Samak Rice Kheer/ Samak ke chawal ki kheer/ Vrat ke Chawal ki KheerWishing you all a very Happy & Shubh Navratri!!
It is that time of the year again when Ma Durga blesses us with her presence on earth, eradicating our sorrows, troubles, obstacles and granting us a chance to start afresh.
Navaratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deity Durga. The word Navaratri means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights.During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Devi are worshipped. The tenth day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or "Dussehra". Navaratri is an important major festival and is celebrated all over India.
It is the time for both festivities and fasting.
In most of the places in India, people observe fast on all the nine days of the festival. They do not eat foods with onions or garlic. Apart from that they cannot use normal salt in the food or use normal wheat flour to prepare the fasting recipes.
But the best part is there is an alternative for all of these prohibited items. You can use rock salt in place of normal salt, buckwheat flour to make chapatis and even a special kind of rice known as the Samak chawal can also be eaten while you are fasting.
Samak, sama, mordhan, swang and in English Barnyard Millet is a type of seed. Their taste is similar to rice and are starchy just like rice, and therefore can be used as a substitute for rice.
In Navratri diet Samak Chaval is a good replacement for rice eaters. It is the seed of a grass (Echinochloa Colonum) which frequently grows amongst the rice paddy. In fact it can be eaten in every spiritual fast. It is also called as Samo rice, Samak rice, Varyacha tandul, Vari Tandul, Bhagaror Kodri, jungle rice. It provides the nourishment and energy that rice does.
It contains 169 Calories per 174 g. It is high in digestible fiber. It is similar to rice in taste and texture. It has a rich source of minerals and vitamins, providing essential ingredients. These tiny grains are gluten free, and good source of vitamin B. They have low carbohydrate content as compared to other millets. It is often used to make pulao or kheer.
Samak/ Samo Rice Kheer is a very easy, delicious and scrumptious recipe, apt for your Navratri Fastings. Fasting or not fasting this amazing recipe is always to be looked forward to.
INGREDIENTS:Samak Rice/ Vrat ke Chawal – ¼ cup
Milk – 1 liter
Sugar – 1/4th cup
Saffron – few stands
Almonds – 10, chopped
Cashews – 10, chopped
Pistachios- 10, chopped
Cardamom powder – 1/4th teaspoon
Saffron strands- 15-20
DIRECTIONS:Wash rice well 3-4 times.
And soak in enough water for at least 30 minutes.
Warm 1 tablespoon milk and add saffron strands in it.
After 30 minutes, drain all the water from the rice.
Heat the milk in a heavy bottom pan on medium heat.
Add drained rice to it.
And cook it till samak rice gets cooked properly.
It will take about 10-12 minutes. So stir in between and also keep scraping the sides of the pan.
Add sugar and mix.
Add chopped nuts.
Reserving few to garnish later.
Add cardamom powder and mix well.
Cook for another 5-6 minutes more or till kheer gets thicken. Then turn off the heat.
Once the kheer cools it will thicken more. So don’t cook much after adding sugar.
Garnish with soaked saffron and chopped nuts.
You can serve it hot, warm or chilled.
Happy Fasting!!
Happy Feasting;)
Recipe Card
Samak Rice Kheer/ Samak ke chawal ki kheer/ Vrat ke Chawal ki Kheer
Easy to make, delicious and scrumptious kheer which is apt for Vrat or Fasting days.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Rice soaking Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Serves:6-7
INGREDIENTS:Samak Rice/ Vrat ke Chawal – ¼ cup
Milk – 1 liter
Sugar – 1/4th cup
Saffron – few stands
Almonds – 10, chopped
Cashews – 10, chopped
Pistachios- 10, chopped
Cardamom powder – 1/4th teaspoon
Saffron strands- 15-20
DIRECTIONS:Wash rice well 3-4 times.
And soak in enough water for at least 30 minutes.
Warm 1 tablespoon milk and add saffron strands in it.
After 30 minutes, drain all the water from the rice.
Heat the milk in a heavy bottom pan on medium heat.
Add drained rice to it.
And cook it till samak rice gets cooked properly.
It will take about 10-12 minutes. So stir in between and also keep scraping the sides of the pan.
Add sugar and mix.
Add chopped nuts.
Reserving few to garnish later.
Add cardamom powder and mix well.
Cook for another 5-6 minutes more or till kheer gets thicken. Then turn off the heat.
Once the kheer cools it will thicken more. So don’t cook much after adding sugar.
Garnish with soaked saffron and chopped nuts.
You can serve it hot, warm or chilled.
Happy Fasting!!
Happy Feasting;)