Festive recipe: Nolen Gurer Payesh

We had asked you, dear readers, to share your favourite festive recipes with us.

Here, Rediff reader Baishali Ghosh tells us how to make a traditional Bengali Kheer.

Nolen Gurer Payesh is a traditional Bengali delicacy made with rice and date palm jaggery.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 200 gm gobindo bhog rice
• 1 litre full cream milk
• 1/2 cup date palm jaggery
• Chopped nuts or cashew and raisins for garnishing
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method

• In a thick bottom pan, boil milk on low to medium heat, stirring continuously. Add bay leaf and cardamom powder.
• Wash and soak rice in water for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Heat ghee in a pan, add rice and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Once milk starts to thicken, add rice. Stir continuously.
• After rice is cooked, add jaggery to the payesh. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir continuously.
• Check the sweetness. If you feel that it needs to be sweeter, add more jaggery.
• Switch off the gas, add chopped nuts, cashews or raisins.
• Serve warm or cold.

Photograph: Baishali Ghosh

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