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Shir Berinj - Afghan Rice Pudding

Name: Shir Berinj - Afghan Rice Pudding
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern-inspired
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked short-grain white rice; ¼ cup water; 3 cup unsweetened oat milk; ¼ cup granulated sugar; 2 Tbsp rose water; ¼ tsp ground cardamom

45 min

Dessert

10 ingredients or less

One-bowl / one-pot

Shir berinj is a pudding consisting of shir (milk) and berinj (rice). It's a common dessert in countries like Afghanistan, Iran, and Azerbaijan. The sticky pudding is flavoured with rose water and cardamom, which gives it a unique and delicious flavour.

Servings

Total

45 min

Prep

5 min

Cook

40 min

Swap out

gluten

Free from

soy

peanut

tree nut

sesame

Ingredients

1 cup (200 g)
uncooked short-grain white rice, washed, soaked 4 hours^†
¼ cup (60 mL)
water
3 cups (720 mL)
unsweetened oat milk

unsweetened soy milk

unsweetened almond milk

unsweetened coconut milk beverage

unsweetened rice milk
¼ cup (56 g)
granulated sugar
2 Tbsp (30 mL)
rose water^†
¼ tsp
ground cardamom

Optional garnish

ground cinnamon
roasted unsalted pistachios
dried red rose petals

Directions

To a saucepan on medium-high heat, add the drained rice and water. Let the rice soak up all the water while stirring occasionally, this will take about 5 minutes.
Add the oat milk, bring the milk to a very light simmer and cook uncovered for 20 - 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Stir occasionally.
When the rice is cooked, add the sugar and cook for 2 more minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on it, as the sugar can burn quickly.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the rosewater and cardamom, and allow it to cool off completely. Garnish with cinnamon**, rose petals, and pistachios, and enjoy!

Notes

^†Traditionally the rice is soaked. If not soaked, simply add more milk. For every 1 cup of dry rice, 4 cups of milk should do the trick.
^†Rosewater is a common ingredient in some Middle Eastern cuisines and gives the recipe a floral taste. You might find it in your local Asian supermarket. If you’re not accustomed to the taste, consider adding less to start.
** Cinnamon is traditionally only added to the top decoratively, but as a kid, I preferred it when my mum mixed it into my rice while it was cooking. You're welcome to do the same if you're also a cinnamon lover!

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 331 kcal

Total fat	1.9 g
Omega-3	0.0 g
Omega-6	0.6 g
Saturated fat	0.4 g
Trans fat	0.0 g
Cholesterol	0.0 mg

Total carbs	71.4 g
Dietary fiber	4.2 g
Total sugars	14.2 g
Added sugars	14.0 g
Protein	6.7 g
Sodium	83 mg

Iron	1.70 mg
Potassium	130.2 mg
Calcium	227.6 mg
Magnesium	49.7 mg
Zinc	1.47 mg
Copper	0.29 mg
Manganese	1.46 mg
Phosphorus	160.2 mg
Selenium	15 μg

Vitamin A	34 μg RAE
Vitamin B6	0.1 mg
Vitamin B12	0 μg
Vitamin C	0.0 mg
Vitamin D	2 μg
Vitamin E	0.2 mg
Vitamin K	1 μg
Folate	12 μg
Thiamin	0.2 mg
Riboflavin	0.4 mg
Niacin	1.2 mg
Choline	10.6 mg

Nutrition info

Focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. For specific nutrition needs due to a medical condition, consult a dietitian or physician. While we strive to provide accurate nutritional information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. See our disclaimer for details.

Show nutrition info

More for the eyes

Process image of Shir Berinj - Afghan Rice Pudding

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Anna - June 25, 2023, 8:13 p.m.

I’ve been making this recipe regularly since it was first shared on YouTube. It’s so delicious and the perfect dessert when I’m hungry for a second dinner! 🤣

PUL Team - June 26, 2023, 3:12 a.m.

So happy to hear, Anna - thank you 😃

Abigail - April 5, 2023, 9:12 p.m.

So delicious! I wasn't able to find rose water before I made it, but I added ground cinnamon along with the cardamom and it is truly delectable.

PUL Team - April 7, 2023, 7:51 p.m.

Mmm sounds lovely, Abigail, thank you 🤗

Rachel M - Feb. 4, 2023, 2:18 p.m.

Hello, could whole milk or skim milk be used instead of oat milk?

PUL Team - Feb. 4, 2023, 7:22 p.m.

Hey Rachel! Since we only use plant-based products here at PUL we haven't tested it out, but we hope you enjoy the rice pudding if you're able to give it a try☺️

Eve - April 1, 2024, 4:50 a.m.

You can use full fat milk. My mom uses a combination of full fat milk and heavy cream for a creamier taste

Aurelia - May 27, 2022, 10:41 p.m.

loved this so much !!!

Emma - April 3, 2022, 10:05 p.m.

Another amazing recipe. So simple. I simply stirred every 5 minutes and it went perfectly finishing at 25 minutes. Think I can get away with even less sugar next time to be able to eat it more often. Thank you!!

