Cracked Pearl Millet Kheer / Sajja Nooka Payasam

Kheer / payasam is one of those Indian desserts that can be prepared in no time and is always delicious. Though the basic kheer is made with rice, there are plenty of other varieties to entice. It can be prepared using any grain, some varieties of beans and fruits and so I bet even a sparse pantry can afford a kheer preparation. Milk and sugar are the other required ingredients to make a kheer. The traditional version kheer is cooked mostly using dairy milk though some south Indian version recipes use coconut milk. Sugar / jaggery are the usual sweeteners whereas cardamom and toasted nuts add flavor and a yummy garnish to a kheer. 

Today's kheer is made with cracked pearl millet. Pearl millet aka bajra has been cultivated in India for thousands of years now and like other millets, it is one of the healthiest grains on earth. It is specifically beneficial to diabetics and can be incorporated into various everyday Indian dishes even if one is not familiar with the grain. This gluten free grain can be used to make rotis, idlis, dosas and so on. 

I kept the kheer to a simple, basic version though it can be made richer by addition of nut paste or condensed milk. Coconut milk also works in the recipe in place of dairy milk. I made the kheer with jaggery since it is healthier compared to sugar. I directly add it to the kheer since the jaggery I buy is usually very neat. In case, the jaggery appears to have any impurities, boil it with some water, filter out the impurities and then use the jaggery solution in the recipe. However in lieu of jaggery, sugar can be substituted in the recipe. Sometimes I refrain from using both and add a little stevia to each bowl before serving.

Also there is a possibility that sometimes the combination of hot milk and jaggery would end up being curdled. I have never faced that problem but in that case either of the following can be done. The milk can be boiled separately, cooled and then added to the cooked millet and jaggery mixture when it is not too hot. Or the jaggery can be melted separately with little water and added to the cooked millet - milk mixture when it cools down. One can follow any one of the methods and basically, the point is to not to mix the milk and jaggery when they are hot.  

Ingredients: (Yield -  3 to 4 servings)
1/4 cup cracked pearl millet / sajja nooka
1/2 cup water
2 cardamom pods
1 tsp. ghee
1 tbsp. cashews
1/2 cup jaggery powder* 
1 and 1/4 cups full fat milk
* Adjust the quantity of jaggery to taste. I added less than 1/2 cup.

Directions:
1. Rinse the cracked pearl millet once with water and drain. Pressure cook it adding 1/2 cup water for 2 or 3 whistles.
2. Lightly mash the cardamom pods and separate out the seeds. Grind the cardamom seeds finely and keep aside.
3. Heat ghee in a pan and toast cashews until golden brown. Transfer the toasted cashews into a small bowl. 
4. Add the cooked millet, jaggery and ground cardamom along with pods to the same ghee pan and stir on low flame until the jaggery melts. 
5. Next add the milk and cook on low flame until the milk starts to boil and switch off the flame. (Sometimes addition of milk to the hot jaggery mixture may end up being curdled. I never had this issue and so follow the above method. However if one is worried about the problem, then the milk can be separately boiled, cooled and then added after step 4. ) 
6. Add the toasted cashew nuts and serve either warm or chilled.

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