Birthday...Anniversary ... Festivals...Wedding. Can you
tell me what is common among all these?? SWEETS :)Sweets play a very significant part in
our Indian culture and tradition... So without breaking this tradition I will
celebrate the birth of my blog Spoonandtheneedle
by cooking Payesh (Kheer)(Rice pudding)The words Payesh and Kheer have been
derived from Sanskrit words Payasam and
Ksheeram meaning milk.
I guess Kheer is one such thing which is loved by one
and all... As the cooking process fires up its aroma fills up every nook and
corner of the house and gives a heavenly
feeling...This is one such dish which is cooked in most of the states of India
with a little variation here and there...Almost everybody grows up eating this delicacy
and has his /her stories and memoirs behind this and I suppose it is this extra ingredient which makes this sweet dish even sweeter :)Like others I
too have many memories attached to this dish and it makes me nostalgic every
time I cook it. Its fragrance takes me back to my childhood home. We Bengali's
have a custom that after marriage the first thing we cook in our husband’s
house is ‘Payesh’. This is first offered to god and then the new bride serves
it to all the elders of the family and takes their blessings... And for this reason my grandmother made it a point to teach me this dish and
whenever she cooked Payesh she made me sit beside her and made e learn the process so that my In laws
approve me as a skilful bahu and bestow
their blessings on me (luv u grandma!)..She would say “there is one golden rule
of cooking .Never forget to put your love and sincerity in what you cook as
this is the basic element which turns simple food to ambrosia”....I learnt a
lot from her and yes my in laws did love the payesh I made after my marriage
and I know my Grandma must have smiled from heaven and blessed me.
Without delving any more into the memories I would like
to share the recipe with you... so here it goes...
INGREDIENTS
1) Milk 750 ml
2) Condensed milk 2 table spoon
3) Bay leaves -2
4) Rice (preferably gobindo bhog or you can use basmati
rice too) – 15 gram.
5) Sugar 6 table spoons or according to taste
6) Cashew, Almond, Raisins – finely chopped.
7) Cardamom powder -1/2 tea spoon
8) Honey (Optional)
PROCESS
1) Take
a bowl and soak the rice for 20 minutes.
2) In
a pan take 750 ml milk and boil it on low flame till the milk becomes a little
thick .To this add some condensed milk (It is optional but I prefer it because
it makes the milk a little thick and adds in taste as well as smell)
3) Put
the bay leaves into the milk.
Please note: A lot of
people do the mistake of adding the sugar while the milk boils. Please avoid
this because if you do so then the rice will not boil properly and you won’t
get the perfect payesh)
4) When
the milk becomes half add in the pre soaked rice and let it cook. Do not forget
to stir it at regular intervals so that the rice cooks evenly.
5) Put
half of the chopped raisins, cashews, almonds and pistachios.
6) When
the rice is almost cooked add in the sugar and stir it continuously till the
sugar mixes completely.
(I like to add some honey too. This
way I don’t have to put too much sugar as the honey solves the purpose so it’s
a lot healthier and honey also adds in a rich colour to it.)
Note: At times it
happens that by the time the rice boils you feel you need some more milk (this may
happen as the quality of rice differs) you can put some boiled milk and
continue with the process. So be sure you have some extra milk at hand.)
Now,How will you understand
that your payesh is ready? Simple! Pick some of it in the ladle and let it drop
in the container .If you see that the milk falls first and then the rice it
means it’s not cooked and if both falls together then its cooked.Cook it for some more timeand its dome.
7) Add
the cardamom powder and stir it.
yummy Payesh is ready :)
8) Let
it cool for some time and take it out in a bowl.
9) Garnish
with the remaining raisins, cashews, almonds and pistachios and serve it.
Please do let me know how you found
the recipe and also share your experience with me.
Thanks!
Madhumita
