kheer Kadam

Even though we can’t see pandals in every one mile and big banners with advertisements of saree shops, can’t hear the sound of drums from the morning, we can still feel the smell that Durga Puja is around the corner. It may not be as grand as Kolkata, but we are also preparing to celebrate Durga puja. We started chatting with our friends about which saree we would wear. Kids have started practicing their roles in the drama. Some have started making narus as per the order from the main priest. Looking forward to two days of fun with lots of photos and good food. Hope you also have a wonderful festive time with your loved ones and post lots of beautiful selfies with your new attire.

Last week I asked my Facebook followers that as Durga puja is approaching, which traditional sweet recipe they would like to see on my blog. The majority voted for Kheer Kadom. So today I will share the recipe of kheer kadom with you. it’s a very popular dessert in West Bengal as well as in other parts of India. Making Kheer kadam is not a big deal, if you know how to make rasgullas. Because rasgullas are used as the inner layer in this dessert.  But the texture of rasgulla used in Kheer Kadom is different. It won’t be spongy, rather little bit hard compared to the normal Rasgullas. First chenna balls are cooked in thicker sugar syrup to make rasgullas. Once rasgullas are made, then they will get a coating of mawa and sugar mixture. When one layer of Bengali sweet itself can make mouth water, imagine how this two-layered dessert will make your family delighted.

So friends, the recipe of Kheer Kadam is here and if you really love this sweet, try it out in this Durga puja for your friends and family. Will come back soon with another puja-special recipe, till then enjoy the festival.

Recipe of Kheer Kadam, makes 15 pieces 

Ingredients :

To make Chhenna :

Whole milk / full-fat milk : 2 liters 
Lime juice : 3 tablespoons or as needed

To make the dough for Rasgullas :

Sugar : 1 teaspoon 
All purpose flour : 1 tablespoon
Semolina : 1 teaspoon 
Saffron or yellow food color : 

For Sugar Syrup :

Sugar : 2 cups 
Water : 3 cups
Crushed cardamoms : half tablespoons 

For the cover :

Mawa / milk solid : grated 3 cups 
Powdered sugar : 3 tablespoons 
Milk : 2 to 3 tablespoons 

Milk powder or grated Mawa mixed with powdered sugar 

Method :

1. Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, stir occasionally. Once the milk starts boiling, lower the flame. Pour the lemon juice and stir in. Milk will start cuddling and change into chenna ( cottage cheese ) and greenish water. Remove the pan from heat and leave the chenna in this condition for 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the chenna and water mixture over a cheese cloth or a soft cotton cloth and let the water drain away. 

2. Put this cloth with the chenna under cold running water for 2 to 3 minutes to remove the lemony smell. Then hang the chenna along with cloth on the kitchen faucet for around 30 to 35 minutes. 

3. Now once again squeeze the cloth, if there is any extra water. But note that the chenna should not get too dry. Put the lump of chenna over a flat surface and knead it. Start kneading with the heel of your palm for about 4 to 5 minutes, until you get a smooth dough. 

4. Add sooji, flour, sugar and saffron or 3 to 4 drops of yellow food color to it and knead it. Press the dough with your palm continuously for about 3 to 4 minutes until you feel your palm is oily. 

7. Divide the dough into 15  to 16 equal portions and make some smooth surfaced round balls. 

8. Take a big deep- bottomed pan with the lid.  Add water and sugar, once it starts to boil add the crushed green cardamom. After 5 minutes, gently add the chhena balls into the syrup. Cover the pan with the lid and turn down the heat to medium high.  Let it cook. 

9. After 25 minutes, open the lid to check. Turn off the gas. Leave the pan as it is for 10 to 15 minutes. 

10. Drain the rasgullas in the strainer and keep it aside for 20 to 25 minutes. 

11. Now take a bowl, add grated mawa, powdered sugar and milk and make a smooth dough.

12. Now make some balls out of the mawa dough. Flatten one ball using your palms and place the rasgulla at the center of it. Seal the edges with help of your fingertips. Roll into a smooth surfaced ball. Repeat the process until all are done. 

