Celebrations are often marked with puja and prasad. As we near Paush Purnima which falls on January 25 this year, the Executive Chef at The Deltin Daman, Shiva Kumar shares two delicious dessert recipes to add to one's festival preparations. He shares with us his exclusive way of preparing Rice Payasam and Panjiri.
(1) Rice Payasam
Rice Payasam or Rice Kheer is said to be one of the favourite dishes of Goddess Lakshmi. It is usually prepared with a subtly sweet flavour and garnished with dry fruits.
Ingredients: 4 Cups Whole Milk, ½ Cup Rice, ½ Teaspoon Ground Cardamom, ¾ to 1 Cup Jaggery, ½ Cup Water, 2 Tablespoons Ghee, 8 To 10 Pcs Cashew nut, and 1 To 2 Tablespoons Raisins
Detailed Recipe:
Prepare Jaggery Syrup:
In a pan, add grated Jaggery and water. Boil on medium flame until slightly thick and sticky. It should be sticky but doesn't need a string consistency. Set aside to cool completely.
Cooking Rice Payasam:
Wash rice thoroughly and soak it in enough water until milk comes to a boil.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, pour milk and bring it to a boil on medium flame.
Drain the water from the soaked rice and add it to the boiling milk.
Cook until the rice grains are mushy and soft. Stir occasionally to prevent burning at the bottom.
When the rice is soft, gently mash some grains to thicken the Payasam. Turn off the heat when it reaches a slightly thick yet pouring consistency.
Add cardamom powder. Filter the cooled Jaggery syrup into the cooked rice. If using clean Jaggery, add the gratings now. Stir well until dissolved.
Fruit & Nut Topping:
Heat ghee in a small pan. Fry cashews until lightly golden, then add the raisins and fry until they puff up.
Pour this mixture over the rice Payasam.
Serving:
• Serve the rice Payasam warm or cold as per your preference.
(2) Panjiri
While Panjiri is a common preparation during Krishna Janmashtami, it happens to be a perfect dish for every celebration raising the festival mood. It is associated with Ayurvedic benefits due to its highly nutritious ingredients.
Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat flour or 120 grams whole wheat flour, ½ cup raw sugar or unrefined cane sugar or 80 grams sugar or ½ cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 15 to 18 cashews or almonds or a mix of both, 15 to 18 fresh raisins, 4 tablespoon Desi ghee
Detailed Recipe:
Powder 1/2 cup sugar in a dry grinder and keep aside.
Take 1 cup whole wheat flour/Atta in a Kadai or a thick bottomed broad pan.
Keep the pan on a low flame or Sims and begin to roast the whole wheat flour.
You have to stir often while roasting the flour so that there is even roasting.
Roast till the color changes and you get nutty aroma from the whole wheat flour. About 9 to 12 minutes on a low flame.
Then add 4 Tbsp. ghee in the flour.
Mix very well.
Add cashews. If adding almonds, then roast them separately in a pan and then add.
Keep on stirring and roasting the Panjiri mixture for 5 to 6 minutes more. Do check the taste of the whole wheat flour and it should feel Cooked There should be no rawness in the taste.
Switch off the flame. Keep the pan down and add the powdered sugar.
Mix very well. Then add raisins and mix again.
