This is the kheer that can be eaten on a fast day. Makhana is falhari — permitted when grain is not — so on the days a Maithil household is fasting and rice kheer is off the table, the milk goes on anyway and the pond crop takes the rice’s place. It is not a substitution anyone apologises for. Over ninety per cent of the world’s makhana is grown in Mithila’s ponds, and the kheer built from it has been made there long enough to accumulate its own folklore about kings and gods eating it. The technique that matters is the split: half the roasted makhana is crushed and stirred in early so it dissolves and thickens the milk, half goes in whole and late so it swells and stays soft and distinct. Crush it in a mortar rather than a machine, which turns it to powder and takes the texture with it.
INGREDIENTS
- 1.2 litres whole milk
- 100 g makhana (fox nuts)
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 100 g sugar
- 6 green cardamom pods (seeds crushed)
- a generous pinch of saffron
- 2 tbsp chopped cashews
- 2 tbsp chopped almonds
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 2 tbsp slivered pistachios (to finish)
METHOD
- Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy pan, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring often and scraping the base, until it has reduced by half. This takes about 30 minutes and cannot be hurried.
- Meanwhile heat the ghee in a wide pan and roast the makhana over low heat for 8 minutes, turning constantly, until they turn pale gold and snap cleanly.
- Lift out half and crush them coarsely in a mortar and pestle. Do not use a blender.
- Fry the cashews, almonds and raisins in the same ghee until golden.
- Stir the crushed makhana into the reduced milk and simmer 10 minutes, so they break down and thicken it.
- Add the whole roasted makhana and simmer 8 minutes more, until they have swelled and gone soft but still hold their shape.
- Stir in the sugar, saffron and crushed cardamom and cook 4 minutes until the sugar dissolves.
- Fold in the fried nuts and raisins.
- Take off the heat and rest 10 minutes; it thickens as it stands.
- Serve warm or chilled, scattered with slivered pistachios.
