DOODH PAAK

There are very few recipes that inspire you to try out the moment you eye it. Doodh Paak was one such that gave me the impulse to do so. It all happened because I was a part of Sandhya Hariharan's blog hopping idea and got the opportunity to virtually meet many new bloggers and learn interesting and new recipes. That is how I met Sreelatha of Framed Recipes. I liked her blog title and the recipe's name as well. Doodh Paak literally means Milk Paayasam / Kheer- where raw rice is cooked on a stove top with milk simmering for hours together to give a condensed and delicious dessert. The recipe is traditional and known to many but the presentation and the approach to the methodology was different - "Old wine in a new bottle".

 Though Paayasam is usually prepared on festival days, (Deepavali, Navaratri, Krishna Jayanthi, Onam and so on) feasting on some delicious Paayasam/ Kheer on  non occasional days is always a welcome affair. The Paayasam was relished by all at home and my FIL loved it. I replaced Basmati rice with Barnyard Millet( Kuthiraivaali). Scroll on to check out my version.

Also check out 

• Carrot and Apple Millet paayasam
• Paal Paayasam
• Rasmalai

Preparation Time:5 min
Cooking time: 30 mins
Recipe Category : Dessert
Recipe level: Easy
Serves : 4 -5
Source: Sreelatha Shenoy

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Barnyard  Millet
3/4 liter whole milk
1  cup coarse sugar ( adjust as per taste)
1 tsp freshly ground cardamom powder
few Saffron strands
1 fistful of chopped, almonds, pistachios and cashew nuts
2 tbsp ghee
1 cup water

METHOD

• Boil the milk.
• Wash the millet and transfer it to a thick bottomed vessel with a well fitting lid. Add 1 cup of water and cook on stove top. It gets cooked within 5-7 mins.
• Switch off and add the boiled milk to the cooked millet. Put 2 teaspoons into the millet+milk mixture.
• Add water to the pressure cooker and transfer the millet+ milk vessel to the cooker. You can also add the saffron strands at this point.
• Close the vessel with a tight fitting lid. Close the cooker and cook on low medium flame for 20-25 min. Do not put the weight on.
• The milk will condense and thicken along with the millet. Switch off .Rest the cooker for about 15 mins and then take the vessel out.
• Take the spoons out. Add sugar and mix well. Put it back on the stove top and cook for few more minutes for the mixture to thicken. 
• Add cardamom powder and mix well for the flavour to infuse. Switch off.
• Roast the nuts in ghee and add it to the Kheer.
• Garnish with more saffron strands and nuts if needed. Serve warm.

NOTES

• The same can be done on the stove top as well. I tried both the versions and the time frame is more or less the same.
• This is a never failing recipe. So, I guess it should work well with any kind of rice, wheat or millet.