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Rose, Pomegranate & tapioca pearl kheer- vegan

A festive rosy sweet indulgence with pomegranate flavor
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup pomegranate juice ( blend about 2 1/2 cups pomegranate seeds and sieve for one cup juice)
  • 1/2 cup large tapioca pearls
  • 2 Tbsp culinary rose petals
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 3 Tbsp light maple syrup can use 3 Tbsp light brown sugar instead- optional
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • pinch of nutmeg powder optional
  • pomegranate seeds to garnish
  • sliced almonds to garnish
  • rose petals to garnish optional
  • saffron strands to garnish optional

Instructions
 

  • Soak tapioca pearls in one cup water for 20 min. Then drain the water.
    Get pomegranate juice ready by blending the pomegranate seeds and then straining it. (add very little water if needed to sieve the juice and remove the grit of seeds. The grit can be added to smoothies. Do not waste the fiber).
  • Take a thick bottom vessel and on low-medium heat , add almond milk.
    Let the milk get heated slowly. Do not rush this process. High Heat destroys and burns the milk. This dish is made on low- medium heat from start to end.
    Once milk is hot, add the tapioca pearls , maple syrup. Stir gently for 10 min. If you use sugar instead, you get more rosy hue, and with light maple syrup, the color is a bit dusky.
    You should see the tapioca pearls become translucent and the overall consistency of milk thickens slowly.
  • Add the rose petals, pomegranate juice, cardamom powder and nutmeg. You can make this recipe even without rosepetals, and use 1 tsp rose water instead. But the rose petals add more richness and texture.
  • Keep stirring for another 5-7 min, where you feel the kheer start the thickening.
  • The consistency will get a bit thick even after you remove from stove due to starch from tapioca. So, turn the stove off when the kheer is semi thick and doesn't drip fast from the spoon when you stir.
  • Take into a serving bowl and garnish with pomegranate seeds , almonds, rose petals.

Notes

This kheer in my opinion is best eaten warm, not hot and not cold:)
You can use jaggery or agave nectar to sweeten the kheer, but the color will be darker and not much of a pink hue.