Anjeer Palada

In the coastal houses one of the dishes made on any occasion is the paramanna, or what is more famous as Paalada.

With the lockdown and not really being in a mood do things I decided to improvise. I had black rice that Dr.D had got from Manipur I did try making rice out of it but somehow I guess we are not used to the nutty flavour or sticky texture that it exudes. I remembered Dr.D mentioning that he had eaten kheer made out of it. There were also some fresh figs in the fridge. So I decided to make anjeer paalada.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups full fat milk.

½ cup fresh figs.

¼ cup dates.

¼ cup black rice soaked for 4hrs.

½ cup almonds, cashew, pistachios dry roasted and coarsely pounded.

½ cup sugar (titter to taste)

1tsp ghee

One strand of saffron.

Pinch of cardamom powder.

Method:

• Soak the saffron strand in milk.
• Deseed the dates, and soak it with just enough milk roughly about ½ cup.
• In a pan, pour a tsp. Of ghee add the roasted nuts and sauté for a minute. Now add the rice and 1 ½ cup water and bring to a boil. When the water boils reduce the flame and let it cook for 15mnts. (I use a timer.)
• Now add milk increase the flame and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame and let it simmer for 10 mnts. Again
• In the meanwhile coarse grind the date-fig-milk mixture. Add it to the rice and milk.
• Add sugar and cardamom.
• Heat for another 5 mnts and switch it off.

It tastes good both hot and cold.