Chawal ki kheer (Rice Kheer)

Starting the New Year with a sweet treat for everyone. Happy New Year - May 2011 be as sweet as this kheer (Pudding). Rice Kheer or rice pudding is a very common dish in Bihari cuisine. The speciality of Bihari kheer is that the quantity of rice used is more than usual. Saffron is not used in the traditional recipes. Traditionally the kheer was made in earthen pots on charcoal and the kheer got the flavours of the earthen pot hence saffron was not used for extra flavouring. On all special occasions like welcoming the bride or festivals kheer is made. For the holy festival Chhath Puja kheer is made without sugar but since it's cooked on very low flame in earthen pots and the basmati rice gives it a very nice flavour and a delicate aroma. Use very good quality rice to get a nice flavour. Lets proceed to the recipe of kheer.

Ingredients-

Milk - 1 ltr

Basmati Rice - 1/2 cup

Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 1 tspn

Sugar - 3/4th cup

Almonds (Badam) - 15-20

Pistachio (Pista) -  2 tblspn

Nutmeg powder (Jaiphal Powder) - grated - 2 pinch

Green cardamom powder (Hari elaichi powder) - 1/2 tspn

Saffron strands -(Kesar) a pinch + a little pinch for the garnish.

Method -

1. Wash basmati rice and soak it for half an hour.
2. Drain and keep it aside.
3. Heat ghee in a vessel and roast the rice to a pinkish colour.
4. Keep it aside.
5. In a deep vessel boil milk.
6. Reduce the milk by boiling and keep stirring.
7. When reduced to half add rice and sugar.
8. Stir well. Reduce flame and let it simmer.
9. Keep stirring.
10. Add saffron and stir well.
11. Add nutmeg powder and Green cardamom powder.
12. Keep simmering and stirring on very low flame.
13. Add pistachio very finely chopped. Mix and stir.
14. Add Almonds very finely chopped.
15. Keep stirring .
16. When the consistency gets thick switch off the gas.
17. Let it cool. When cooled mix well again.
18. Transfer into serving bowls.
19. Sprinkle cardamom and nutmeg powder.
20. Sprinkle pistachio finely chopped.
21. Sprinkle crushed saffron
22. Garnish with half almond as shown in the pic.
23. Best to have it chilled. (in Summers)
24. Can be served hot or at room temperature as well. (For winters)

Rose Flavoured - Shahi Tukra

Today am presenting a superlative Indian Dessert which has been specially made for the festival Eid. A very royal dish. This is a modified version of the Vermicelli (seviyan )which has been cooking for ages for Eid. I've made an innovative recipe using bread and candied Amla (Indian Gooseberry) along with dry fruits for the filling. The use of dried rose-petals and white rose essence gives it a delectable taste. When u take a bite u feel the presence of rose and with every bite u just feel like having more n more. The candied amla gives a very lightly sour taste with the extreme sweetness being candied and this just tantalises your taste buds. Try this out for Eid and surprise all your guests. Do mail me your reviews. Easy step by step process would let you prepare this dish very easily.

INGREDIENTS -

For the Seviyan-

Full Fat Milk - 1 1/2 ltrs

White Sugar - 2/6 the cup

Roasted (Vermicelli) Seviyan - 2/6th cup

Dried Rose Petals - 3-4 tblspn

White Rose Essence - 8-10 drops

Chironji (Charoli) – 1 tspn

Kesar - a few strands

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tspn

Pistachio (Pista) Powder - 1 1/2 tspn

Cashew nut Powder - 1/2 tspn

Almond Powder - 1/2 tspn

Mace (Javitri )Powder - a slight pinch

Nutmeg (Jaiphal) Grated - a very slight pinch

METHOD-

Boil Milk and reserve ½ cup milk for the shahi tukra.

Reduce flame and keep boiling till the milk is reduced.

Keep stirring and this process would take about 20 minutes.

Add sugar and keep stirring.

Add cardamom, pista, cashewnut, almond, mace and nutmeg powder.

Keep stirring.

Add Chironji. Mix well.

Add Kesar strands. Stir.

Add rose essence. Stir.

Add rose petals. Stir.

Add seviyan and cook on very low flame till done.

