Badam Kheer | Badam Payasam | बादाम खीर

 Badam Kheer / Payasam is an exotic festive dish which is loaded with lots of richness and flavor .

It is very easy to make and has no fancy ingredients except almonds ,cardamom, milk and saffron strands.  Sugar is used as a sweetener.   Soaked almonds are ground to a fine paste with saffron and cardamom and simmered in boiling milk .

Mom used to stock up home made badam powder and I used to drink Badam milk during my school days as I was not a fan of malt based drinks . Badam payasam is an extension of Badam Doodh or Badam milk and a perfect dessert for all festive occasions or even get togethers .

Even beginners can easily make  badam Kheer due to the ease involved in the making of this payasam. I prepared this yummy and aromatic badam Kheer for our Tamil New Year's festival today .

To know more about ,how we celebrate Tamil New Year (Puthaandu) and the delicious spread we prepare ,check this post here .

Preparation Time - 1 hr
Cooking Time - 30 mins
Complexity- easy 
Serves - 3 to 4 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup badams /almonds soaked in hot boiling water 
1/2 litre milk (preferably use 2% fat or full fat milk) 
1/4 cup sugar 
3 to 4 cardamoms
Few strands of saffron

Method

• Soak the almonds in hot boiling water for mini1 hr . You can soak for 2 to 3 hours also. Deskin the badams and discard the skin.
• In a blender add the badams, cardamoms,  saffron ,1/2 cup milk and grind to a fine paste .
• Boil the 1/2 litre milk in a thick bottomed vessel . As the milk reaches its boiling point ,slowly add this badam paste and keep stirring on low flame and continue cooking until the raw flavor of almonds is lost .
• Lastly, add the sugar and continue to simmer till the kheer thickens .  You can add some saffron strands while the kheer is simmering. Turn off the stove and let it come to room temperature. 
• Serve this badam Kheer warm or chilled . 

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Neer Mor / Neer Majjige (Spiced Butter Milk) - Ramanavmi Prasad

Traditionally buttermilk is the residue that is left after churning out the butter/cream from yogurt.
Buttermilk / Mor / Chaas is a favorite summer cooler in most parts of Indian sub continent.

Come summer, we can find stalls along the streets serving cool buttermilk  churned out from huge earthen pots to the weary travelers during the scorching summer months.

Neer Mor (Neer - water ; Mor - Buttermilk) is the South Indian version of  savory butter milk. During summer even temples serve Neer Mor as prasadam to the devotees after the daily veneration and pooja rituals at the temple.

In South India the flavor of curry leaves and ginger will be predominant in the buttermilk while in North India ,roasted cumin powder ,black salt, chat masala etc are used for flavoring the buttermilk.

 In North India  Masala chaas  and Pudina Chaas are the favorite versions of savory buttermilk..Sweetened version of buttermilk is called Lassi and it is slightly dense and creamier than the chaas /mor.

Neer Mor is offered as a Prasadam /Neivedhiyam along with Panakam ,Kosamri (Vada Paruppu) on Rama Navami- Birth of Lord Sri Rama.

(write up and photos updated on April 8th 2022)

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time: Nil
Serves : 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup thick curd / non flavored yogurt
1 tsp grated ginger
2-3 green chillies finely chopped
4-5 curry leaves finely chopped
corriander/cilantro leaves chopped
pinch of asafoetida

4 cups water
salt to taste

Method

• Add the ginger,  green chillies and curry leaves in a blender jar and give it a  quick pulse in your blender to a form a paste.
• In a big pitcher or wide mixing bowl whisk the yogurt along with the green chilli paste, salt and asafoetida till they mix well.
• Slowly add the water and using a manual whisk or hand blender, blend it until frothy.
• Garnish with fresh corriander and serve chilled.

Note:

• In case,you donot have a hand blender,beat the curd well along with other ingredients except water using a spoon until creamy.
• Slowly add the water and stir well until all ingredients are well incorporated.
• Mustard seeds,seasoned in oil can also be added to the buttermilk for added flavor and taste.

You can also try the Omavalli Neer Mor . This is very flavorful and has a unique taste from the ajwain leaves also known as Dodpattre or Karpooravalli . 

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