Recipe: Neha's Tender Coconut Kheer

Along with dandiya and colourful dressing, post-fast feasting is the order of the day during Navratri, a festival known for its divine energy.

It can be nine nights of vrat-wali desserts!

Kheers are, of course, a rather sweet way to end our days of fasting and the varieties of upvaas-appropriate ones are mind-boggling. Chef Neha Deepak Shah has one more!

Her Vrat Wali Tender Coconut Kheer is a lovely marriage of tradition and innovation. The use of sama rice makes it a suitable option for fasting, while the tender coconut adds a refreshing new flavour.

Says Chef Neha on her FB site: 'Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with passion or not at all. For me, it came naturally'.

Vrat Wali Tender Coconut Kheer

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 tsp ghee
• 1/3 cup sama rice or barnyard millets
• 2 cups milk
• ¼ cup condensed milk
• ½ tsp elaichi or cardamom powder
• Coconut malai or cream of a tender coconut, chopped
• Chopped nuts, like cashews, pistachios and almonds, and rose petals, for garnish

Method

• Heat the ghee in a saucepan or a kadhai over low heat and add the sama rice and toast it for about 30 seconds until slightly fragrant.
  Pour in the milk and continuously stir to prevent it from sticking.
  Gradually add the condensed milk and the elaichi powder.
  Cook the mixture for about 15 minutes, or until the sama rice is perfectly cooked and has absorbed the milk, creating a creamy texture.
  Take off heat and cool.
  Once the kheer has cooled completely, add the tender coconut malai to the mixture and mix.
• Serve warm or chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so and serve garnished with the chopped nuts and rose petals for a festive touch.

A contestant on MasterChef India Season 4, Chef Neha Deepak Shah lives in Jaipur.

• REDIFF FOOD