We all know Bangladeshi sweet dishes are famous all over the world. If I am craving some sweet dish and ask my mother to make some, she would come up with Payesh! The dish payesh is very common in every household. It is easier to make and less time-consuming. Payesh is a sweet kheer type of dessert from Bangladeshi cuisine. It is made with rice in a very different style. Sometimes many people also term it as Payesh Kheer, Rice Payesh, or Bengali Payesh. It is a traditional dessert for many festive occasions like family gatherings, birthdays, mezban or akika.
The name payesh is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Payasam’ which means milk. The main ingredients used in this sweet are kali jeera rice, raisins, cashew nuts, condensed milk, sugar, and plain milk. Moreover, there are lots of sweets that we find in South Asian cooking culture such as Sandesh, Kheer, Laddu, Rasmalai, Phirni but Payesh is the unique one because of its appealing taste and rich aroma.
If I recall my memory from childhood, I still can remember all of my birthdays having payesh with all of my friends. It was mandatory to have Payesh made by mom. My mother makes the best payesh till today. My mother used to cook payesh and tell me the recipe while cooking. According to her, the payesh should not look pale white rather it should look pinkish-white. Now, I realize that all her tips were actually right. Thus, it makes my payesh even more delicious. The recipe is quite easy. To make the most delicious traditional payesh you need to follow the steps carefully. First, you have to soak the rice in water for about 30 minutes. Then you need to heat the milk until its color turns out pinkish-white. Drain the rice and add some ghee to have more flavor. Put the rice into the milk and cook it for one and a half hours and gradually add sugar to it. The aroma and the fragrance of ghee make this dessert delicious. It is a healthy dessert as well. Rice is a staple food for us. We eat rice every day and payesh gives a variety to our daily meals. As it is made with rice, milk, and sugar, it contains protein and carbohydrates.
The dish Payesh made history since ancient times for its spectacular features. Adding cashew nuts, and raisins make it more delicious. To have guests invited in the house payesh is a must for every Indian and Bengali people. The reign of payesh will be continued for its delicacy in every region and its people. Call it a day and make payesh at home!
