Kewra Kheer-Aromatic Rice Pudding With Screw Pine Water & Foxnuts

Kewra Jal or Screwpine water is used to flavor a lot indian curries,biryanis,drinks and desserts particularly those which are milk based.It is also used in lot of indian sweets made out of squashes and dried milk.Drinks prepared with Kewra are said to be have a cooling effect on the body during the scorching summer months.Similar to rose-water or orange blossom water, the essence is more concentrated than Kewra water.The essence may be yellowish or transparent in color.

Other than food, if you happen to visit the beach destinations of India, you can indulge in Kewra water bath and spa sessions at many of the resorts and hotels.Perfumes and body lotions containing essential oils made with Kewra are also popular as stimulants to cure headaches and provide general relaxation to body. Ayurveda,the ancient form of medicinal cure with natural products is known to use Kewra for healing joint pains and bone related problems.All in all Kewra is supposed to have cater to those senses of your body which provide calmness to mind and soul.

Talking about “Makhana” or Foxnuts, these are used a lot to make curries and desserts.These are nothing but puffed seeds of the foxnut plant.Some people like to add foxnut seeds to the daily cereal to increase fibre in their diet.In indian cooking, it is widely used as a natural thickener in crushed or powdered forms.When toasted with butter/oil and sprinkled with salt and dried herbs, puffed foxnuts make a great snack with evening tea.Eating a handful of foxnuts daily is considered to strengthen the heart and is very useful in anemia.

Dont get the impression that the rice pudding that I have prepared using all the stuff above is healthy, but it is certainly rich and flavorful.Anyhow, after all that overdose of knowledge, let me come to the recipe which is nothing but “Kheer” or indian rice pudding made by cooking crushed foxnuts and basmati rice with whole milk and flavored with green cardamom powder and kewra water.It is the most luscious and exotic form of dessert for us.Indian kheer is different from the pudding recipes around the world in the sense that it is not egg based.Some people like to add condensed milk to rice pudding for fast thickening, I normally don’t do that and stick to the traditional way of thickening the milk via slow cooking.It is considered auspicious to offer Kheer to God during festivals.I prepared this recipe last week.Below goes the recipe:

Ingredients [Serves 4]

1/3 cup uncooked basmati rice
6 cups whole milk [or half n half]
1/2 cup crushed foxnuts [makhana, available at indian stores]
1 cup granulated white sugar [or adjust to taste]
1 tbsp Kerwa water [If using essence put, 1-2 drops only] [Available at indian stores]
1 tsp green cardamom powder
handful of golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped almonds
For Garnish- chopped almonds, raisins,toasted foxnuts,pinch of cardamom powder, shredded coconut [optional]

Method:

Wash the rice under 2-3 streams of water and let soak in 1.5 cups of water for one hour.
In a pot with heavy bottom, pour the milk and let come to a boil.Once boiling,reduce the heat to low, drain the rice and tip into the pot.Tip in the crushed foxnuts also along with rice.
Cook the milk and rice mixture covered for about 1 hour stirring occasionally, so that the rice does not stick to the bottom.
Cook until rice is tender but broken and milk has reduced to about half the quantity and is thick.
Add chopped almonds,raisins and cardamom powder and cook for 10 minutes more.
Remove from heat and let sit for about 5-8 minutes to cool down a bit.
Stir in the granulated sugar and kewra water. Make sure that when you add the sugar the pudding is not very hot.
Serve garnished with almonds or any nuts of choice.

Variations:

You can use rose water in place of kewra water.
This pudding can be prepared with foxnuts only also.

Enjoy!

Sending this to Hearth n Soul #36