I've heard it said that the key to a man's heart is through his stomach. I've found that, in six years of being married, this is true for my husband also. I know how to adapt my moods according to his, and what food to make to complement his different moods. Like if he has a cold, I know to make him something really spicy; and to make him feel appreciated, I make something sweet.

My husband places a lot of emphasis on the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and since it was recently the Prophet's birth and death anniversary, I felt I should make something extra special.

Seeing as I was working under time and budget constraints, I needed to make something that wouldn't take too long, was cost-effective, and still special. The answer? Kheer.

Kheer is an essential dish in many Indian celebrations and other occasions. It is a dessert made with rice, but can also be made using vermicelli. Ever since I can remember, my mother has always made kheer at least once a year, so this year I thought I'd try my hand at this delicious dessert.

There are many kheer recipes out there, but I particularly enjoy the kheer my mother makes, so I decided to share her recipe. Here it is:

Kheer:

2 L milk
1 tin condensed milk
Elachi (cardamom) powder
Sliced almonds
Half cup rice
2 tblsp saigo (rinsed in cold water) - you will find this in most spice shops

Boil the rice until soft, and drain.
In a separate pot, boil the milk, condensed milk, elachi powder, and almonds.
Make sure to stir the milk as it boils or it will stick to the pot.
Add the rice to the milk and boil while stirring.
Lastly, add the rinsed saigo and stir. The saigo will cause the kheer to
thicken, so add some and see if you would like it thicker. If you want the kheer
thicker, add more saigo.
Enjoy your kheer hot or cold.

Aunty Banoo's Tip: When adding the condensed milk to the milk, rinse out the condensed milk can with hot water to get out all the condensed milk.

Needless to say, my husband was chuffed with his kheer, and asked me to make some more the next day!