PUL Team - April 3, 2022, 11:51 p.m.

Oh so lovely to hear, Emma, and so speedy! Thank you for taking the time to share ☺️

Charlotte - Sept. 8, 2021, 10 p.m.

I couldn't find rose water so I soaked dried rose petals in water for 24 hours and it seemed to do the trick. I have made rice pudding before and this one certainly hits different with the addition of rose water and ground cardamom. I love cinnamon so I favored the version with the cinnamon mixed through. I am always excited to try something new and this did not disappoint!

PUL Team - Sept. 8, 2021, 11:56 p.m.

Ooo lovely idea, Charlotte, thank you for the review and sharing your experience with the rice pudding 😊

Marzieh Khan - Sept. 7, 2021, 9:04 p.m.

It's no different than Kheer made in India and sub-continent, anyway thanks for sharing this, As now I know it's pashto word...

PUL Team - Sept. 8, 2021, 5:58 p.m.

It's so lovely to hear the different connections to recipes from around the world! Thank you, Marzieh :D

Nancy - Sept. 3, 2021, 10:49 p.m.

This is the first time I ever ate any kind of rice pudding. Usually, I can't stand even looking at it. I put half the amount of rosewater, and maybe it was a bit too much for my taste at first, but the flavour is starting to grow on me. My husband LOVES rice pudding which is why I made it in the first place. He's not used to rosewater either, but he liked it. I used medium rice, since I couldn't find short rice in the store.

PUL Team - Sept. 4, 2021, 1:50 a.m.

Hi there, Nancy! The rosewater can totally be overpowering if you're not accustomed to it, we find it becomes more familiar with time 😊 We're so glad the recipe was enjoyed in any case ✨

Nancy - Sept. 4, 2021, 2:58 a.m.

Two out of three kids liked it, and one husband, so it's a keeper.

Sarah - Sept. 1, 2021, 4:33 p.m.

This looks delicious! I’m not sure where to find short grain white rice. I usually have jasmine in the cupboard - would that work in place of a short grain rice?

PUL Team - Sept. 2, 2021, 3:22 a.m.

Hello, Sarah! Thanks for the lovely question. Jasmine rice is generally a long-grain rice, so it provides less creaminess. If your local grocery store carries "arborio rice" used to make risottos that'll work perfectly. I think even sushi rice might work. You may find it in the international aisle of your local grocery store. Let us know how it goes if you experiment with this one 🤗

Zahra - Sept. 1, 2021, 4:08 p.m.

I’m from Bahrain, and we do the same recipe, but after we soak the rice we blend it in the Blender to be a milk-like consistency, and we cook it as usual pudding same as you did.

PUL Team - Sept. 2, 2021, 2:48 a.m.

Mmm, sounds so lovely, Zahra! We love to hear how different cultures have similar food connections. Thank you for taking the time to share 🌻

Victoria Arianna - Sept. 1, 2021, 2:41 p.m.

I will try this one. As soon as I saw the picture it reminded me of a dessert we eat in my country. I'm from Argentina and we eat something similar called "arroz con leche" which means "rice with milk" in Spanish, so both have a lot in common. The only diference is that it is made with lemon zest, sugar and cinnamon.

PUL Team - Sept. 2, 2021, 2:46 a.m.

Ooo thank you for sharing your connection to this one, Victoria, it's so appreciated! We hope you enjoy it if you give the recipe a try 🥰

Emily D - Sept. 1, 2021, 2:29 p.m.

Can coconut milk be used in place of oat milk or would that be too different a flavor / texture?

PUL Team - Sept. 1, 2021, 2:45 p.m.

Hey Emily, it'd be a different taste for sure but I imagine it would be quite delicious! If you prefer the taste of coconut milk over oat milk, I say go for it 😊

Lou - Sept. 1, 2021, 1:22 p.m.

Absolutely love rice pudding but my stomach can't tolerate rice any more. Is there a way to do this with millet or another grain?

PUL Team - Sept. 1, 2021, 2:34 p.m.

Hey Lou, it will be quite different, but if you can't tolerate rice millet (or maybe even couscous) might be your next best bet. The main difference too is short-grain rice is what offers a natural creaminess to the dessert when cooked, whereas millet is a bit more dry and nutty in taste and texture when cooked. You can certainly give it a try though! Let us know what you think of it if you give it a go 😊

Astrid - Nov. 23, 2021, 8:06 p.m.

I had similar issues with rice and tolerate millet really well. There are different types of millet, some are more glutinous and thus should be able to produce a simular texture.
Regarding rice, I found that I do tolerate organic European varieties better, semi- complete.

Emily - Aug. 31, 2021, 8:22 p.m.

Where does one find rose water? I have no idea where to look. Do grocery stores stock it? I'm in Vancouver, so do you know of any local shops?

PUL Team - Aug. 31, 2021, 10:31 p.m.

Hey Emily, Persia Foods should definitely carry it in Vancouver, and they have several locations 😊 I hope this helps!

Sue - Aug. 22, 2022, 3 a.m.

Many liquor stores carry rosewater for (Ramos) fizz drinks.