Kheer
 A bowl of kheer | |
| Alternative names | Payasam, Payesh, Ksheeram, Doodhpak, Meetha Bhat |
|---|---|
| Type | Pudding |
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | South India and odisha |
| Main ingredients | Rice, milk, sugar,cardamom,jaggery,saffron,pistachiosoralmonds |
| Variations | Barleykheer, Kaddu ki kheer, paal (milk),payasam,payesh, chhanar payesh (payesh made with chhana or paneer) |
| 249kcal(1043kJ) | |
Kheer,also known aspayasamorpayesh,is apudding/porridgepopular in theIndian subcontinent,usually made by boiling milk, sugar orjaggery,andrice.It can be additionally flavored with dried fruits, nuts, cardamom and saffron. Instead of rice, it may contain cracked wheat, vermicelli (sevai) ortapioca(sabudana).[1]
In Southern India, it is known as payasam and it is made in various ways. The most popular versions are the ones made with rice and vermicelli (semiya).[1]
Etymology
[edit]The wordkheeris derived from theSanskritword formilk,kshira(क्षीर). Kheer is also the archaic name for sweetrice pudding.The wordpāyasamused in South Indian circles is related to the Sanskritpayas,milk ".
Origin
[edit]It is said to have originated initially in South India thousands of years ago. The story is titled “The Legend of Chessboard” in Kerala, an old sage in the form of Krishna challenged the king of Ambalapuzha (Chess enthusiasts) to play chess. To motivate the Sage, the king offered anything that the sage would name. The sage modestly asked just for a few grains of rice but under one condition: the king has to put a single grain of rice on the first chess square and double it on every consequent one.
Krishna (the Sage) won the game and as mentioned the king started placing the grains. As he stacked them, he was shocked to see the number grow exponentially. In the end, the number came up to trillions. Krishna reveals himself and asks the king to provide Kheer to every pilgrim who comes to his temple there. The Ambalapuzha Krishna temple still follows this and it's located in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.[2]
According to the food historianK. T. Achaya,kheer orpayasam,as it is known in southern India, was a popular dish inancient India.First mentioned in ancient Indian literature, it was a mixture of rice, milk and sugar, a formula that has endured for over two thousand years.Payasamwas also a stapleHindutemple food, in particular, and it is served asPrasādato devotees intemples.[3]
Gallery
[edit]-
Kheer topped with dried fruits and nuts -
Kheer -
Paal payasam -
Kheer with vermicelli (called seviyan kheer, semiya payasam orshemai) -
Vermicelli kheer
See also
[edit]- Porridge
- Phirni– a dessert made with ground rice or rice flour cooked in milk and eaten chilled
- Shir Berenj– Persian rice pudding
- Doodhpak– Gujarati rice pudding
- Shemai– Bengali vermicelli pudding
- Sheer khurma– Persian vermicelli pudding
References
[edit]- ^ab"Best Rated Puddings in the World".tasteatlas.
- ^"History of Indian Food".Haldiram USA.24 June 2020.Retrieved25 April2024.
- ^"A truly international dessert".Hindustan Times.3 October 2009.
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