Nolen Gurer Payesh — Winter Date-Jaggery Rice Pudding

Name: Nolen Gurer Payesh — Winter Date-Jaggery Rice Pudding
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Bengali
Ingredients: 100 g gobindobhog rice; 1.5 l Full fat milk; 200 g nolen gur (date-palm jaggery); 2 piece Bay leaf; 3 piece green cardamom; 20 g cashew nuts; 15 g Raisins; 10 g Ghee

A silky rice pudding sweetened and coloured with fresh nolen gur (date-palm jaggery), made only in winter when the jaggery is freshly tapped.

🇮🇳India· West Bengal

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 260 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

100 g gobindobhog rice — washed and soaked 20 minutes
1½ l Full fat milk
200 g nolen gur (date-palm jaggery) — grated
2 piece Bay leaf
3 piece green cardamom — crushed
20 g cashew nuts — chopped
15 g Raisins
10 g Ghee — for garnishing nuts

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed pot

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 260 kcal
fat: 7 g
carbs: 42 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 7 g
calories: 260 kcal

Instructions

1
Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
2
Add the soaked, drained rice and bay leaf. Cook on low heat, stirring often so it does not stick.
3
Simmer for 30–35 minutes. Cook until the rice is completely soft and the milk has thickened and reduced.
4
Take the pot off the heat. Let it cool for 8–10 minutes so the milk will not split.
5
Gradually stir in the grated nolen gur (date palm jaggery). Mix well until it dissolves completely.
6
Add the crushed cardamom and stir it through.
7
In a small pan, fry cashews and raisins in ghee (clarified butter) until golden and plump. Stir them into the payesh (rice pudding).
8
Serve the pudding warm or chilled, as you prefer.

Chef's tips

Always cool the milk slightly before adding jaggery to prevent curdling. Use genuine nolen gur, available only in winter, for the distinctive smoky-caramel flavour — regular jaggery is a poor substitute.

Ingredient substitutions

nolen gur → regular date palm jaggery out of season, though flavour will be milder

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Reheating

Reheat gently on low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of milk to loosen if needed.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding jaggery while the milk is still boiling hot, which curdles the pudding.
•Not stirring frequently enough, causing the rice to stick and scorch at the bottom.