During my childhood I remember the Durga pujas being celebrated grandly by the Bengalis as they lived at large in our colony. They used to rent the community hall and they will invite all the people to get the blessings. A big statue of Durga Ma will be kept and the celebration will go on for 9 days. During that time variety of sweets are made by the women and presented as Prasadams to appease Goddess Durga. After the elaborate puja ceremony the Bengalis distribute the sweets as prasads to all the people present there.
This is one such kheer that I used to love because of its aroma and its tanginess. My mother leaned it from them and I from her and this is what I made during the Saraswati puja. This is also a traditional kheer made in Laha Bari house at Bidhan Sarani , Bengal which dates back to atleast 200 years.
You'll need:
- Whole milk – 1.5 ltr
- Sugar – 200 gms
- Medium sized sweet and juicy oranges – 2
- Saffron – ½ tsp
- Cardamom powder – 2 pinch
- Pistachios, chopped – 2 tbsp
Method:
First peel the oranges and remove the transparent skin from the segments and keep aside. Dissolve saffron in 2 tbsp of milk.
Take a heavy bottomed pan and heat the milk. Bring it to a boil and keep stirring over a medium flame till it starts thickening. Add the sugar and cardamom powder. Allow the milk to boil till the color of milk starts to change and the milk reduces to 1 ltr. This should take around 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the milk from heat and let it cool for 10 – 15 minutes. Now add the orange segments and the saffron milk and mix with the kheer. Garnish with chopped pistachios and refrigerate it for half an hour so that the kheer could further become thick. Serve cool in individual cups.
This kheer is off to JFI: Festival treats hosted by Srivalli and to the Yummy Festival Feast-Diwali hosted by Pallavi.
