KODO MILLET KHEER, how to make a tasty and healthy kheer with millets

Wishing you all a very very Happy and Helathy New Year!!!

Please check my other millet recipes here
*Millet is alkaline and it digests very easily
*Millet acts as a probiotic in your inner eco system
*Millet will always hydrate your colon and prevent constipation
*Millet calms your moods
*Millet is a smart carb with lot of fibers
*Magnesium in millets helps prevent heart attacks and migraine head aches
*Niacin in millets help lower cholesterol
*Highly anti oxidant
*Millets' high protein content makes it a must in Vegetarians' diets.

Normally we make Semiya kheer/Vermicelli kheer with regular semiya, which is not too nutritious or healthy. I was having thoughts about trying out some millet for kheer and it turned out to be no less, in fact, tastier, so creamy and guilt free!!!

Ingredients

Milk - 8 cups

Kodo millet semiya - 1 1/2 cups

Sugar - 1 cup

Saffron a small pinch

Cardamom powder - 3/4 tsp

To serve

Sliced almonds, as needed

A small pinch of saffron

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Dessert/festival delicacy/kheer varieties

Prep time: 5 mts; Cooking time: 30 mts

Serves 10 small cups

Milk set to boil in a thick bottomed vessel (I kept an anodised pan) and semiya added

Saffron and cardamom powder added

Milk has condensed almost to half of what it was, semiya is completely cooked now, add sugar, keeping the flames on the lowest, and keep on stirring so that it will not stick to the bottom

Chill and serve, topping with sliced almonds and little bit of saffron strands

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes 

* Any kind of millet semiya can be used. 

*Pearl millet semiya will be slightly dark brownish in color, and the kheer color may go down.

VERMICELLI KHEER (Semiya payasam)

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Vermicelli Kheer....semiya payasam, is also called Noodle payasam by my grand children. It is a real delicacy, a little bit care is to be taken, so that there won't be too much vermicelli in the kheer, and also, it will not form a big lump.
Check my Carrot vermicelli kheer and other payasams

Ingredients

Milk - 10 cups

Vermicelli/semiya - 3/4 cup (roasted or regular)

Sugar -1 1/2 cups

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 2 tsps + 2 tsps

Cashews, broken - 2 tbsps

Raisins - 2 tbsps

Saffron - a pinch

Recipe Cuisine: Indian; Category: Dessert/neivedhyam/prasaadh

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 30 mts

Yields 10-12 cups

                      Roast semiya in 2 tsps ghee, keep on low fire, and roast to golden color. If you are using roasted semiya, skip this step.

Roast the cashews and raisins in 2 tsps ghee and keep aside.

MIlk set to boil, vermicelli added, also saffron, and allowed to boil on low heat.

Milk boiling nicely, vermicelli also getting cooked well.

Milk has condensed well, sugar added now

Cardamom powder added too.

Kheer is ready to be served hot or cold, as you like, with the roasted cashews and raisins added.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

* If you are using roasted vermicelli, then normally I add them along with cold milk itself, this way, vermicelli does not form small clusters and stick to each other.

* If you are using regular vermicelli and roasting it, then add 2 cups hot milk or water to it first, then add cold milk. I prefer to add only milk and never have added water.

*Allow the milk to boil and reduce nicely. You can notice the creamish color of the payasam

PALADA PRADHAMAN, (Dessert made out of small steamed rice bits, soaked in milk), how to make palada pradhaman

Palada Pradhaman always plays the pivotal role in all the Kerala Payasams. Traditionally, in the earlier days, ground rice paste used to be smeared on banana leaves, dropped into water, steamed, then cut into tiny bits, then added to kheer. But nowadays, dried rice adas are readily available in all supermarkets. I bought "Double deer" brand, and it was excellent.
This is so ideal for all poojas, to offer to God as neivedhyam.

Please check my Glossary for any unknown terms

Ingredients

Milk - 4 cups

Store bought paladas - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 1 tsp

Saffron - a small pinch

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian; Category: Dessert/neivedhyam/prashaadh

Prep time: 30 mts; Cooking time: 30 -40 mts

Yields 6 small cups of  payasam

These are the tiny bits of rice adas/paladas

Soak in hot water for 1/2 hour

In the meantime, set the milk to boil, on low flames, with saffron and cardamom powder. I always believe, adding cardamom in the beginning itself, makes its aroma and flavor mingle well with the kheer.

