Recipe: Bellam Paramannam (Sweet Rice Pudding)
Here’s something a little different for a pieKnits recipe- a deviation from my usual baking. The result of a surplus of leftover rice and a craving to play with some Indian ingredients (and the mortar & pestle, weee). After discovering the excess rice, Rice pudding is what immediately came to mind or the more common Indian version Kheer (which is actually where the English rice pudding came from). After some searching I came across this southern Telugu variation from my Mr. PieKnits home state. I've modified it for taste and to fit with what I had, such as the previously cooked rice. So when you end up with way more rice than you intended for a meal, don't throw it out- it can make this rich creamy dessert.
Usually this recipe calls for cooking rice in milk and water. Since mine was already cooked the previous day I only needed to reconstitute it in straight milk. Whole milk is really desirable here but we only had 2% so to add more thickening power and milk flavor I sprinkled in some evaporated dry milk we had on hand as well. I've added in parenthesis substitutes for some of the Indian ingredients but I really have to say go to an Indian store and try some (especially the Jaggery)! Actually I'd recommend anyone, making this recipe or not, to check out an Indian grocer if you are fortunate enough to have one near by. They are charming and a feast for the eyes; simply peruse the aisles crammed with a great assortment of items. You will find something intriguing, I promise.
Bellam Paramannam
In another saucepan, disolve the jaggery (or brown sugar) in the water and simmer to form a simple syrup.
Add rice to jaggery syrup. Mix and cook on medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat ghee over medium heat. First fry cashews and then golden raisins to light gold color and the raisines should puff up. Add the ghee, fried cashews and golden raisins to the rice-jaggery mixture.
Simmer on medium-low heat stirring occassionaly, until it thickens and comes together.
Right before removing from heat, stir in cardamom powder and mix thoroughly. Serve warm or cold.
Usually this recipe calls for cooking rice in milk and water. Since mine was already cooked the previous day I only needed to reconstitute it in straight milk. Whole milk is really desirable here but we only had 2% so to add more thickening power and milk flavor I sprinkled in some evaporated dry milk we had on hand as well. I've added in parenthesis substitutes for some of the Indian ingredients but I really have to say go to an Indian store and try some (especially the Jaggery)! Actually I'd recommend anyone, making this recipe or not, to check out an Indian grocer if you are fortunate enough to have one near by. They are charming and a feast for the eyes; simply peruse the aisles crammed with a great assortment of items. You will find something intriguing, I promise.
Bellam Paramannam
- 2 cups cooked rice (mine was leftover Basmati)
- 1 ½ cups milk (preferably at least 2%, whole is best)
- 2-3 tablespoons evaporated dry milk (optional)
- 1 cup jaggery (or sub 3/4 cup brown sugar)
- 3/4 cup water
- ½ cup cashews
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 2-3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter or regular butter)
- 4 cardamom pods - seeds powdered (or 1/2 teaspoon pre-ground cardamom )
In another saucepan, disolve the jaggery (or brown sugar) in the water and simmer to form a simple syrup.
Add rice to jaggery syrup. Mix and cook on medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat ghee over medium heat. First fry cashews and then golden raisins to light gold color and the raisines should puff up. Add the ghee, fried cashews and golden raisins to the rice-jaggery mixture.
Simmer on medium-low heat stirring occassionaly, until it thickens and comes together.
Right before removing from heat, stir in cardamom powder and mix thoroughly. Serve warm or cold.
Comments
Mmmmm. Thanks for the recipe. I love Indian style rice pudding and love cardamom. I'll have to try this!
Posted by: connie | July 24, 2007 02:47 PM
Ohhhh, that sounds yummy!
And the jaggery thing reminds me of a former coworker I had who tried to explain what was in her lunch . . . she got totally stuck on jaggery and dissolved into fits of giggles trying to think of any equivalent.
Now I want to go to the Indian grocery! Or if nothing else, go to the Indian restaurant!!!
Posted by: chris | July 24, 2007 05:07 PM
Yum. Any time you want to share more recipes from Mr. PieKnits homeland.. you go right ahead girl! I love the Indian grocery store.. unfortunately with mine I have to be very careful to check the bags because some of the mixes I bought recently had um.. how shall I put it.. extra protein.
I do have a pretty good stock of dried goods though and I recently picked up cardamom.. I really need to try this! (I also usually make my own bastardized ghee as the stuff at the market sort of scares me with its questionable expiration date)
Posted by: mouse | July 24, 2007 05:28 PM
I'm subscribed to a bunch of Indian food blogs but I never cook anything from them because I never have any ghee lying around or any of the other things that are lying around an Indian pantry but not a North American one. I'll have to buy some!
Posted by: Eve | July 24, 2007 08:22 PM
M-mm-mmmm!
I'm lucky to live in Birmingham, UK, where almost all the grocery shops that are not supermarkets are Indian/Pakistani with their massive bags of rice and spices, and those delicious sweet littl mangoes.
Eve - ghee - you can just clarify some butter, works ok, or bodge it with plain old oil or butter (butter for this dish), things'll be a little different but still good.
Mouse - cardamom - just thinking about that beautiful smell and taste makes me go all weak at the knees! Great in coffee too (boil up sugar - or jaggery! in a pan with a several crushed cardamom pods - and chcuk in ground coffee when it's bubbling, let bubble up 3 times. We call it holiday coffee - vacation, I mean - it's the marker for the start of a break!)
Posted by: Emily | July 25, 2007 05:21 AM
mmmm - that sounds good. Hubby and I are HUGE rice pudding fans. I bet we would love that! We dont' have any ethnic grocers around here, but we do have the internet!!!
Posted by: stacey | July 25, 2007 07:09 AM
I love rice puddings, especially Indian-style, and I just happened to have tons of leftover basmati from dinner last night. This recipe sounds delicious - thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Kathy | August 5, 2007 07:33 PM