Bengali Payesh, Bengali Rice Kheer
by Tarla Dalal

In all regional cuisines of India, Kheer made of milk and rice is very popular. This Bengali Payesh is also a variant of this milk and rice kheer.

Here, long-grained rice is cooked in milk and flavoured with classic Indian spices like cardamom and saffron. Adding bay leaves to the kheer while cooking gives it a unique aroma that lingers in the kheer even after the leaves are discarded.

This Bengali Payesh tastes best chilled, so refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Try other sweet recipes like the Khubani ka Meetha and the Gajar ka Halwa .

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Bengali Payesh, Bengali Rice Kheer recipe - How to make Bengali Payesh, Bengali Rice Kheer

1/4 cup long grained rice (basmati)
4 cups full-fat milk
a pinch of saffron (kesar) strands
1/4 cup warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 bayleaves (tejpatta)
1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
1/4 cup chopped mixed nuts ( cashewnuts , almonds and pistachios)

Method

Wash and soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
Combine the saffron-warm milk in a bowl, mix well and keep aside.
Heat the milk in a deep non-stick pan, boil on a medium flame for 8 minutes.
Add the rice, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 20 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the sugar, bayleaves, cardamom powder and saffron-milk mixture, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 4 minutes, while stirring continuously.
Switch off the flame, discard the bayleaves and add the mixed nuts and mix well.
Refrigerate for atleast 1 hour and serve chilled.