Milk boiling and getting condensed nicely

Drain the paladas that have been soaking in hot water, after washing them well with water 3-4 times

Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan

and saute the rice adas on low flames. This step is essential, so that the adas will not stick to each other while boiling in the milk

Add the slightly roasted adas to the boiling milk, and allow them to get cooked well for about 25 minutes, absorbing the flavor of saffron and cardamom

1/2 cup sugar measured and kept

Adas are well cooked, milk condensed very well, sugar to be added at this stage.

Palada pradhaman can be served hot or cold. People will not believe you say, no condensed milk has been added. The payasam will be so rich and creamy, yet very healthy!!!

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

ELANEER / TENDER COCONUT PAYASAM, how to make tender coconut kheer

                                       தமிழ்ப்புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்

Elaneer Payasam is a real delicacy, very apt for this new year "Hey Vilambi".
Elaneer means, Tender coconut. Since coconut yields a continuous harvest all throught the year, we can very well call it a ".Kalpa Vriksha".
Tender Coconut is a wonder of nature, filled with sweet water, which has amazing health benefits. While the fully mature coconut is a bit hard to digest, this tender coconut has lot of nutrients, minerals and vitamins. This purest water has lot of electrolytes.
And, the soft pulp which in tamil is called வழுக்கை (Vazhukkai), also has lot of nutrients.
Coconut water is supposed to be lot better than milk or orange juice.
I have combined these both nutritious things in this payasam, the recipe of which I got from the top most food caterer of Chennai in a recent family wedding. But I made some variations, following a TV show, and it turned out to be too good.
Please look into my Glossary for any unknown terms
Please check out my other payasam varieties here
Also, check my mango-neem flower pachadi ,  Paruppu polis and Milk polis

Krishnarpanamasthu!!

Ingredients

Milk (3%) - 12 cups (11/2 litres)

Condensed milk - 200 gms tin

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Tender coconut water of  1 coconut

Soft creamy pulp of 1 coconut

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian; Category: Desserts/Neivedhyams

Prep time:10 mts; Cooking time: 30 mts

Yields roughly 6-8 cups

Milk set to boil on medium flames. Keep stirring once in a way to prevent sticking to the bottom

Till it reduces to almost half the quantity

                                                              I used this condensed milk

When the milk has reduced in quantity, add the condensed milk, stir and mix well and switch off.

This is the rabdi, let to cool down, and refrigerated for a few hours. Actually, from now on, there is no cooking involved. Everything is done off stove.

Water derived from 1 tender coconut and the soft pulp

Take half the amount of pulp and the coconut water, and blend

This is how it will look

Add this blended mixture to the cooled rabdi

Chop the rest of the soft pulp into tiny bits...and

Add to the kheer/payasam. Cardamom powder also added and mixed well.

All mixed well, and refrigerate again. I tell you, this kheer/payasam is ideal for summer.

Here is the healthy, not-much-cooking-involved easy, Elaneer Payasam for you.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

* I boiled and reduced the milk, added the condensed milk, cooled and kept in the fridge the previous evening. This way, next day, there is no cooking involved.

* My payasam is a very mild one, if you want it sweeter, add 3-4 tbsps sugar , while adding the condensed milk.

FLAT RICE KHEER / AVAL PAYASAM

Happy Janmashtami to you all!!!!!
We all know the strong ties  Lord Krishna has with  Flat rice / Poha/ Aval. Because of this Aval/poha, the poor Sudhama got great amount of riches.
So, when that kind of simple yet great Poha is combined with another favorite of Krishna......I mean, milk......can any neivedhyam beat this???
 People are going to fall flat, when they taste this Flat rice kheer, mistaking it for regular milk kheer. It is a very good Neivedhyam, to offer to any God, and it is very easy to prepare.
Please check out my other Janmashtami special neivedhyams here

Ingredients

Milk - 5 cups

Flat rice / aval - 1/3 cups

Milkmaid Condensed milk - 1/2 cup

Saffron - few strands

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian; Category: Desserts

Prep time: nil; Cooking time: 25 mts

Yields 6 - 8 small cups

Milk let to boil with saffron strands

Flat rice / poha/aval measured and kept ready

Cardamom powder also added and allowed to boil on medium fire.

Flat rice is going to be added, when milk starts boiling

After it condenses nicely, add condensed milk and mix well, then switch off.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

*The softly cooked flat rice, tastes so good, and just melts in your mouth.

*The quantity of condensed milk can be reduced and some sugar can be added too. 

*But this version is especially for youngsters who are new to   cooking, since  there isn't much complication.

*Unless you reveal, nobody is going to know that this is flat rice. They will surely think, this is Milk kheer.

*Because of the milk condensing and also adding the condensed milk, this kheer turns out to be so rich and creamy.