Dogri Kheer

Rice pudding with cardamom — whole basmati or short-grain rice simmered slowly in full-fat milk for an hour, sweetened with sugar, and perfumed with cardamom, saffron, and rose water. Served warm or at room temperature in clay cups, garnished with almonds, pistachios, and a strand of saffron. The Dogri version is thicker and more fragrant with cardamom than Bengal's payesh. Made for festivals, births, weddings, and the completion of puja.