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Basant Panchami special: Meethe chawal to end the day on a sweet note
Sweet with a savoury kick, meethe chawal carries with it generations worth of memories
The 5th day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha marks Basant Panchami, which this year, falls today, January 23. This day is typically marked by worshipping Goddess Sarawati and wearing yellow in her reverence. Yellow in particular tends to represent clarity, calmness and illumination of the mind. So it only makes sense if the effort follows through into the food consumed today.
This effortlessly explains why meethe chawal has been a constant favourite for Basant Panchami celebrations across generations. Here's how to get the sweet and sticky rice with a savoury bite, perfectly right for today. Follow the recipe below.
Meethe Chawal
Ingredients: Basmati rice - 1 cup, water - 1.5 cups, sugar - 3/4 cup, saffron - 10 strands, turmeric powder - 1/4tsp, Kewra water - 1/2tsp, a pinch of salt; for tempering ghee - 2 to 3tbsps, cardamom - 2 to 3, cloves - 3, cinnamon - 1 inch, sliced fresh coconut - 1/8 cup, cashews - 10, almonds - 5, raisins - 20
Method: #1 Rinse the rice thoroughly and soak it in 1.5 cups of water for at least 30 minutes to ensure soft and even cooking. Both hot or regular water work fine for this step. After soaking, strain the rice and discard the water completely.
#2 Heat a pressure cooker and melt the ghee over a medium flame and add the whole spices in the list of tempering ingredients allowing them to release their aroma.
#3 Stir in the sliced coconut and saute lightly, then adding in the nuts and raisins. Once the raisins plump up, add the drained rice to the cooker. Roast the rice gently until it is well coated with ghee and you see the moisture evaporating. The goal is to get the grains toasty.
#4 Pour in water, then add salt, saffron, kewra water and turmeric powder mixing thoroughly. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil. Let it cook for about two minutes until the rice grains rise to the surface.
#5 Add the sugar and stir carefully making sure the rice grains remain intact. Then cover and cook on the lowest possible heat for 14 minutes.
#6 Open and stir once. If the base still happens to be watery, cook for another 5 minutes on low heat. Once cooked through, allow any pressure to release naturally. Stir the rice gently, cover and let rest for at least 15 minutes. This should help it soak up the remaining syrup making the dish creamier and sweeter.
#7 You'll know your meethe chawal is ready when the rice turns fluffy. This is best enjoyed after it has slightly cooled off. Finish with a drizle of ghee and serve warm (not piping hot!).
(recipe from Rak's Kitchen)
We wish everyone a blessed Basant Panchami!
