cook for another 15 minutes until thick and creamy, somewhere between rice pudding and porridge. You want to reach the sweet spot where the rice is soft, with very little bite, and the kheer is creamy but not too thick. If it looks like it is thickening too fast, turn the heat down and add a little boiling water from the kettle. Serve spooned into bowls with the lime zest and coconut flakes on top; if you have a sweet tooth, you could add a little extra honey on top.
15 min

Ingredients

•1 cup long-grain brown rice

•¾ cup cashew nuts

•⅓ cup blanched almonds

•4½ cups almond milk

•6 pods cardamom pods

•⅔ cup raisins

•¼ teaspoon ground ginger

•1 pinch saffron threads

•1 stick cinnamon stick

•2 tablespoons golden honey

•1 whole lime zest

•2 tablespoons toasted coconut flakes

Cooking Instructions

Soak the rice in one bowl and the cashews and almonds in another in cold water for at least 30 minutes but ideally overnight.

30 min

In the morning, drain the rice and put it into a saucepan with the milk and 2 cups (500 ml) of cold water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes at a gentle bubble until the rice has puffed up and the liquid is beginning to thicken.

20 min

Meanwhile, drain the nuts and finely chop them-you can do this in a food processor if you like. Bash the cardamom pods in a mortar with a pestle, spice grinder, or mixing bowl with rolling pin and remove the fragrant seeds, then discard the pods and grind the seeds until you have a powder.

10 min

After 20 minutes add the nuts, raisins, spices, and honey to the rice and cook for another 15 minutes until thick and creamy, somewhere between rice pudding and porridge. You want to reach the sweet spot where the rice is soft, with very little bite, and the kheer is creamy but not too thick. If it looks like it is thickening too fast, turn the heat down and add a little boiling water from the kettle. Serve spooned into bowls with the lime zest and coconut flakes on top; if you have a sweet tooth, you could add a little extra honey on top.

15 min