I am very happy and feel blessed to share with you the recipe of “Chaler Payesh”, the very Indian rice pudding known popular all across the vast land and known by different names such as ‘payasam’ in South and ‘kheer’ in the North. Payesh is also known as ‘Paromanno’ or the supreme form of rice. We offer payesh to gods during pujas and known to be a perfect prasad. 

Payesh is a must dessert on birthdays in Bengal even today. When I was growing up, there was more fan-following of payesh than cakes. Even for the newbies, they taste the sweet rice for the first time in the form of payesh. 

I personally like the taste of little soury raisins and the crunchiness of cashew nuts dipped in the payesh. And people prepare payesh both thick and light depending on their wish. I like the custard like thick payesh, my favourite indian dessert.

In winter, we relish Gurher Payes or Rice Pudding with Date Palm Jaggery more, the recipe of which I shared earlier. Check that too 🙂

Ingredients to serve 6 :

1. Full cream milk (6% fat)  – 1 liter
2. Rice – 2 tbspoon (Gobindobhog or, any short grain rice)
3. Sugar – 5 tbspoon
4. Pinch of salt
5. Cashew nuts – 10-12 (soaked into water & broken into halves)
6. Raisins – 2 tbspoon (soaked into water)
7. Green cardamom – 2 (crushed)

Procedure :

• At first, rinse the rice 2-3 times and keep aside.
• Then add little water (say, 2 tbspoon) in a heavy based pan and then pour the milk into it.

• Now place the pan over medium flame, notice initial level of the milk. Boil the milk for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

• Then add the rice and cook till it gets soft. Also add salt at this moment. Stir frequently to avoid the burnt at the bottom of the pan. It will take 15-20 minutes.

• Now add sugar and mix it well. Sugar will take 3-4 minutes more to get dissolved. After that, you can switch off the gas and add dry fruits if you like your payesh a bit thinner.
• But I will cook it for few more minutes as I like thick payesh. As the volume of the milk reduces to its half put the gas off.

• Then sprinkle over cashew nuts, raisins and cardamom powder. Give them a good stir.

• Now wait till ‘chaler payesh’ turns cold and then serve.

Note :

1. Always keep an watchful eye while making ‘payesh’. Stir frequently otherwise milk can burn at the bottom.
2. One can also use toned milk (containing 3% fat) instead of full cream milk.
3. ‘Gobindobhog’ rice cooks fast. If you are using any other short grain rice then add it to the milk 3-4 minutes prior.