Bengali Payesh – Cooking Process
Step 1: Preparing the Rice
Rinse the rice well under running water until the water is completely clear.
Soak the rice in water for just 10 minutes, then drain it thoroughly.
In a small bowl, mix the drained rice with 1 tbsp of Ghee and a pinch of salt. This helps prevent the rice from sticking together during cooking.
Step 2: Boiling the Milk Base
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or handi, bring the 1 litre of milk to a boil over medium heat.
Once it boils, reduce the heat to low. Keep stirring the milk frequently to prevent a layer of cream from forming on top, and ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
Add the crushed Cardamom pods and the Bay Leaf to the milk for flavouring.
Step 3: Cooking the Payesh
Once the milk has reduced slightly (about 10-15 minutes), add the Ghee-coated rice to the pot.
Continue to cook on low heat, stirring every 2-3 minutes. This process takes about 20-25 minutes.
The Payesh is ready when the rice grains are fully soft and the milk has thickened to a creamy consistency.
Step 4: The Final Sweetening and Garnishing
If using Jaggery (Gur), first remove the pot from the heat. Jaggery can sometimes curdle the milk if added while boiling. Wait for 5 minutes, then stir in the jaggery until it is fully dissolved.
If using Sugar, you can add it directly to the pot during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
In a separate small pan, quickly sauté the Cashews and Raisins in the remaining Ghee until the cashews turn light golden.
Stir the sautéed nuts and raisins into the Payesh.
Add the saffron milk (if using) for a lovely colour boost.
Main Ingredients
- 1 litre Full-Fat Milk (Doodh)
- ½ cup Gobindobhog Rice (or fragrant short-grain rice like Basmati)
- ¾ cup Jaggery (Nolen Gur/Patali Gur) or Sugar (Cheeni)
- 2 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
- A pinch of Salt (to balance the sweetness)
Whole Spices and Aromatics
- 2 Green Cardamom pods, lightly crushed (Choti Elaichi)
- 1 Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)
- A few strands of Saffron (Kesar), soaked in 1 tsp milk (optional)
Optional Garnishes
- 10-12 Cashew nuts, broken (Kaju)
- 1 tbsp Raisins (Kishmish)
- A pinch of Green Cardamom Powder (for garnish)
