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Nolen gurer payesh

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Gobindobhog rice slow-cooked in milk and sweetened with nolen gur, the date-palm jaggery of winter.

Region: West BengalOccasion: Birthdays, annaprashan (first rice), Poush Sankranti and winterTime: 1 hourServes: 4Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 litre full-cream milk
  • 3 tbsp Gobindobhog rice, washed and dried
  • ½ cup nolen gur
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cardamoms, lightly crushed
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • A few raisins and cashews

Method

  1. Rub the rice with ghee. Boil the milk with bay leaves and cardamom in a heavy pan.
  2. Add the rice and simmer on low heat, stirring often, until the rice is very soft and the milk has thickened (40–45 minutes).
  3. Add raisins and cashews in the last few minutes.
  4. Turn off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then stir in the nolen gur so the milk does not split.
  5. Serve warm or chilled.

History

Payesh is the Bengali form of the milk-and-rice pudding made across India; using fragrant Gobindobhog rice and nolen gur is particular to Bengal.

Significance

Payesh is cooked for birthdays, when a baby eats its first rice (annaprashan) and on many auspicious days.

Sources