Bengali Payesh Recipe

Preparation time : 1 hour 30 mints
level : Easy

Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashami. The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional HINDU Calender and the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called Devi Paksha, ‘Fortnight of the Goddess’).Devi Paksha is preceded by Mahalaya, the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Paksha, ‘Fortnight of the Forefathers’), and is ended on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja(‘Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night’).

Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil....

Payesh is the main dessert in Puja time ...

Ingredients :

• Low-fat Milk – 2 lt (Many prefer to use sweetened condense milk – in that case you will need much less milk. But I find Jaggery losing it’s uniqueness amidst the existing sweetness)
• Jaggery – 5 one and a half inch square cubes or 1 cup of Date Syrup
• Sugar – 500 grms
• Pistachios – 1/4 cup
• Raisins – 1/4 cup, soaked in Water
• Cashew nuts – 1/2 cup, unsalted
• Fragrant White Rice – 1 cup

Preparation :

1. Soak the Rice in water for some time and drain out
2. Boil the Milk in a Dekchi/a flat bottomed pan (Dekchis are usually used for cooking Rice. Please note that Payesh is always made in utensils meant for cooking Rice or kept separately and hasn’t been used for any other type of cooking. This is because of it’s susceptibility to catching the smell of other cooked items. Constant stirring is required so that the bottom of the pan doesn’t get burnt)
3. Add the Rice when the milk comes to a boil
4. Keep on stirring so that the Rice is boiled properly and the Milk thickens
5. Add the Jaggery only at the end, otherwise there is a risk of the Milk getting spoilt. Once the Jaggery has been added the milk shouldn’t be boiled further. Some prefer to add a bit of Sugar along with the Jaggery.
6. Garnish with Pistachios, raising, Cashew Nuts. Serve it cold. However, some prefer to eat this Payesh smoking hot, just after it has been taken off the fire!

Fragrant Rice that is traditionally used in making the Bengali Payesh is a special type of rice called Gobindobhog.