Alright so Nolen Gurer Chanar Payesh. Yeah it’s got a long name but basically it’s this creamy Bengali rice pudding that’s absolutely next level. Like if you’ve ever had payesh you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, you’re missing out.
It’s got rice and milk and cottage cheese and jaggery all cooked together into this thick creamy thing. And it’s not some light dessert either. It’s rich and filling and tastes incredible. The kind of thing where you eat like half a bowl and you’re happy.
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Here’s the thing though – everyone thinks making payesh is hard. Like they think you need to be some master cook or something. Nah dude. It’s literally just rice cooked in milk. You literally just cook it and stir it and that’s the whole thing. The tricky part is not burning the bottom and being patient.
The jaggery is what really makes this work. It’s not like regular sugar or anything. Jaggery’s got this whole different flavor that’s deeper and richer. Makes the whole thing taste way better. Plus it’s better for you than white sugar which is a nice bonus.
Ingredients – What You Gotta Get
Okay so grab these things. Most of this stuff is easy to find honestly.
The Main Stuff:
- 1/2 cup basmati rice washed really good
- 1 liter whole milk – gotta be full fat, not that skim stuff
- 1/2 cup jaggery that you grate or chop up
- 2 cups paneer or cottage cheese crumbled into small pieces
- 1/4 cup ghee or you can use butter
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- A tiny bit of nutmeg powder
- Saffron strands – like a small pinch soaked in warm milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup cashews cut in half
- 1 tablespoon dates chopped up if you want
Extra Stuff If You’re Feeling It:
- Rose water for flavor
- Coconut flakes for topping
- More cashews if you like them
- Khoya if you wanna make it richer
Equipment You’re Gonna Need
What You Actually Need:
- A big heavy pot like at least 5 quarts
- A wooden spoon for stirring
- A grater for the jaggery
- A knife for nuts and stuff
- A small bowl for saffron
- Measuring stuff
- Bowls to eat it out of
Nice If You Have It:
- Pressure cooker to speed things up
- A sieve just in case
- Non-stick pan for toasting nuts
Making It – Step By Step
Step 1: Prep Everything First
Okay so wash your rice like 3-4 times under cold water until the water isn’t cloudy anymore. This is important because you don’t want mushy rice. The starch comes off and you get better texture.
Crumble your paneer or cottage cheese into little pieces. Like pea-sized basically. Not powder, not huge chunks, just like little crumbles. This is so they mix into the milk nicely.
Take your saffron strands and put them in warm milk. Let them sit for like 10 minutes. This makes the saffron release color and flavor.
Step 2: Toast Your Nuts
Heat up some ghee in a small pan. Once it’s hot throw in your cashews and raisins. Just fry them for 2-3 minutes until they smell good and the cashews turn golden. Don’t burn them though.
Take them out and set them aside. Fry your dates too if you’re using them. They get all sweet and chewy which is nice.
Step 3: Get Your Milk Started
Pour your milk into your big pot. Important thing – use full fat milk. Not skim or 2%. Full fat whole milk. This is what makes it taste good and creamy.
Turn the heat to medium and bring it to a boil. This takes a bit so don’t rush. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low. You want a gentle simmer from now on. Not a hard boil because that burns stuff at the bottom and tastes terrible.
Step 4: Cook Your Rice
Once the milk is simmering, add your rice. Stir it like crazy so it doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn. Keep stirring every couple minutes. The rice is gonna soak up all that milk and everything’s gonna get thicker.
Cook it for like 20-25 minutes. The rice should get soft and basically dissolve into the milk. It’s gonna start looking creamy and thick. Keep stirring and don’t let the bottom burn.
Step 5: Add The Jaggery and Cottage Cheese
Once the rice is soft, add your jaggery. Stir it in really well so it all dissolves. This is when it gets that beautiful golden color. Keep the heat on medium-low.
Add your cottage cheese pieces now. Just fold them in gently. Cook it for like 5-10 minutes so everything mixes together nicely. Keep stirring every minute or so.
Step 6: Add Your Spices
This is when it starts smelling amazing. Add your cardamom powder. Add the saffron that you soaked with its milk. Just a tiny tiny pinch of nutmeg – like seriously just a pinch or it tastes medicinal.
Stir everything together. The saffron is gonna make it look nice and colored. The cardamom is gonna make it smell incredible. Taste it and add salt if it needs it.
Step 7: Put Your Nuts In
Add all those nuts and raisins you fried earlier. Stir them through. They’re gonna add crunch and richness to the creamy stuff. Cook for like 2-3 minutes more.
If you want you can add like a teaspoon of rose water at the very end. It’s optional but it’s nice. Adds this floral thing that’s kinda good.
The payesh should be creamy but still like pourable. Not so thick it’s like pudding but thicker than milk.
Step 8: Serve It
Take it off the heat. You can eat it warm right now or let it cool and eat it cold later. Both work honestly. Warm is cozy, cold is nice in summer.
