Estimated reading time: 5 minutes When you think of Indian desserts, the first thing that comes to mind might be the creamy, luscious kheer—a traditional rice pudding. However, for those who follow a vegan diet or are simply looking to explore healthier desserts this apple quinoa kheer is a delicious alternative. I love the idea of fresh fruits in Indian desserts. A few of my favourites are – chikoo ka halwa, pineapple rava kesari, and apple kheer. The natural sweetness of fruits blends perfectly with the richness of Indian desserts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this healthy vegan quinoa kheer, you will need:
White Quinoa is a versatile superfood that is naturally gluten-free, packed with protein, and rich in essential amino acids. Almond milk or other plant-based milk like coconut, cashew, or soy milk. Apples that are crisp, ripe, and sweet like Golden Delicious. Brown Sugar, jaggery or coconut sugar (adjust according to taste) Cardamom powder and Saffron for sweet aroma, flavour and colour. Chopped nuts like almonds, pistachios, or cashews.
How To Make Quinoa Kheer
Prep Work for Kheer:
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water to remove any bitterness. Soak it in water for 30 minutes. Wash and finally chop the apples with the skin.
Cook the Quinoa:
Discard water from soaked quinoa In a pressure cooker, dry roast the soaked quinoa for 2 – 3 minutes. Add chopped apples, cardamom, and saffron.
Add water, and pressure cook over low heat for 3 whistles. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker.
Add Almond Milk:
After pressure cooking quinoa and apples are soft. Turn on the heat. Add almond milk and stir to combine.
Let it simmer over low heat for 5 – 6 minutes. Allow the kheer to become thick and creamy. Stir in the jaggery or coconut sugar until it dissolves completely. Let the kheer cool slightly. It will thicken further as it cools.
You can serve this vegan quinoa kheer warm or chilled. Garnish with more chopped nuts, edible rose petals, or saffron strands.
My Tried and True Tips
Choosing the Right Milk: Almond milk provides a subtle flavour that pairs well with the nuttiness of quinoa. Coconut milk adds a richer, creamier texture. Feel free to experiment with different plant-based milk options depending on your taste preference. Apples are full of acids, which might curdle the milk. So cook the apples before combining them with the milk. Any sweet and ripe variety of apples is perfect for this kheer recipe. Do not use apples with tartness and sourness such as Granny Smith. Apple kheer has a thick and luscious consistency, hence allow the milk to thicken before adding the sweetener. Customization: For added flavour, you can infuse the kheer with vanilla extract, cinnamon, or nutmeg. Fresh or dried fruits like chopped dates, figs, or dried apricots can also be added. Adding sweetener is completely optional in this kheer recipe. Jaggery and coconut sugar add a lovely depth of flavour to the kheer. You can also use maple syrup or agave for a different flavour profile.
More Indian Kheer Recipes
Rice Kheer Badam Kheer Seviyan Kheer Makhana Kheer Gujarati Doodh Pak Carrot Sabudana Kheer
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