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| Jaggery Rice kheer |
Kheer holds a special place in my heart, maybe because I had the best kheer in the world which my mom makes during festivals like Dusshera, Diwali, Ugadi and during Karthika Pournami. There are many variations of rice pudding made in Indian subcontinent, as Payasam in Southern part, as kheer in Northern part, as Payesh in Bengal region and One thing which is common in all the variations of these puddings is rice and milk, that’s how India is connected so beautifully, even though we follow different cultures and rituals we’re still connected by a single harmony.
Kheer is the first food given to babies in India by many when they are between six to eight months old, called as Annaprashana a weaning ritual celebrated till today. Where rice pudding is made and the maternal uncle of baby feeds it. Also the kheer is most popular classic Indian dessert which is made on many occasions like festivals, pooja, Havan, House warming etc.,
These days we can get to see many variations of kheer like semiya, sabudhana, chia, makhana etc., Although there might be many but nothing gives that comfort and hearty feeling like an age old classic chawal ki kheer does. And to make it in old fashioned way I have used Jaggery to sweeten it, increasing its nutritional value along with giving a divine taste to it.
INGREDIENTS
Rice – 1/4 cup (Any kind basmati/sona masoori/govind bhog)
Milk – 1 cup
Jaggery powder – 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp
Cardamom – 1
Cashews – 4-5
Almonds – 4-5
Raisins – 4-5
Saffron -7-8 strands
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Water – 1/2 cup
PROCEDURE
1. Wash and soak the rice for at least 30 minutes.
2. Chop the nuts finely and keep aside.
3. In a sauce pan, add the milk and add in saffron strands and bring it to a boil.
4. On the other side, in a thick bottomed pan/kadai add ghee and once it’s hot, add the chopped nuts and fry them until golden brown and transfer them to a plate.
5.Now add the raisins and fry them until they puffed up and transfer them to the plate and let them cool down.
6. Now add the soaked rice to the ghee and fry for 2 mins and add water and let it come to a rolling boil.
7. Crush the cardamom pods to a coarse powder using a rolling pin or in a mortar and pestle and add it to the boiling rice.
8. When the milk comes to a rolling boil add it to the rice boiling in water and give a nice stir and from this point keep stirring intermittently to avoid the milk sticking to the bottom of the pan and cook until milk is reduced by 75% and rice is cooked completely.
9. Now add in grated jaggery, fried nuts, raisins and give a nice stir and cook until milk is reduced completely and creamy texture is attained. Switch off the stove.
10. Serve it warm or chilled as you like and I like it both ways.
Rice – 1/4 cup (Any kind basmati/sona masoori/govind bhog)
Milk – 1 cup
Jaggery powder – 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp
Cardamom – 1
Cashews – 4-5
Almonds – 4-5
Raisins – 4-5
Saffron -7-8 strands
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Water – 1/2 cup
PROCEDURE
1. Wash and soak the rice for at least 30 minutes.
2. Chop the nuts finely and keep aside.
3. In a sauce pan, add the milk and add in saffron strands and bring it to a boil.
4. On the other side, in a thick bottomed pan/kadai add ghee and once it’s hot, add the chopped nuts and fry them until golden brown and transfer them to a plate.
5.Now add the raisins and fry them until they puffed up and transfer them to the plate and let them cool down.
6. Now add the soaked rice to the ghee and fry for 2 mins and add water and let it come to a rolling boil.
7. Crush the cardamom pods to a coarse powder using a rolling pin or in a mortar and pestle and add it to the boiling rice.
8. When the milk comes to a rolling boil add it to the rice boiling in water and give a nice stir and from this point keep stirring intermittently to avoid the milk sticking to the bottom of the pan and cook until milk is reduced by 75% and rice is cooked completely.
9. Now add in grated jaggery, fried nuts, raisins and give a nice stir and cook until milk is reduced completely and creamy texture is attained. Switch off the stove.
10. Serve it warm or chilled as you like and I like it both ways.
FEW TIPS
1. I have boiled milk in a separate pan simultaneously along with boiling rice to make the process quicker, you can avoid that step and add the milk directly in to the boiling water and add in saffron strands then.
2. I have used Sona masoori rice, you can use govind bhog or basmati rice for attaining the subtle aroma to the kheer.
3. Adding saffron is completely optional, you can omit if you don’t like it.
Checkout my Kesar mewa phirni for a creamier textured rice pudding.
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| Kesar mewa phirni |