Keep it aside.

See picture below for consistency.

For the Shahi Tukra-

White bread - 8 slices - preferably 1 day old.
Pure Ghee - 1 tspn
Refined oil - 2 tblspn for about 3 pieces of bread

Milk – ½ cup
Sugar – 1 tspn
White Rose Essence – 2-3 drops

Method -
 
Cut bread in to roundels like below picture:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Heat Oil and Ghee together in a pan.
Put bread slices and shallow fry.
Turn sides and brown them on the other side.
See pictures.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Pour the reserved milk in a bowl.

Add sugar, rose essence and stir.

Dip bread slices and after 40 seconds take them out of the milk.

Place the dipped bread in the serving bowl.

See pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the filling-

Candied Amla – 10-12 chopped finely
Pista (Pistachio) – 20-25 chopped finely
Almonds - 8-10 soaked and chopped finely
Cashew nuts - 7-8 chopped finely chopped
Dried Rose Petals – a few petals

Method-

Mix well all the above ingredients.

Place 1 tbspn each of the filling on the fried bread.

 
 
 
Cover it with other piece of fried bread.
Cover the entire bread with the prepared Seviyan.
See pictures.
 

 

 

 

 

Garnish with a few dried rose petals.

Serve chilled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note - Refined oil and ghee are mixed together for fragrance. Ghee is absorbed by bread very quickly hence oil is used for shallow frying the bread.

Makhane ki Kheer - Janmashtmi Special

Tomorrow i.e. 2nd September is Janmashtmi. Birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated on this date not only in India but in all parts of the world. Janmashtmi is also known as Gokul Ashtmi. Devotees keep fast whole day and at midnight the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated. Idol of Bal Gopal is bathed with Panchamrit. Panchamrit means a mixture of five holy products i.e. milk, ghee, curd, honey and Gangajal (Holy Ganges water). The deity is dressed in new clothes and then the "Sringar" is done. The idol is then kep't in a well decorated Jhula (cradle) and sweets are offered to the deity. The cradle is rocked by each family member depicting a welcome.  People lit incense sticks and lamps and whole family prays together. Lord Krishna was very fond of milk and milk products hence for the 'Bhog' aur "Prasad" the deity is offered Pedha, Makhan (White Butter), Kheer, Sreekhand and Gopal kala. Today I wish to share the recipe of  Kheer made out of Makhana (Lotus Seeds). Makhana is a dry fruit. People have this for fast. In Bihar Lotus Seeds or Makhana is found mainly in Darbhanga, Purnea, Supaul, Sitamarhi and Madhubani districts. Makhana is considered to be very pure, pure enough to be offered to the god.

INGREDIENTS -

Makhana (Lotus Seeds) - 100 gms

Milk (Full Fat) - 1 1/2 ltrs.

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Condensed milk - 1/2 tin

Saffron Strands - 1/2 tbspn

Green Cardamom Powder - 1 tspn

Nutmeg Powder - a pinch

Pistachios (Pista) - 10-12 - finely chopped

Almonds - 10-12 finely chopped

Chironji Seeds - 1/4th tsp

METHOD-

1. 
   
   In a bowl soak makhana in 1/2 ltr room temperature milk for 1/2 an hour.
2. 
   
   Soak the saffron strands in 1 tblspn luke warm milk.
3. 
   
   Grind the makhana with milk in a food processor.
4. 
   
   Boil the remaining milk in a heavy bottomed pan.
5. 
   
   Slightly reduce the milk.
6. 
   
   Add saffron strands with the milk.
7. 
   
   Add to it the makhana puree and the sugar.
8. 
   
   Keep stirring on medium flame.
9. 
   
   Add condensed milk and keep stirring on low flame.
10. 
    
    Add to it cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, almonds, pista, chironji.
11. 
    
    Mix well. Keep stirring till a you get a thick consistency.
12. 
    
    Transfer to a serving dish.
13. 
    
    Garnish with a sprinkle of cardamom powder, pista, almonds, chironji and saffron strands.
14. 
    
    Prasad is ready. After offering to the deity one can have the kheer hot or chilled.

NOTE - Sugar can be reduced or increased as per liking.