Rice kheer / Arisi Payasam | Gokulashtami Recipes

Rice kheer or phirni is a popular Indian festive sweet... It take many forms across the country and each state has it own way of making it. It is very rich and is usually served as an after-meal dessert or as an offering to God on special occasions or festivals. It is made by stewing ground rice in milk till cooked and thickened. The outcome is a rich, delicious and creamy dessert. You can add any flavors like mango pulp, saffron, badam paste or rose syrup but what I have here is the basic recipe with no added flavorings .

Rice kernels cooked in milk, reduced and sweetened with condensed milk

I generally make semiya payasam for any festivals or occasions but then for this Gokulashtami wanted to make something different and special at the same time easy to prepare. I stumbled upon this recipe at Rak's kitchen. I made my own changes to the recipe and hence I can say that this is minimally adapted from her blog with added elements from my side. She calls for pressure cooker method but I simply boiled till the rice cooked. Also I didn't have basmati rice at hand and hence I replaced it with raw rice. Am not sure of the taste differences that this alteration will make as I haven't tried the kheer with basmati.

The payasam was not overly sweet and had a creamy texture. My MIL for whom I sent a cup of the payasam, called me up and praised me on how delicious the kheer was ~ an act she doesn't do easily and a praise that I have got for the first time in all three years of marriage. :)

~*What U Need*~ Milk - 3 cups Raw rice - 2 tbsp Ghee - 1 tbsp Cashews - 1 tbsp, broken Raisins - 1 tbsp, broken Condensed milk - 1/4 cup Cardamom powder - a big pinch Pachai karpooram - a pinch Grated coconut - 1 tbsp

How I Made it:
Heat ghee in a pan, roast the cashew and raisins and set aside. In the same pan, roast rice and break it into a corase powder by giving few pulses in the mixie.

Heat ghee, roast the coconut. Now add in the milk and bring to boil. Add the powdered rice kernels and cook till soft. By the time the rice cooks, the mixture would have reduced by quantity.

Once done, add the condensed milk and mix well. You will get a thick consistency. Add the cardamom powder and pachai karpooram and mix well.

Serve warm or chilled!!!

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!