PURRRR...Ple

 

In 2019, when my husband got posted to Shillong, my happiness knew no bounds.... not because that we both would again fall into the category of being happily married for the fourth time, but because of the exotic location to which he was going...Assam Rifles Headquarters, Laitkor. The campus was out of the postcard place and my husband's NEST as he would call it was stationed at the highest point of the camp overlooking a lake, a 18 hole golf range and cherry blossom trees.



Covid hit in 2020, but I still managed to visit North East quite a number of times, and out of the innumerable things that we got to experience there, one dish that caught rather gripped my attention was the PURPLE PUDDING. It not only looked heavenly, it tasted heavenly too.

Inevitably the very first time I tasted this at a dinner party, I literally could not stop but wonder about this dish till the time I got to meet the cook and hear about it all from him.

So here it goes.

The purple kheer is made from Black rice ,which is called Chak Hao in Manipur and Nagaland, the states where it is extensively grown.                                                                             

This black beauty is also known as the forbidden rice as it is believed that in Ancient China, only the Royalty was allowed to eat this rice. This prohibition was because of the rarity and also of the health benefits that it boasts of.

This black beauty has a very unique nutty flavour and is aromatic..it is loaded with anthocyanins which has antioxidant properties. Thus this black rice when cooked in milk gives it the rich purple colour and a rich texture.

So, the very next day, I forcibly dragged my husband to the local grocery store and bought my share of the pretty grain and also ensured that every trip my husband makes thereafter, he would carry these few things for me without fail...Chak Hao, Ghost peppers, Squash Chayote, Pineapples (the best that I have ever tasted) and Sawtooth coriander.

Chak Hao can be stored for years if kept in the freezer.. that's how I do it after I lost a booty to pests when I stored it normally.

.... and whenever i want to get that feel of Royalty or want to make others feel special, I make the PURPLE KHEER.


Recipe:

  • wash thoroughly the black rice( feel the blackish purple water running through the fingers..it feels amazing. You can pour the same into your plants too)
  • soak the rice for few hours.
  • boil milk, reduce it a little.
  • add the Chak Hao and let it lovingly cook for around an hour on low flame.Enjoy its fluid movement in the milk.
  • once the rice is soft, add sweetener of your choice and crushed cardamom powder.

VOILA!


Finger licking good, it is.


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