Sweet Nothings......... PAYESH RECIPE

PAYESH

NOT 2 BAD FOR THE FIRST TIMER

Every newly wed bride is expected to cook something sweet for her new family. I chose PAYESH. North India knows it as kheer. So 2day was my crash course for payesh preparation. I was amused by the ease with which it can be prepared.So here is how my maa makes it :-

THE GOLDEN RULE- Pour in copious amount of milk to make the payesh tastier.

• A little more than half liter milk is good for handful of rice.
• Put the milk on heat and let it come to a boil.
• Clean uncooked rice and mix in some clarified butter (ghee) in the rice with light hand. This brings out a nice flavor in Payesh.
• Add a tejpatta/ 2 elaichis to milk.
• When the milk comes to the boiling point, add in rice and cook it on a medium flame.
• Let the milk boil till the rice is 90% cooked
• Add sugar to the boiling milk and add raisins(Kishmish). Adding sugar earlier will not let the rice soften properly.
• Keep boiling till the rice is cooked and the milk is almost dried (do not dry it completely as the rice will soak in more milk making the payesh very tight and dry).
• Once done, garnish with saffron, kaju and almonds.

So, my crash course is over and I will try to prepare Payesh once more before the wedding without any guidance from maa. Just 2 revise ;) After all that will be my first opportunity 2 impress my new family and I better do it well ...........