Bengali Payesh Recipe with A2 Ghee (Rice Kheer)
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By the Faimly Farm Team · Prep 10 min · Cook 45 min · Serves 4 · A Bengali classic
Payesh is Bengal's beloved rice pudding — fragrant Gobindobhog rice slowly simmered in milk and sweetened with jaggery (nolen gur) or sugar, finished with a spoon of pure ghee and cardamom. Made for birthdays, pujas, and celebrations, it is comfort and tradition in a single bowl. Here is how to make it.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Gobindobhog rice (or any short-grain aromatic rice), washed
- 1 litre full-fat milk
- 1/2 cup jaggery (nolen gur) or sugar
- 1 tbsp A2 ghee
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 10-12 cashews and raisins
- A few bay leaves (optional, traditional)
Method
1. Toast the rice: heat the A2 ghee and lightly fry the washed rice for a minute until fragrant; this keeps the grains separate and adds aroma.
2. Reduce the milk: bring the milk to a boil in a heavy pot, then add the rice and simmer on low, stirring often, until the milk reduces and the rice turns soft (30-40 minutes).
3. Sweeten carefully: if using jaggery, turn off the heat and let the payesh cool slightly before adding it (to prevent curdling), then warm gently. If using sugar, add it directly and simmer.
4. Finish: add cardamom and the ghee-fried cashews and raisins. Stir well.
5. Serve: enjoy warm or chilled — both are traditional.
Why Ghee Matters Here
A spoon of pure ghee does two things: it toasts the rice for aroma and separate grains, and it enriches the finished payesh with a gentle richness. Genuine A2 ghee gives this simple pudding its traditional depth.
The Faimly Farm Tip
Use pure A2 ghee to toast the rice and finish the dish. Ours is made from indigenous-cow milk by the traditional bilona method, in small lab-tested batches under our FSSAI licence. Explore our A2 Bilona Cow Ghee or the full A2 Ghee collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is payesh?
Payesh is a Bengali rice pudding made by simmering aromatic rice in milk with jaggery or sugar, finished with ghee and cardamom. It is traditional for birthdays and pujas.
Why fry the rice in ghee first?
Toasting the rice in ghee adds aroma and helps keep the grains separate in the finished pudding.
How do I stop jaggery curdling the milk?
Let the milk-rice mixture cool slightly before adding jaggery, then warm gently rather than boiling hard.
Which rice is best for payesh?
Gobindobhog rice is traditional, but any short-grain aromatic rice works well.
Which ghee is best?
Pure A2 cow ghee, ideally bilona-made, gives the most authentic aroma and richness.
Conclusion
Payesh is Bengal's bowl of celebration — simple, milky, and fragrant with ghee and cardamom. Toast the rice in pure A2 ghee, reduce the milk slowly, sweeten gently, and you have a traditional pudding worthy of any festive occasion.
Make a celebration bowl. Explore our A2 Ghee collection, try A2 Bilona Cow Ghee, and see our complete guide to cooking with A2 ghee. New customers can use code FIRST10 for 10% off their first order.
Faimly Farm: indigenous A2 milk, traditional bilona batches, lab-tested purity under our FSSAI licence. Learn more about Faimly Farm or contact us.