13. Take a plate, add half cup of milk powder or 1/2 cup of grated mawa mixed with 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Carefully roll the Kheer Kadam in the milk powder or mawa mixture. Kheer Kadam is ready to serve. 

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Nolen Gurer Payesh ( Indian Rice Pudding with Jaggery ) / Gur ki Kheer

There is a very popular proverb in our native language “Baro mase tero parbon” meaning we observe thirteen festivals in twelve months. The Bengali community is noted for their fondness for observing festivals. And if festival comes, can food be far behind. Every festival comes with its own signature food. For example, last week it was Makar Sankranti, a major harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India.  In Bengal, this particular festival is closely tied with some special foods – pithe/puli and Payesh. These are all sweet dishes made out of rice. These names bring back the old good memory of our childhood,  when our moms and grandmas used to make different types of “pitha”, with different stuffing inside and we used to finish them at once.

So this year when I started getting Happy Makarsankranti message in facebook, I couldn’t control my temptation to make one of these dishes. Went to check my pantry and didn’t find any ingredients for the first two. But everything I had was sufficient to make Payesh. So today I will share the recipe of Nolen Gurer Payesh.  Payesh is a dessert that goes well any special Bengali occasion like birthday, rice ceremony or house warming. It was equivalent of cutting cake before we were influenced by western methods of celebration.

Payesh can be made in many different ways. This particular variation of Payesh is made with Nolen Gur / khejur gur/Date Jaggery that is used as the sweetener instead of sugar. This Jaggery is available fresh during the winters and many people eagerly wait for fresh Jaggery to come in the market during the winter. The smoky aroma of bowl full of Payesh is something that any Bengali would love to die for.

The dish is pretty easy to make and needs only little patience except three basic ingredients – Gobindo-bhog Chal ( fragrant rice ) Nolen Gur ( Date Palm jaggery ) and milk. The fragrant Rice, traditionally used in making the Bengali Payesh is a special type of rice called Gobindo-bhog. It’s a short grain, white, aromatic and sticky rice. It’s grown mainly in West Bengal, India. There are many traditional Bengali recipes that are intended for this type of rice specifically. It has a sweet buttery flavor and a potent aroma. The close alternative of this rice is Kala jeera Rice, that is available in most of the Indian stores in USA. You can also use Basmati rice if you don't get any of these two.

Recipe of Nolen Gurer Payes / Gur ki Kheer / Indian Rice Pudding : Serves : 4 to 5 

Ingredients :

Rice ( gobindobhog chal / Kala Jeera Rice / or any other fragrant rice ) : 1/3 cup

Ghee : 1 tablespoon 

Whole Milk / Full Cream Milk : 1 and 1/2 liters

Condensed Milk : 1/3 of a can

Nolen Gur / Gur / jaggery / Date Palm jaggery : approximately 3/4 cup or to taste ( I used half of a slab of solid Gur )

Pistachios : 2-3 tablespoons, chopped or any nuts, you like. 

Method :

1.In a thick bottom pan, boil the milk on low-medium heat, stirring continuously. 

2. Wash and soak the rice in water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain out. 

3. Heat the ghee in a small pan, add the rice and fry for couple of minutes. 

4. Once the milk starts to thicken, add the rice. Stir it constantly on low to medium heat so that the bottom doesn't get burnt. 

5. When rice is cooked, add condensed milk and stir to mix it nicely. Let it boil for couple of minutes. 

6. Put the solid jaggery in Microwave. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute it will become soft. Now add this jaggery to the Payesh. Again Boil for 4 to 5 minutes by stirring it continuously.

Sometimes, milk curdles when you add the jaggery to the milk. So add the jaggery only at the end and add a small quantity at a time and check. Otherwise there is a risk of the milk getting spoilt. 

7. Check the sweetness and switch off the gas. Add chopped pistachios and serve warm or cold. 

Note :

You don't need to break or grate the jaggery, just put it in microwave, it will become soft in a minute. 

Sometimes, milk curdles when you add the jaggery to the milk. So add the jaggery only at the end and add a small quantity at a time and check.

Related Posts :

 (Click for recipe) Channar Payes ( Indian Cottage Cheese Pudding )

Winter special Angoori Rasmalai 

Nolen Gurer Sandesh

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