Sugery Payessum

Bengali's Chinir Payesh

         It is difficult to trace back the history of payesh. But it is believed that payesh was first prepared in Jaganath Puri temple of Orissa some 2000 years back. Some food historians believe that payesh probably originated in Persia. According to Persian folklore payesh was first prepared in heaven by angels to serve Prophet Muhammad when he ascended to the 7th floor of heaven to meet his almighty. Today payesh has become an integral part of many Hindu and Muslim festivals. The payesh was introduced in Europe by Indians.

   Payesh is a South Asian dessert recipe which is prepared by boiling milk, rice/wheat/lentils. Mostly sugar and jaggery is used to sweeten the milk, and, dry fruits like pistachios, almonds, raisins and cardamoms are used to flavorise the payesh.

         Bengalis can prepare more than 25 variety of payesh. Payesh is known as “ksheeram” or “ksheer” in Sanskrit, “kheer” in Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu, “Payasam” in Tamil and Malayalam, “Payesh” in Bengali. Nowadays payesh is also prepared using vegetables and vermicelli. During special occasions chilled payesh is decorated with edible gold or silver leaf. North Iindians also colour payesh with saffron.

Ingredients :

  1. 25gm scented basmati rice,
  2. 1 packet 500 ml milk,
  3. Sugar 5tbsp(or as required),
  4. Cardamom(elaichi) 2 pieces,
  5. Bay leaf (tej patte)1 piece,
  6. Cashew nuts
  7. Condensed milk 200gm

Prepare your dessert:

1. Boil the raw packaged milk, thn cool it. Preferably full cream milk.

3. Rinse the rice in circular motion, and drain the water.

2. Soak the rice in water.  Set aside for 20 mins.

Note : This will help you to boil rice faster. You can save some cooking gas

4. Lit the oven with ignitor. Pour some milk in a thick untensil, usually in which you cook rice. Save the rest milk for later use.

5. Pour the soaked rice in milk. Set the oven to sim. Boil the milk.

6. Check if the milk thickens along with the mushy rice.

7. Now , add the sugar, one bay leaf, cardamom and some cashew nuts (as per your need) . Add half a tin of condensed milk (optional) , and the rest milk. Stir all the ‘ payesh ‘ once, and bring it to boil.

Note : no need to thicken the milk anymore. The milk shouldn’t dry out. If so, add more milk. Check the amount of sweetness.

8. Serve as a desert, hot or cold. Store it in refrigerator for chilled creamy payessum.

Garnish and serve :

1. Heat a tbsp of ghee in a pan. Toss all dry fruits like cashew, raisins, pista with ghee.

2. Dry roast them. Garnish on top.

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