Festive Plum & Walnut Kheer- vegan, gluten free.
Festive season in India has begun. Addictive sweets, savory snacks usually accompany lots of love and memories, while wrapped in the distinctive aromas, colors and the innate spirit of Indian festivals. Dussehra is celebrated as the victory of good over evil, all over India. On such a special day, adhering to plant based diet can be healing as well as spiritually satisfying. Traditional Indian festive feasts include dishes made primarily with ghee/oil, sugar and dairy products. On the other hand, plant-based diets offer adequate nourishment to human bodies without extra baggage of cholesterol, numerous inflammatory and carcinogenic substances. In addition, following a plant based diet enables us to play an important role in saving our home, the planet Earth.
Desserts are the most awaited festive dishes in most households. Kheer, is very common sweet dish that is typically made by cooking rice or any whole grain in milk that is sweetened with sugar or jaggery. Sticking to the motto of wholefood plant based lifestyle, this elegant and comforting kheer will extra sweeten your auspicious day without the ifs and buts that come with processed sugars and dairy products.
Sweet plums that are of perfectly ripe along with medjool dates, the richness of walnuts form the delectable foundation for this kheer. A touch of cinnamon, the captivating cardamom and the final touch of saffron elevate the natural sweet goodness of this kheer.
This indulging kheer is purely plantastic and extravagant. It takes about 30 min from start to finish and you can enjoy it guilt free.
Festive Plum and Walnut Kheer
Ingredients
- 5 cups oat milk or soy milk – unsweetened
- 3/4 cup basmati rice
- 8 whole walnuts
- 5 large sweet plums – medium firm- sliced
- 8 medjool pitted dates
- 1 tbsp raisins or prunes
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- pinch of salt
- 10 strands of saffron optional
To garnish
- Sliced fresh plums or can slightly roast them
- Mixture of nuts
- Dry coconut flakes
- Edible flowers
Instructions
- Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it in about 1 cup of water for at least 30 minutes.
- Take a heavy bottom , deep ,medium size pan. On medium heat add 5 cups of plant-based milk and let the milk slowly come to a boil.
- In a separate sauté pan, dry roasted walnuts and add them to a blender jar. To the same pan, add cut plums followed with dates and raisins. Add 2 tablespoons of water to avoid excessive sticking of the contents to the pain. On low–medium heat, cook till the plums soften by covering the pan with a lid. Periodically try to stir the contents. The plums should be ready in 8-10 minutes.Now add the cooked plum- date mixture also to the blender jar. Add cinnamon powder as well. Blend it into a nice paste with still some chunkiness preserved. Take the paste into a bowl.
- Now drain the water out of the rice and add the soaked rice to the same blander jar (no washing of the jar required). Add 4-5 tablespoons of milk that is boiled to the blender to facilitate the grinding process. Now blend into a smooth paste.
- Make sure that the boiled milk is on low–medium heat. Slowly add plum/date mixture followed by the ground rice to the milk with slow stirring. Mix the contents thoroughly. Add cardamom powder and a pinch of salt. On low–medium heat let the mixture cook till it thickens to the 'kheer- porridge' texture. The process may take up to 10-15 minutes. You can add saffron stands during the last 2 minutes.
- Once you see nice porridge texture, switch off the stove. Serve the yummy kheer warm. Garnish with nuts, fresh/slightly roasted plums, rose petals, raisins,etc. We love slightly roasted plums on top of the kheer..makes it extra special.