GAVHACHI KHEER / WHOLE WHEAT PAYASAM

Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival of Maharashtra, but today it is celebrated throughout the country. If you want to celebrate the festival in authentic Marathi style, you should know the actual pulse of the occasion there. Wheat kheer recipe is one such delicacy which you must prepare on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.  I usually prepare kheer with vermicelli or rice and sugar. But this traditional kheer is prepared with  khapli gehu / whole wheat which are easily available on any nearby grocery shop. Traditionally, the Gavhachi Kheer is made using whole wheat grains which needs advance preparations like soaking and pounding them. But this recipe is quite different and quick and without soaking wheat grains. Wheat Kheer is flaboured with nutmeg powder and saffron and you can enrich the sweet with nuts and dryfruits of your choice. Jaggery imparts the distinct, earthy sweetness to the kheer and is also healthier than refined sugar. This Maharashtrian kheer is easy to prepare and also a very healthy dessert.  To make Marathi style “Gavhachi Kheer“for this Ganesh Chaturthi, you need to follow the step-by-step wheat kheer recipe given below. You can offer this sweet recipe as a Naivedyam and then enjoy it with your friends and family. Go ahead, prepare and enjoy this low calorie Maharashtrian Dessert this festive season. So read on to know more about and the method of preparation of this healthy sweet recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi. This kheer can be served hot or cold, choice is yours and is a great dessert to celebrate festivities with friends and family.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Wheat [see notes]

½ Cup Chana Dal

1 Cup Grated Fresh Coconut

2 Cup Grated Jaggery

Few Saffron Strands soaked in 1 tablespoon milk [optional]

¼ teaspoon Cardamom Powder

¼ teaspoon Nutmeg Powder

¼ teaspoon Dry Ginger Powder/ Soonth Powder

4-5 tablespoon Ghee

2 teaspoon Poppy Seeds

2 tablespoon Almonds, Cashews and Raisins each

½  tablespoon Chironji

½ litre Milk [see notes]

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Take wheat in a bowl, add 2-3 tablespoon water in it and mix it. Keep it aside for 5-10 minutes. [see notes]

STEP 2 – Then take a mixer pot, grind wheat roughly. [see notes]

STEP 3 – Now remove it in a bowl and add water in it and remove the waste / husk from it.

STEP 4 – Now add wheat and chana dal in a bowl.

Add boiling water in it, cover it and soak it for 2-3 hours.

STEP 5 – Heat a pressure cooker, add soaked wheat and chana dal in it, add some more water in it

and pressure cook for 6-7 whistles or until dal and wheat get cooked properly.

Once the pressure goes away, open the lid, mash the mixture with the help of masher / ravi.

STEP 6 – Heat a thick bottom pan on medium flame, add ghee in it, roast almonds, cashews

and raisins in it till they become light brown in colour and raisins puff up really good.

Remove and keep aside.

STEP 7 – In the same ghee, add poppy seeds and roast them for 1-2 minutes.

Add wheat mixture in it and mix well. Cover it and cook for 2-3 minutes.

STEP 8 – Add grated jaggery, grated coconut,

dry ginger powder, nutmeg powder, cardamom powder, saffron and give a nice mix.

Cook it on medium flame.

STEP 9 – Add roasted nuts and mix well, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Then add milk [at room temperature], further for 10-15 minutes / until cooked.

Stir in between while cooking for 2-3times.

STEP 10 – Once it achieved a desired consistency,[see notes] switch off the flame and serve it hot.

  Garnish with raisins, nuts and serve it.

NOTES: *Here I used regular wheat but you can use khapli gheu which is specially used for this kheer.

               *Milk should be on room temperature. If you add chilled milk then there is a chance of curdling. It happens because when milk comes in contact with jaggery it get curdle.

               *If you are using khapli gheu for this recipe then soak it for 6-7 hours/ overnight. Skip step no. 1 & 3.                                                                                                                                                    *Directly grind it in mixer pot. Don’t grind wheat  very fine. We need coarse texture of kheer. But don’t forget to soak chana dal for 2-3 hours.

              *  Wheat absorbs water/ milk when cooked, so you can add more if needed to adjust the consistency.

              *The kheer thickens up as it cools down.

              *At the time of serving, add ½ cup hot milk in it, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes and then serve.

             *It will stay good in refrigerator for about 5-6 days.