Nolen Gurer Payesh/Bengali Rice Pudding with Date Palm jaggery

Winter holiday fun is in full swing, festive cooking, holiday crafts, shopping, visiting theme parks, zoo, watching movies, eating out without counting calories and many more. Now it's time to bid adieu to 2018 and welcome New Year 2019 on a sweet note with Bengali deliciousness, Nolen Gurer Payesh, a sweet creamy concoction of small grain aromatic rice, milk and date palm jaggery.
Payesh specially made with rice is very auspicious in Bengali food heritage, such as baby showers, Annaprashon(a celebration of  Bengali baby's first solid food introduction), bridal showers, weddings, birthdays, pooja offerings and many more. 

This flavorful dessert makes all Bengali very nostalgic. Growing up in India, payesh was a birthday ritual in our generations made by our mothers, grand mothers, then passed down through generations. It surely brings back memories of love and care for preparing home cooked delicacies no matter how busy and exhausted they were. It can't never be replaced with fancy cakes till date.

Payesh is also known as kheer or payasam in different regions of India. Ingredients are very similar, rice, milk, sugar or jageery and some type of flavors. Bengali payesh is made with special short grain rice called "Gobindobhog" with sugar and flavorings any time of the year. In winter, payesh with date palm jaggery is prepared by boiling the sap from date palm syrup available in West Bengal and Bangladesh in winter months, then stored in the refrigerator or freezer to use all year round. The smoky earthy flavor of date plam jaggery and sweet buttery taste of Gobindobhog rice compliment each other and perfectly make this dessert sinfully delicious. 

Nolen Gurer Payesh was a winter birthday treat for me and my brother made by Ma. I am following the same tradition for my teen's birthday every year, a humble treat to satisfy sugar craving. Make a large batch because people will ask for seconds for sure. I use both sugar and jaggery for lighter color payesh; but you can use just jaggery for darker color. Make a few days ahead and refrigerate covering in a serving bowl. Take it out at least half an hour before serving if you don't want chilled payesh in winter. 

Ingredients~
Gobindobhog rice- 2 tbsp
Whole milk 6 cups
Sugar- 2 tbsp or to taste
Date plam jaggery 4 tbsp or as needed, grated 
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp golden raisin(optional)

Method~
Wash rice and keep aside. Soak raisins. Heat milk in a heavy bottomed medium sauce pan over medium-low heat stirring frequently to avoid scorching. Once milk starts boiling reduce heat to low and keep stirring until it reduces almost by half. Add in rice, bay leaf and continue cooking until rice is done. Milk will thicken more by this time. Add sugar and cook for 5-6 minutes. If payesh looks too thick add a couple of tablespoons hot milk. Turn off the heat and let it cool off a bit before adding  jaggery to avoid milk to curdle. Add soaked raisins if you prefer. Stir well for jaggery to melt. Taste to check sweetness and adjust accordingly. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm in Winter days. It serves 3-4. Cover and refrigerate up to a week. 

Happy cooking and Happy new Year 2019 from our family to yours. Stay safe and blessed!