Basmati Payasam

Basmati Payasam:(Version 2)

Basmathi Kheer. Rice Kheer. Firni. Phirni. Rice Phirni.

I have already made this recipe....see under 'Rice Kheer'! But this version is kind of fix recipe with left over cooked rice. Moreover I used low calorie sweetener today! Also reduced the quantity of half and half and condensed milk! Hope this works! I also cooked rice conventionally in a pot....yes...with excess water! And discarded much of its starch...through that water!:)

Ingredients:

Cooked Basmati rice(extra long rice) 1/4 cup
Sweetener 4-6 heavy spoons(use one that has no aspartame in it)
Whole Milk 2 cups
Half n Half 1/2 cup
Condensed milk few spoons
Saffron 1/4 spoon
Cardamom seeds powder 1 spoon
Kewra essence 1 spoon
Ghee/Clarified butter few spoons(optional)

Method:

Soak 1/4 spoon of saffron in 2-4 spoons of milk for about 2 hours. Using mortar and pestle wet-grind it. Set aside.

In a large vessel, heat ghee. Toast the cooked rice for few minutes and set aside.

In the same vessel, add sugar + 1/2 cup of water. Bring this to syrup like consistency.

Now stir-in toasted cooked rice and continue cooking.

Add whole milk, half n half and condensed milk to this. Continue boiling. Stir regularly.

When the milk is half the way reduced, add cardamom seeds powder, kewra essence and wet-ground saffron to it.

Cook over medium heat for a while. Maybe till the rice is done and the milk really thickens to pudding stage.

Transfer them to display dish. Chill and serve.

Serve chilled, warm or at room temperature.