Kheer - Indian Rice Pudding (Slow Cooker)

From "The Indian Slow Cooker" by Anupy Singla. This recipe makes a somewhat thin rice pudding, with the delicious taste of cardamon. The slow cooker makes it easy. The original recipe called for vegetable oil, but I used ghee instead. The recipe is vegan if you use soy milk. To make half the recipe, use a 3 1/2 quart slow cooker.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 9 cups

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil
• 1  cup  white basmati rice, washed and drained
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 cup sugar or 1⁄4-1⁄2 cup  agave nectar
• 1  teaspoon  green cardamom seed, lightly crushed
• 1⁄2 cup golden raisin
• 8  cups milk or 8  cups soymilk
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped  almonds or 2  tablespoons pistachios

Directions

1. Coat the bottom and sides of a 5 quart slow cooker with vegetable oil.
2. Put the rice, sugar, cardamon seeds, raisins and milk in the slow cooker. If using agave nectar, add it towards the end, as it will make the dish pinkish-brown in color. Note: I used only half of the cardamon seeds and that was plenty flavorful for me.
3. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours, stirring once or twice. Be careful not to let it overcook, as the milk will separate. (I found mine a bit too thin at the end of three hours and cooked another 30 minutes with the top off, but I have an old slow cooker).
4. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and serve, hot or cold. It will thicken as it cools.