Indian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Nolen Gurer Payesh

Bengali rice pudding made with gobindobhog rice, sweetened only at the end with dark date-palm jaggery.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 80 g basmati rice
• 1.5 l whole milk
• 200 g palm sugar
• 4 cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 50 g cashews
• 40 g raisins

Instructions

1. Wash the rice, soak for 20 min., drain well and mix with the ghee until every grain glistens; grate the palm sugar finely and crack open the cardamom pods.
2. Bring the whole milk with the bay leaves to a boil in a wide, heavy pot and reduce uncovered over medium heat for 20 min. to about two-thirds, stirring several times.
3. Stir in the rice and cook uncovered over low heat for 25–30 min., stirring the bottom every 3–4 min., until the grains are fully tender and the milk turns creamy.
4. Add cashews and raisins, let steep for 3 min., then take the pot off the heat; the payesh must cool to about 60 °C.
5. Only now stir in the grated palm sugar and the cardamom — added to boiling milk, the jaggery would curdle it instantly.
6. Remove the bay leaves and serve the payesh lukewarm or well chilled in bowls; it thickens noticeably as it cools.