Payesh is an integral part when it comes to celebrating Birthday in a Bengali household. I love the sight of making Payesh so much, that I cannot describe my happiness in words, it’s so much nostalgic to see every time that Ma is making Payesh for me. This year I was lucky to have my parents on my Birthday, and Sufi was lucky to have her grandparents on her Birthday. Our birthday comes one after another, in two consecutive months. And I pushed my Mom into the kitchen to make Payesh for us. This Gobindobhog Chaler Payesh (Bengali style Rice Pudding) was cooked by Ma on my birthday, so, this is very special to me! Mushy rice grains infused in sweet cardamom flavoured milk with the bites from raisins and cashews, this dessert tastes divine. We make Gurer Payesh/Bengali style Jaggery Rice Pudding also but this version made with Misri is close to my heart.
I hope you’ll love making Payesh for your family and friends by following my Mom’s recipe. And do share your cooking experience with me 🙂
Gobindobhog Chaler Payesh/Bengali style Rice Pudding
Payesh is an integral part of any Bengali household. Learn how to cook Bengali style Rice Pudding with Gobindobhog chal in an authentic way.
Ingredients
- 1½ litre- Milk
- 1 cup (minus 2 tbsp)- Gobindobhog Chal (Gobindobhog is a small grain fragrant rice variety, used for Bengali cooking)
- 300g- Misri/Rock Sugar (read note)
- ¼ cup- Raisins
- 2 tbsp- Cashews (optional)
- 2- Bay leaf
- 4-5- Green cardamom (lightly crushed)
Instructions
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With a heavy object break Misri in small chunks.
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Wash the rice well, drain and keep aside.
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Take a deep bottomed pan. Pour the milk in it. Boil on high heat. Once it boils, reduce the heat.
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Add the rice and bay leaves, mix well. On medium heat cook the rice until boiled. Stir in between, to prevent burning from the bottom of the pan.
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Add misri chunks at this stage. Mix well, the misri chunks will be dissolved in the milk quickly and nicely, don’t worry about that.
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Add cardamoms, cashews, and raisins. Mix well. Remove from the heat.
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Cool completely at room temperature, serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- From olden days using Misri for making Payesh was a popular practice. It was believed that Misri has the ability to give payesh a thick body. It gives a much thicker consistency than sugar. I was told by Ma many times that not to make Payesh with sugar, that way Payesh tends to become watery. It’s an old school theory though, many people make Payesh with sugar. If Misri is not available then you can use sugar. But with Misri Payesh always tastes authentic.
- If Gobindobhog rice is not available, then basmati rice can be used. But for this rice pudding, Gobindobhog Rice is highly recommended.
- If you feel that Payesh is thickening too much at the end of the cooking, then you can add some more milk at this stage.
