So, last week we covered the hottest chili India has to
offer. To soothe your palate, this week we move on to something sweeter –
kheer. Kheer is the Indian style rice pudding flavored delicately with cardamom
and at times saffron.
Kheer is very easy to make and is often made for special
occasions including birthdays, festivals, marriages and more. The simplest
kheer is made by thickening milk, along with rice, till it reduces to half its
quantity and then sweetening it with sugar or jaggery and flavoring with
cardamom. But, there are several variations on this recipe which change
depending upon the region.
Odisha in Eastern India prepares a type of kheer made with
tapioca sago known as sagukhiri. In West Bengal kheer is prepared with glutinous
rice and sometimes coconut milk for a creamier texture. Kheer in West Bengal is
known as payesh and can be also be made with semolina or vermicelli. While
sugar is the more common sweetener used in both states, jaggery is also used at
times, resulting in a more flavorful kheer with a brownish tint.
In Assam in North Eastern India, kheer is called payoxh and
it is liberally sprinkled with dried fruits. Additionally, cherries are added
to give the kheer a light pink hue. In Bihar, rice kheer is made with full fat
cream, assorted dried fruits and saffron.
But, perhaps the largest variety of kheer is available in
Southern India. Known as payasam, the Southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh,
Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala collectively serve up a mind
boggling array of kheer. While milk and coconut milk continue to form the base
of kheer in these states, the rice can be replaced by any number of ingredients
including, but not restricted to vermicelli, sago pearls, wheat, wheat
semolina, bottle gourd, and sesame seeds.
Regardless of where it is from and how it is made, kheer is
a delicacy to be relished. Try out different varieties of kheer if possible and
you shall not be disappointed.
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