Prasādam recipe
Sweet rice (kṣīra)
It is like rice pudding, but with very little rice and a lot of milk, which is reduced over a low heat until it thickens by itself. It is the dessert of the great festivals, and its only difficulty is staying by the stove to stir.
Ingredients
- 2 litres whole milk
- ½ cup short-grain or basmati rice
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 bay leaf
- A few saffron threads (optional)
Method
- Wash the rice and drain it.
- Bring the milk to the boil in a wide, heavy-based pot, stirring so it doesn’t catch.
- Add the rice and bay leaf. Lower to a medium-low heat and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the milk has reduced by almost half and turned cream-coloured.
- Add the sugar, cardamom and saffron. Cook for five more minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and leave to cool. It thickens a lot as it cools, so take it off the heat while it is still runnier than you would like.
Serve well chilled. It is even better the next day.
Before eating
In Vaishnava cooking you don’t taste the food while cooking: Krishna is the first to taste it. Serve a portion on a plate kept for Him, offer it and then share it. The steps are in How to offer it at home and the prayers in Mantras and prayers.