Introduction
Kheer (Milk Rice) is the Nepali and Indian term for Sweet Rice, also called Rice Pudding or porridge. It is the most popular dessert in Nepal and is cooked for almost all festivals, poojas, weddings, memorial days, and other memorable and momentous occasions and ceremonies. It is made of boiled milk and rice grains, and sugar or jaggery is used to sweeten it. It is said to be Nepal’s sweetest food, and every Nepalese loves it.
Origin
•It was originated in South India and Odisha. Kshira is an archaic(Sanskrit) name for sweet Rice Pudding. Many years ago, it was only a vital offering to Hindu Gods.
•By then, offering it to the god was widely popular throughout South Asian Countries. It has many alternative names like Payasam/Payesh, Ksheeram, Doodhpak, Meetha Bhat etc.
•The actual recipe was changed according to the local traditions, culture, and taste. It was also the most popular dish among the ancient British when they came to India to rule it 8/9 decades ago.
History Of Kheer
•In Nepal, Kheer is a holy and pure food usually made during religious rituals, poojas, weddings, memorial days, and festivals. It is also specially prepared to offer to gods and family members. The taste of Kheer depends on the quality of rice, milk, and dry nuts.
•According to Lord Krishna’s competition with the king on baghchal( a type of ludo) anecdote, one day, Lord Krishna pretended to be an ordinary saint and went to play Bagchal (an ancient game like ludo) with the King.
•As a victory, he demanded he will feed Kheer to the needy and poor people in temples for free. So, in recognition of Lord Krishna’s win over the king in Bagchal, Today, people also follow the same customs and feed it to the needy and poor people in the temple for free.
•It is also eaten on Shrawan 15, the occasion of a rice planting ceremony, in memory of the farmer’s hard work done on Ashar 15 while cropping the rice. On Shrawan 15, it is cooked in every Nepalese people’s house. All the people have their own way of making it, so all people like their own way style . There are many ways of making Kheer. You can use your own recipe or customize it to make it more delicious.
•As we know, Nepal is an Agricultural country. Half of the population is involved in agriculture as an occupation, and all people depend on agriculture. In some places, the Nepali Folk Tradition of eating kheer is done to celebrate the completion of paddy plantations.
Ingredients for making Kheer
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Recipe
Firstly, wash the required rice 2/3 times in fresh water and then soak it for about 10-20 minutes.
While the rice is being washed, put one liter of milk in a Cauldron(Kasauli) and cook it on a low flame. Stir it properly from time to time to prevent burning at the bottom. Let it boil for about 20 minutes.
Take at least 2 tbsp milk in a small bowl, add a few saffron strands, and set it aside.
When the milk is boiled, soak all the water from the rice, put it in the boiling milk, and stir it properly. Steam it for about 10 to 20 minutes on medium heat. Covering the utensil is not necessary.
Cook the rice until it is 50% half-done.
After that, add 1/2 cup of sugar as required. You can add sugar powder, syrup, or raw sugar to your style.
Continue stirring it occasionally and ensuring the heat is on medium. Stir and steam the mixture until the rice is fully cooked.
Then add 1/2 tsp cardamom powder.
Add crushed dry fruits or nuts of your choice. Mix all the stuff well.
Lastly, add the saffron milk. Again, mix all the ingredients and cook on a low flame until the rice is fully cooked and the kheer is thick.
After some time, your delicious Kheer is ready to served.
Conclusion
There are various types of Kheer, and you can customize it to your liking. Some examples are Barley Kheer, Payasam Kheer, Vermiceli(sevai) Kheer, and Tapioca(sabudana) Kheer.
•It has an exact consequence for Nepalese society. According to the past and religious beliefs, eating kheer before doing any work gives good luck. In the rainy season, eating hot kheer is beneficial for health. According to Nepali folk tradition, people make and consume many different natural dishes in different seasons.
•Shrawan is also known as the month of the rainy season. During this time, many people want to eat meat, fish, and alcohol. However, according to Hindu mythology, Shrawan is the month for worshipping Lord Shiva, and many people fast for the whole month. Because of this traditional reason, many people do not consume meat, fish, or alcohol; they prefer to eat fruits rather than these. But people give more priority to kheer than fruits, so we can say the Shrawan is the month of kheer. Kheer is also served as an offering to a departed soul.
