Payesh(Kheer)

Payesh is one of the popular sweet dessert for every Bengali. Payesh means kheer or payasam. Today I will share Gurer payesh (kheer made with jaggery).  In every occasion we serve payesh.This sweet dessert is compulsory in every bengalis home, but it takes lot of time and patience to make it.
I will share you the most easiest and quick recipe of payesh (kheer) which can be done within 30mins.


Ingredients

• Milk-1litre (full cream), I have used Amul Gold
• 100gms gobindobhog rice/ basmati rice
• 1/2 cup jaggery(here I have used khejur gur thats date jaggery)
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1/2 cup cashewnuts and raisins
• 1 tsp cardamom powder

How to cook -

Take 100gms of gobhindobhog rice or basmati rice whatever is available with you but I will suggest gobindobhog rice because the aroma in this rice is best for payesh.Now simply wash the rice well and add 2 cups of water in a cooker and add this rice and cook till 1 whistle comes.When it cools ,open the cooker and strain the rice..It should be half cooked or 3/4th cooked.

Now take a big vessel(preferebly nonstick), boil 1 litre milk in high flame and continuously stir it for 2 minutes .Now add the bay leaf and half cooked rice and continuously stir in medium flame.After 5-10mins add cashew nuts and stir.Add raisins now and stir until the rice is fully cooked and the milk consistency is thick. Now add crushed jaggery and slower the flame and stir it .when its fully mixed add the cardamom powder and keep aside to cool.After it cools the payesh will be more thicker. It will taste amazing hot and chilled.

Serve as your wish.You can decorate it with more dry nuts.

Tips

• Always remember the rice and milk ratio so that it tastes rich and delicious.
• You can add milkmaid as well if you dont want to add jaggery or sugar.
• Rice should not be fully cooked in cooker, only half cooked.
• If you melt the jaggery on high flame, milk will get separated .So remember always in very low flame or off the flame and mix the jaggery.
• If you have time then you can cook the rice completely with the milk, no need to pressure cook. This is only for making quick if you are in hurry

So my lovely friends try this payesh recipe and let me know how was it .
Happy cooking

Crispy Malpua

Malpua is one of the easiest sweet snacks. Bengali sweets are the best in India . In the northern parts of India Malpua is made with khoya and maida but in Bengal we mostly use suji or semolina instead of that. At my home everyone likes crispy Malpua without dipping into the sugar syrup which can be kept for storage for couple of days. Also all can snack it whenever they want to munch in something. Malpuas are made in many other process, some fry malpuas then dip into the sugar syrup as well and many other ways. I want to share with you all my way of easy cooking crispy Malpua.

Ingredients-

• 1/2 cup maida or all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup suji or semolina
• 1/2 cup milk or water(to keep it stored for long use water)
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 100gm condensed milk(optional)
• 1tsp curd
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds(saunf)
• 1tbsp coconut shredded(optional)
• Ghee or vegetable oil for deep frying

How to cook -

Take a big bowl and combine all the ingredients together except oil . If you dont use condensed milk then add more sugar as per your taste. Now add 1 cup water and make a smooth batter
Heat ghee or oil in a kadai/pan .

Pour a ladle full of batter onto the kadai carefully and deep fry on medium heat on both the sides. when the both sides are golden brown the malpua is ready. Do the same for making other malpuas.

Serve hot or cold as per your choice. Garnish with some pistachios or any other dry fruits.


Tips-

1. Curd helps in soaking very less oil in the malpua so its good to add 1 spoon of curd into the batter.
2. For getting crispy malpuas fry it in low to mediukm heat, it will take little time but it will turn out crispy and crunchy.
3. I fry in pan so i can fry 4 malpuas at a time.
4. You can use any kind of dry fruits like cashew, raisins and mix into the batter.

Happy cooking :)