Nolen Gurer Payesh | Rice Kheer Recipe

Nolen Gurer Payesh | Rice Kheer Recipe

Author: Rumki Paul
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Bengali
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Servings: 4 Persons

Nolen Gurer Payesh is one of the most anticipated winter sweets with jaggery which spreads happiness and makes any ordinary day special with its warmth, comfort, tempting look and irresistible taste. It is an old traditional dessert which is the combination of Milk, Gobindo Bhog rice, and Date Palm Jaggery (Nolen Gur). Interestingly, no dry fruits or any flavouring elements are used in this recipe. This Jaggery Sweet is a very simple and easy to make recipe which gives extraordinary result with these three ingredients.

Nolen Gurer Payesh is prepared in every Bong house during winters. It is like a ritual, which we are following happily, blindly and crazily, to devour the stunning seasonal dessert. I always feel nostalgic when I talk about it. Since my childhood, I am having this Payesh every year with lot of ease, excitement and joy. I have learnt this recipe from my mother, and she learnt it from her mother.

Normally, Chaaler Payesh is prepared with sugar and is flavoured up with Bay leaves and Cardamoms. But, in case of traditional Nolen Gurer Payesh, no external flavouring elements are added. It is prepared with Gobindo Bhog Chaal which has its own unique flavour and Date Palm Jaggery which is renowned for its special flavour. Amalgamation of these two amazing elements creates an exceptional flavour.

Chaaler Payesh and its unforgettable contribution in Bengali culture

Let me share few interesting facts about this dessert which makes every Bong emotional. For every Bong, Chaaler Payesh is more than just a dessert for all these sentimental factors.

Nolen Gurer Payesh recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the recipe.

Recipes with Jaggery is very famous in Bengal especially the Nolen Gurer Payesh. It is an iconic dessert and pride of Bengal which people urge for the whole year and wait for the availability of date palm jaggery (Nolen Gur) in market. Bengali style Chawal Ki Kheer i.e. Chaaler Payesh is slightly different from north Indian Style Kheer. The main difference is because of the special type of Rice that is used to prepare this Payesh. Bongs always use Gobindobhog Chaal for Chaaler Payesh.

What is Gobindo bhog Chaal (Rice)?

What type of milk is used for the Kheer recipe?

To prepare Chaaler Payesh, always use full fat milk. It gives best result. Normally, in the traditional recipe of Payesh, neither Khoya, Mawa or Condensed Milk is used to make it yummier or to thicken its texture. For this recipe, I have followed the same to uphold the authenticity of the dish.

Most importantly in Gurer Payesh milk gets thickened more than Sada Payesh. So, it is always better not to use any external element to thicken the milk.

Nolen Gurer Payesh – Best utensils to prepare it

Always use heavy bottom non-stick pan to prepare Chaaler Payesh. It helps to prevent burning of milk and even helps the milk to not stick along the sides of the pan.

How to get perfect consistency of Chaaler Payesh without any lumps?

How to avoid the milk to curdle after addition of Jaggery?

Many people face problem to prepare Sweet recipes with jaggery. According to them, if the Khejur gurer payesh is sweetened with half the quantity of sugar and half the quantity of Jaggery then the milk does not curdle. But in my personal experience it does not work. According to me

In this Gur ki kheer, I have not used a single spoon of sugar and it does not curdle at all. In fact, if you prepare it only in Jaggery then you will get stronger flavour and better taste.

Before adding the Jaggery, I have switched off the flame and added it. Then I have stirred it and melted it in the Payesh. Then I have cooked it in lowest flame for some time.

It is always better to cook Jaggery in lowest temperature to avoid milk to curdle.

How to cook Nolen Gurer Payesh?

To prepare the Jaggery Sweet first, I have washed and soaked the Gobindobhog chal in normal temperature water for some time and then drained away the water.

Then I have put the milk to boil and reduced it to almost 80%. After this, I have added the soaked rice into it and cooked it in low flame.

Nolen Gurer Payesh is a slow cooking recipe but it’s completely worth to spend every second on this luscious creamy dessert. According to grannies, it tastes best if it is cooked slowly with patience and love without any shortcut. But this golden rule is surprisingly applicable to all the ranges and cuisines of Chawal Ki Kheer.

In this Bengali Kheer recipe, I have not used any flavouring agent like Bay leaves or cardamoms. According to me, it destructs the exact and pure flavour of Date palm jaggery from the Nolen Gurer Payesh. By doing this, I have also tried to uplift the traditional recipe too.

Ingredients:

• Full cream Milk, 1 litre
• 3 tablespoons of Gobindo Bhog Chaal (Aromatic Rice)
• ¾ cup of Date Palm Jaggery (It can vary accordingly)

1. Wash and soak the Gobindo Bhog rice for 15 minutes.
   

2. Drain the Water and keep it aside.
   

3. On the other side, take the Milk in a heavy bottom Saucepan and bring it to boil.
   

4. Cook it in medium flame and stir occasionally.
5. Once the Milk starts boiling, cook it in medium low flame.
6. Stir occasionally until the Milk is reduced to around 800ml.
7. Add the Rice (Step 2) and mix it properly.
   

8. Cook it in low flame for half an hour.
9. Stir occasionally or else the Milk will start sticking to the bottom of the Saucepan.
10. When the Rice gets cooked completely, keep eyes on it and stir it in regular intervals.
11. When the Rice becomes visible and you have got the desired consistency of the Kheer, switch off the flame.
    

12. Add Date Palm Jaggery into the pan and stir it properly.
    
    

13. Stir it until the Date Palm Jaggery almost melts into the Payesh.
14. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes.
15. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.