Sikkimese Kheer

Slow-cooked rice pudding in the Nepali-Sikkimese style — short-grain rice simmered in full-fat milk with sugar, cardamom, and bay leaf until the rice breaks down and the milk reduces to a thick, creamy, ivory-coloured pudding, finished with raisins and cashews. Made at Tihar (the Nepali festival of lights) and offered as prasad at temple ceremonies; the Sikkimese kheer uses slightly more sugar than North Indian versions and often a small amount of coconut milk is added for a subtly tropical depth. Served warm or cold in small quantities after the main meal; the ritual of making kheer for a festival is an act of devotion as much as cooking.