Kheer in Croatia: Nepali rice pudding from 3 supermarket basics (and the Croatian words to find them)

Milk, rice and sugar are enough for a warm bowl of kheer. A shopping list with Croatian names, five steps and the mistakes to avoid, just in time to practise before Tihar.

Published 2026-10-29 · Source checked 2026-10-28

A warm bowl of kheer tastes like home, and its main ingredients are on every Croatian supermarket shelf: milk, rice and sugar. Nepal even has a day for it, Khir Khane Din on 15 Shrawan.^[1] Tihar starts on 7 November, so this is a good week to practise.

Shopping list for 4 small bowls, with Croatian names: whole milk, 1 litre (punomasno mlijeko); white rice, about 50 g or 4 tablespoons (riža; short-grain rice gives a creamier kheer, basmati also works); sugar, about 60 g or to taste (šećer); cardamom, 3 or 4 pods or half a teaspoon ground (kardamom). Optional: raisins (grožđice), almonds (bademi), cashews (indijski oraščići), saffron (šafran). Milk and nuts are the main cost, so check the shelf prices. Cardamom is on the spice shelf or in an Asian shop.^[4][5]

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Step 1: Rinse the rice until the water runs nearly clear, soak it for 15 to 30 minutes, then drain. Step 2: Bring the milk to a gentle boil in a heavy pot, add the crushed cardamom and the rice.^[2][3]

Step 3: Lower the heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the bottom does not catch, until the rice is very soft and the milk has thickened. Step 4: Stir in the sugar when the rice is soft, simmer 5 more minutes, then add raisins and nuts.^[2][3][4]

Step 5: Serve warm, or chill it. Kheer thickens as it cools, so add a splash of hot milk if it gets too stiff. Nepali kheer tends to be thicker and less sweet than other versions, so start with less sugar and taste.^[1][4] Our tips: never leave the pot alone because milk boils over fast, and put leftovers in the fridge within two hours and eat them within two days.^[5]

What to do: make a pot this weekend and share a bowl with a neighbour or housemate. How does your family make kheer, with ghee, coconut or jaggery? Tell us on our Facebook page. See also our masala chiya recipe, sel roti for Tihar and the Tihar dates in Croatia.

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