serves
8
prep
5 minutes
cook
45 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
8
people
preparation
5
minutes
cooking
45
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp kaliijeera/chinigura/fragrant rice (see Note)
- 1L full cream milk
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 2 dried bay leaf
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 pinch saffron thread
- 10 cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp powdered milk (full cream)
- ¼ tsp rose water
- 1 tsp crushed natural nuts of choice for garnish (optional)
- Edible flowers, to garnish (optional)
Soaking time: 1 hour. Resting time: 1 hour. Chilling time: At least 30 minutes.
Instructions
- Wash the rice and soak it in water for 1 hour, then drain the water from the rice. Keep aside.
- Heat 1 litre milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium/low heat on a stove top, stirring continuously so the milk doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn.
- When the milk starts to simmer, add 1 cup of sugar, cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon. Continue stirring.
- Take about 6 tablespoons of hot milk from the saucepan and divide the amount between 3 cups or small bowls.
- In one cup, add the pinch of saffron so it diffuses in the milk.
- In the second cup, add the soaked rice and cashew nut and let them sit in there for a couple of minutes. Now blitz this mixture in a spice grinder or food processor until it becomes a paste. Little lumps remaining are okay, but most of it should turn into paste.
- In the third cup, add the milk powder and stir vigorously until it dissolves completely in the hot milk. It is very important that the powder milk dissolves completely.
- Return all the contents of the 3 cups back into the saucepan of milk on the stove.
- Now it is time to stir, stir and stir on low heat until the consistency of the payesh (rice pudding) becomes thicker and the bottom of the pan is clear when scraped with a wooden spoon.
- Turn off the stove, turn the content into a serving dish, garnish with nuts (if using) and let it sit there for 1 hour until it comes to room temperature.
- Chill the dish in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins before eating.
Note
Kalijeera or chinigura rice can be sourced from most Indian/Sub-Continent grocery shops. Use basmati or any small grain fragrant rice if unable to source kalijeera or chinigura rice.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