Pour it into bowls. Maybe put a cashew on top or a piece of date. That’s it basically.
How Much Nutrition Is In This
So this is rich stuff. You don’t eat a huge bowl of this. Per serving maybe half a cup you’re getting:
- Like 250-300 calories
- Calcium from all the milk
- Protein from the cheese
- Energy from jaggery and nuts
- Good fats from ghee and nuts
It’s not like super light but it’s a traditional dessert so yeah it’s rich. That’s the point.
Nolen Gurer Chanar Payesh – Bengali Kheer with Cottage Cheese, Rice & Jaggery
Equipment
- Large heavy pot
- Small pan
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring stuff
- Grater
- Small bowl
- Serving bowls
Ingredients
Main:
- ½ cup basmati rice washed
- 1 liter whole milk
- ½ cup jaggery
- 2 cups paneer crumbled
- ¼ cup ghee or butter
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- Pinch nutmeg
- Saffron strands
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup cashews
- 1 tbsp dates optional
- Rose water optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- 1. Wash rice 3-4 times until water clear
- 2. Crumble paneer into small pieces
- 3. Soak saffron in warm milk 10 min
- 4. Heat ghee in small pan
- 5. Fry cashews and raisins 2-3 min until golden
- 6. Set nuts aside
- 7. Pour milk in large pot
- 8. Heat milk to boil over medium
- 9. Reduce to medium-low simmer
- 10. Add rice stir constantly
- 11. Cook 20-25 min stirring often
- 12. Rice should soften and milk thicken
- 13. Add jaggery stir until dissolved
- 14. Add paneer fold gently
- 15. Cook 5-10 min more stirring
- 16. Add cardamom saffron with milk and nutmeg
- 17. Stir everything together
- 18. Taste add salt if needed
- 19. Add fried nuts and raisins
- 20. Cook 2-3 min more
- 21. Optional add rose water
- 22. Should be creamy and pourable
- 23. Serve warm or cold
- 24. Garnish with nuts or dates
STORAGE:
- wFridge 3-4 days or freeze 1 month. Reheat gently or eat cold.
How To Serve It
Serve it in nice bowls or cups. Put it warm right after making or let it cool and serve cold.
Put a cashew or raisin on top. Maybe a tiny bit of cardamom powder. Makes it look nice.
Drizzle rose water on top if you want. Looks fancy and tastes nice.
What To Do With Leftovers
Payesh keeps in the fridge for like 3-4 days in a container. Just take it out and eat it or reheat it gently on the stove. If it got too thick you can add a bit of milk to loosen it up. You can also freeze it for like a month and thaw it later.
Tips That Actually Matter
Don’t Use Skim Milk – Use full fat milk. That’s what makes it taste good.
Fry Your Nuts – Takes 2 minutes and makes them way better.
Don’t Rush The Cooking – Low heat, gentle simmer. This takes time.
Keep Stirring – Especially near the end. Don’t let the bottom burn.
Use Real Jaggery – Regular sugar just doesn’t taste the same. Jaggery is deeper.
Don’t Overcook The Rice – Soft but not totally gone. You want texture.
Cottage Cheese Matters – Fresh is better. Crumble it small.
Taste It – Add spices how you like. More cardamom, more nutmeg, whatever.
Thickness Is Up To You – Cook longer for thick or add milk for thin. You decide.
Cold Is Good Too – Warm is nice but cold in summer is really good.
FAQs
Q: Can I use skim milk? A: Nah not really. You need the fat for flavor and texture. Whole milk only.
Q: What if I can’t find paneer? A: Use cottage cheese or make your own. You could skip it but it won’t be the same.
Q: Brown rice instead of basmati? A: You could but basmati is traditional and tastes better. Different texture.
Q: Where do I find jaggery? A: Indian grocery stores have it. Brown sugar works if you can’t find it.
Q: Is this vegan? A: Nah it’s got milk and ghee. You could try coconut milk but it’s different.
Q: Can I use condensed milk? A: Yeah but it’ll be sweeter. Regular milk is better.
Q: How much is one serving? A: Like half a cup. It’s rich so a little goes far.
Q: Pressure cooker work? A: Yeah cook on low pressure for like 15 minutes.
Q: Too thick? A: Add warm milk and stir. Easy to fix.
Q: Other nuts okay? A: Yeah almonds or pistachios or whatever you like.
Bottom Line
Nolen Gurer Chanar Payesh is honestly easier than it sounds. Cook rice in milk add some cheese and jaggery throw nuts in and you’ve got this incredible Bengali kheer. That’s basically it.
Stop ordering payesh from restaurants. Make it at home. It’s cheaper it’s better and it tastes way fresher. Plus the whole place smells amazing when you make it.
Get your milk going be patient with the stirring taste as you go and you’re gonna nail it. Try it.
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