Gur ki kheer involves the use of normal gur, however, the nolen gur er payesh prepared in Bengal makes use of a different type of gur which is known as nolen gur.
What is the Bengali rice kheer recipe with jaggery?
Gur kheer or gur payesh is a traditional Indian dessert made using a fragrant variety of rice. Gur means jaggery all over India, however, in Bengal, you would find the use of something known as nolen gur. Read on to find out more about nolen gur.
How did gur kheer come into existence?
The first mention of kheer, which historians say was derived from the Sanskrit word kshirika (meaning a dish prepared with milk), is found in the fourteenth-century Padmavat of Gujarat, not as a rice pudding but a sweet preparation of jowar and milk. Back then using millet in the pudding was quite common.
But the real popularity of kheer was accounted to its religious association and temples. Rice was said to be a part of all religious functions during the Chola dynasty that upheld rice for its life-sustaining qualities. And in that way kheer became an important part of all religious rituals. Of course, the shwet (white) colour, which was seen as a symbol of purity and divinity, also worked in its favour. The records of Jagannath Puri talk about how the kheer was tweaked further to create the famous kheer prasad. Read more here.
In Bengal, it is called payas or payesh. A traditional Bengali meal can be traced to more than 2000 years old & many say during Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s visit in Puri many Bengali Brahmins took Gurer Payesh to Odisha from Bengal and it is one of the important sweet dishes.
Nolen gur payesh and memories..
Payesh or kheer is a vital part of every elaborate Bengali meal. It is mandatory to serve the birthday boy or girl some payesh at the end of their meal. Every special occasion calls for some cold payesh at the end of the meal. The word “payesh” is derived from the Sanskrit word Payasa or Payasam, which also means “milk”.
I procured nolen gur from a “gur karkhana” or a jaggery factory in Bakkhali. It is not a traditional factory per se but is a family run small scale business over there. They had three types of gur – nolen gur (new gur), dana gur (grainy gur) and patali gur (solid gur). I bought some nolen gur and patali gur for my family.
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What equipment do I need to make gajar ka halwa?
What ingredients do I need to make Bengali rice kheer recipe with jaggery ?
To make gur kheer, you will be needing full fat milk. I prefer using full fat milk to get that nice flavor and richness in the gur kheer. You are going to need good quality gobindobhog rice. Gobindobhog is a short grain , aromatic variety of rice native to Bengal. It cooks fast and is sticky. This rice grain has beautiful aroma and tastes amazing. You can order it online here.
Let’s now focus on gur or the jaggery. I procured mine locally and you can substitute nolen gur with jaggery available in your area. Gur rice kheer or gur payesh is all about the gur.
Jaggery is a concentrated form of cane sugar and is consumed all over India and South-east Asia.
Nolen gur is derived from the sap of date palm trees using deft skills during winter season. It is also known as jhola gur. It is the first juice extracted in the early hours of dawn. The juice is then refined using a three step process to get this beautiful and delicious liquid date jaggery. You can order it online here.
In this gur kheer recipe, you will also need some cashews and raisins. Ensure you buy good quality dry fruits.
You will also need ghee and salt.
You will need to have a heavy bottomed pan, as the milk will be cooking in this pan throughout without burning. Thick bottomed pan ensures that the milk doesn’t get scorched easily.
How to make Bengali rice kheer recipe with jaggery?
- Wash and soak the rice for around half an hour. Strain the rice. Leave it in the strainer to dry.
- Soak the cashews and raisins in water in a separate bowl.
- In a pan, heat half the ghee and add the rice to it. Lightly fry the rice and keep aside.
- Add the remaining ghee to the pan. Fry the cashews and raisins till golden brown.
- In a heavy bottomed pan, start reducing the milk. Keep stirring it continuously.
- Let it come to a boil and then slowly reduce on a medium heat.
- After around 15-20 minutes, add the rice to the milk. Keep stirring as it thickens and the rice cooks.
- The rice should smash easily once cooked. It should be mushy.
- Make sure the consistency should be quite thick as the jaggery would loosen it up a bit.
- Add the cashew and raisins and stir.
- Chop up the jaggery or nolen gur. Now, switch off the flame and add in the salt and jaggery.
- Your payesh is ready. Serve it cold or lap it up with some luchi maybe :p
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Frequently Asked Questions :
- Why is my kheer not thickening?
Kheer is not thickening because of either more quantity of milk or less quantity of rice. Another reason could be that the kheer hasn’t been cooked long enough. Make sure the measurements are appropriate.
- Why is my kheer runny?
Similar to the problem above, the ingredients are either not measured properly or the kheer needs to cook longer.
- Can I make kheer with basmati rice?
Yes, it can be made with basmati rice. However, the strong aroma and texture of gobindobhog rice would be missing from that kheer. Please note that cooking time will vary if you are using basmati rice.
- Can I make kheer with cooked rice?
Kheer cannot be made with cooked rice as the starch released by rice grains while cooking helps the kheer to thicken up naturally.
- What can I have kheer with?
Kheer can be had just like that as a dessert or can be had with puris or luchis (essentially puri made out of refined flour)
- Can I freeze this kheer?
I would not recommend freezing it but you can freeze it.
- How long can I store this kheer?
Store the kheer in airtight container after cooling. Place it in the refrigerator and it will stay for at least 5-6 days.
Pro Tips to nail Bengali rice kheer recipe with jaggery:
- Add a tsp of sugar to ensure that the milk doesn’t split after adding jaggery. You can try without adding sugar too.
- Add in some almonds too if you like more nuts.
Gur Kheer/Gur payasam/Nolen Gur er Payesh Recipe
Gur Kheer or Gur ki payasam or as Bengalis love to call it- nolen gur er payesh. Kheer or payasam or payesh is a sweet dish served at the end of a meal. It is usually made by cooking a starchy grain such as rice in milk with sugar. It is usually thick in consistency and rich in taste. This specific kheer makes use of jaggery and is therefore known as gur kheer or gur payesh.
Ingredients
- 1. Milk: 1 litres
- 2. Gobindobhog chal: 50 gm
- 3. Nolen gur(Jaggery): 100 gm
- 4. Cashews: 10 gm
- 5. Raisins: 10 gm
- 6. Ghee: 10 gm
- 7. Salt: a pinch
Directions
- Step 1 1. Wash and soak the rice for around half an hour. Strain the rice. Leave it in the strainer to dry.
- Step 2 2. Soak the cashews and raisins in water in a separate bowl.
- Step 3 3. In a pan, heat half the ghee and add the rice to it. Lightly fry the rice and keep aside.
- Step 4 4. Add the remaining ghee to the pan. Fry the cashews and raisins till golden brown.
- Step 5 5. In a heavy bottomed pan, start reducing the milk. Keep stirring it continuously. Let it come to a boil and then slowly reduce on a medium heat.
- Step 6 6. After around 15-20 minutes, add the rice to the milk. Keep stirring as it thickens and the rice cooks.
- Step 7 7. The rice should smash easily once cooked. It should be mushy.
- Step 8 8. Make sure the consistency should be quite thick as the jaggery would loosen it up a bit. Add the cashew and raisins and stir.
- Step 9 9. Chop up the jaggery or nolen gur. Now, switch off the flame and add in the salt and jaggery.
- Step 10 10. Your payesh is ready.
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