Kolkota Style Payesh

Milk – 2 litres

Milk (reserved) – 1 cup

Gobindobhog rice – 100 g

Ghee – 2 tbsp (for rice)

Bay leaves – 2

Cardamom pods – 6

For Thickening

Milk powder – 200 g

Reserved milk – 1 cup

For Sweetening

Jaggery (gur) batasha – 400 g (You can purchase it from online stores like Amazon, Flipkart, or other e-commerce websites)

For Garnish

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Cashew nuts – 15

Raisins – 1 tbsp

Prepare the Milk Base: Heat 2 litres milk and bring it to a boil. Remove 1 cup of milk and keep it aside. Add bay leaves and cardamom pods to the boiling milk and let it simmer.

Cook the Rice: Mix Gobindobhog rice with 2 tablespoons ghee so it gets well coated. Add the rice to the milk and cook on a low flame till the rice is soft and fully cooked.

Add Thickness: In the reserved milk, mix milk powder to form a smooth slurry without lumps. Add this slurry to the kheer and bring it to a boil, stirring gently.

Sweeten the Payesh: Add jaggery batasha and let it melt completely. Cook till the kheer thickens slightly and develops a rich colour.

Final Garnish: Heat ghee and fry cashew nuts till lightly golden. Add raisins and sauté briefly. Add this to the payesh and mix gently. Serve warm or chilled.