KOMOLA KHEER / ORANGE PUDDING / SANTRE KI KHEER

Its pretty long time I have not posted a dessert recipe. I definitely do them over the weekend, click pictures and then however a fish or meat curry comes to the blog. Today I thought I must post a bit uncommon kind of a dessert. This is not as regular as rice kheer. It is mostly done in the winter because orange is used in it which is found in abundance during winter at our place.

These days whenever I see an orange, I fly back to the mid 70's / 80's. A lazy afternoon....winter time... a small verandah in our rented flat.... I can see myself and my little brother basking under the sun sitting close to our mother's lap. She would be busy peeling those sweet juicy oranges and putting inside our mouth. Just  as a mother bird feeds her kids. Those were the most peaceful episode of our lives, we had nothing to think or fear about. A winter vacation at school; an elaborate lunch, afternoon naps and mom's lap. We mostly ate oranges fresh. This dessert was not prepared at our home neither did I eat it anywhere. I perhaps saw the recipe somewhere. 

Chinese New Year is approaching and a visiting friend got me a big box of oranges last week. I think its auspicious among the Chinese. I am not allowed to eat much of sweets and fruits but I am not been able to resist the temptation of these red, juicy fruits. Here they are available in different varieties and names. I lack enough of food knowledge and end up calling them all oranges. Whether its sweet or not matters to me. I had been planning to make desserts and smoothies with those sweet round balls. This recipe requires milk, sugar or jaggery and small pieces of orange pulp with the white skin of the segments removed.

INGREDIENTS :

Milk [full cream] : 2 lt.
Coconut Rock Sugar : 100-150 gm [You can use Sugar]

Sugar : 1 tbsp
Orange : 2-3 Standard Sized

Bayleaf : 1-2

Green Cardamom : 4-5

METHOD :

Pour the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and put for boil.  Simmer at low heat until it reduces to almost half, stirring every 3-4 minutes. This may take some 2 1/2 hours! In between, add the bayleaf and towards the end, a little torn green cardamoms!

Meanwhile, wash and peel the oranges. Discard the white skin from the segments and get the pulp. Get the zest of one orange.

You can use either sugar or jaggery to sweeten the pudding, I have used coconut rock sugar! 

As the milk quite thickens, we will add the coconut rock sugar & switch off the gas! We would allow it to melt & stir to incorporate well! 

Switch off and transfer into a serving bowl. Let cool. When it is no more hot & just warm, we will add the orange zest. 

When it cools completely, add the orange segments & put for refrigeration. The dessert is to be served chilled!

Please do not add the orange pulp and zest when  the kheer is still hot, they may curdle it. We do not need to use artificial orange essence as the orange zest and pulp will add a fresh mild flavour to the pudding. If you wish to cut down the cooking time to half, add evaporated milk or cream or condensed milk to thicken the milk quickly!