Doodh Paak ~ Gujarati Kheer

I was looking for a Gujarati dessert that had no loads of ghee in it and came across this yummy kheer. Kheer undoubtedly happens to be one of the basic sweet dishes cooked through out India on festivities and auspicious occasions. Regardless of the name it goes by regionally or the local variations in the preparation, this is a yummy, rice and milk based dessert. I have noticed that it is also one of the most popular choice of desserts in the Indian restaurants' buffet menus here in US. It may be because it is rich and delicious and simpler to prepare.
The dish is called kheer and payasam respectively in northern and southern parts of India while Gujaratis call it as doodh pak. The basic recipe everywhere remains the same. A small quantity of rice is allowed to cook leisurely in simmering milk and then sweetened with sugar / jaggery. It is finished with a cardamom flavoring and generous garnishing of nuts for the delicious and crunchy bite they offer to the dish. It can be served warm or chilled.
Check the north Indian version kheer recipe here.

Ingredients: (2 servings)
2 cups / 1/2 litre full fat milk
1 tbsp rice (I used extra long grain rice.)
1 tbsp ghee
6 - 8 tbsp white colored rock sugar (Or adjust the quantity as needed. In absence of rock sugar, substitute with regular sugar.)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp crushed saffron (or soak a pinch of saffron strands in warm milk and use.)
1/2 cup slivered almonds / pistachios

Method:
* Mix the rice and ghee in a small bowl and keep aside.
* Heat milk preferably in a non stick sauce pan. When the milk is hot, lower the heat and simmer the milk for about 10 - 12 minutes.
Don't forget to stir the milk now and then, through out the process to avoid scorching.
* Add the rice to the milk and continue to simmer until rice is softly cooked.
* Then add the sugar, cardamom, crushed saffron and the nuts. Continue to cook for about 5 - 7  minutes.
* By the time, the saffron will add a beautiful yellowish hue to the dish and the nuts turn a little bit softer, giving a bite to it while consuming the kheer.
* Serve warm / chilled.

This is going to be a part of BM #35 under the theme of "Regional Cooking - Specific Course". Check what other marathoners are cooking here.

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Blogging Marathon Day 2 ~ Kalkandu Sadam

Today's 'Special Choice' post - From any other blog.

When I saw Srivalli's Kalkandu Sadam recipe more than a year ago, I was bowled over even though it was just a simple one. I think the color of the finished product and the usage of the candy / rock sugar in a recipe got me. However, I didn't have enough candy sugar at home then and could not find it locally. I had to wait till I got some from India and this remained in 'must to do' folder of my brain. I could not prepare it till today even though I got the rock sugar later.
I think no Indian needs introduction to the rock sugar or the candy sugar. Everyone in their childhood must have enjoyed this treat. My grandfather always used to carry a pack of tiny white ones in his pocket. Whenever he had sugar cravings, he would pop some into his mouth or share with us, his grandkids. For the uninitiated, this rock sugar is sweeter as the regular sugar but with a better taste. Tiny white cubes are also available but the large rock kinds are yummier. If they are not small enough to pop into your mouth, break them using a hammer or a real rock. :) The most common shades that I have seen in India are deep orange and white ones.

Rock Sugar / Candy Sugar / Kalakanda / Kallu sakkare

This recipe uses the orange shaded one and if you have white colored rock candy, you can go ahead. You will end up with an equally yummy dish, only with out the color or add some orange food color if you are particular about the hue. 
Today at my home, Gods had these yummy, creamy kalakanda pongali/ paramannam as neivedyam. If you love chakkera pongali, then this fabulous dish is for you. Replacing sugar / jaggery with rock candy in the traditional sweet pongal recipe really rocks.

Ingredients for about 6 servings:
1 cup rice
2.5 cup milk (I used full fat milk for a rich pongal)
2 cups rock / candy sugar
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 Tbsp each - ghee, cashews & raisins
A little orange / kesari food color (very optional)

Note:
1. This time I didn't use the standard American size cup but went along with a small cup I had which is a little smaller than a standard 1/2 cup size. I used the same cup for all the measurements here.
2. I used extra long grain rice instead of sona masuri. I prefer ELG rice for making pongals & bisibelebhaths for it's creamy texture. I cook it in a pressure cooker adding 1.5 cups water for each cup of rice used. Also today instead of three whistles, I let it to go till 7 -8 whistles so that the cooked rice was automatically mushy.

Method:
* Wash the rice and add 1.5 cups of milk to it and cook it in the pressure cooker till done. Or it can be done on stove top as well. If using sona masuri kind, increase the quantity of the liquid by 1/2 cup more. Half quantity of the milk can be replaced with water.
* After the valve pressure is gone, remove the rice and just mash with a ladle. It would be soft. Add a cup of more milk and combine well.
* Meanwhile, add a few Tbsp of water and the rock sugar to a sauce pan. Turn on the heat and let the rock sugar melt. To make the process faster, powdered rock sugar can be added. Melting is a lot easier than powdering it and cleaning up after the mess. :) The rock sugar batch I had was clean and so there was need to strain any impurities. Do strain if there is a need. When it starts to bubble, add the food color if using and the cardamom powder. Now combine the cooked rice and the rock sugar syrup and mix well.
* Garnish with the ghee toasted cashews and raisins. I added some pistachios and coconut as well.



Check out what the other marathoners are up to!

Azeema, Bhagi, Champa, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Harini, Jay, Kamalika, Meena, Minu, Padma, Pavani, PJ, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Rujuta, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, Shanavi, Smitha, Sowmya, Srivalli, Usha, Veena

This is going to Priya Mitharwal's Celebrate Sweets - Warm Desserts, an event originally started by Nivedita.

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