Kheerni or payasam has been around for ages. This traditional indian dessert is a favorite of home cooks which is made with full fat milk for special occasions.. Apple kheer is one of those Indian sweets which kids will love. Fruit based desserts are great because they derive sweetness from their fruit. This helps you enjoy the sweet treat without adding commercial sugar. I have a sweet tooth so I try to have healthier desserts..Another great vegan snack you can have is air fried apples. They have no sugar and just a hint of oil. You may use ghee if you are a vegetarian.
There are many sweet recipes of pal payasam or payesh. It can be made with flour, lentils, grains like sabudana kheer,aval payasam and semiya payasam. You can also make traditional kheer recipes with fruits like sweet apples, custard apples and vegetables like sweet potato and long melon. Sitaphal kheer, aam kheer, anjeer kheer,nungu payasam or palm fruit payesh. All of them are eggless but only some are gluten free. Gluten free kheerni recipes can be consumed during Navratri, sawan and Mahashivratri fasting.
During fasting, we make different recipes like sweet potato kheer, ghiya kheer, sabakki payasa/ sabudana kheer and fruit custard. Refer to top 10 list of fasting recipes here. You can make some Indian treats like dry fruit modak, Strawberry modak, anjeer roll, and gluten free gulab jamun.
Hindu fasting period
Vrat or fasting is an integral part of Hinduism. We fast on Sawan Mondays (Jul-Aug) and Mahashivratri day in February to pray to Lord Shiva. Similarly fasting is also done during Chaitra Navratri in Mar-Apr and Shardiya Navratri which falls in Oct-Nov for 9 days when pray to Shakti or Mata Rani.While Chaitra Navratri ends with Ram Navmi , Shardiya navratre ends with Dussehra or Vijayadashmi. Apart from this fasting is also done during Janamashtami, Satyanarayana pooja every fortnight and Full moon or Poornima. During the fasting period, we usually eat gluten free flours, tubers and dairy products only for an one time meal. Egg meat and fish are not eaten, nor is wheat and rice.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Blender
- Sieve
Ingredients
- Apples
- Full cream milk
- Rajgira flour/amaranth flour
- Saffron strands soaked in 2 tbsp. milk
- Cardamom powder
Refer to recipe card for details.
Instructions
- In a steamer, steam apples until they are soft. Let them cool.
2. Peel them, take out the seeds/sheel,blend them into a smooth puree.Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan,cook the apple puree for 10 minutes on low heat.
3. Heat the milk in a pan, keep 2 tbsp. aside and add saffron. Add amaranth/rajgira flour to the milk in the pan and mix with a whisk, allow to boil and turn off the heat.
Keep the mix aside to cool down.
4. Add the saffron milk mixture to saucepan.
5. Once the apple puree and milk mix has cooled down completely only then mix them and garnish with nuts. Serve cold or at room temperature
Related recipes
Apple kheer recipe
Equipment
- saucepan
- Sieve
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 medium apple 1 cup puree
- 2 cup milk full cream milk
- 2 tbsp. rajgira flour/amaranth flour
- 5-6 strands of saffron soaked in 2 tablespoon milk
- 1 tbsp. pistachios chopped
Instructions
- In a steamer, steam apples until they are soft. Let them cool.
- Peel them, take out the seeds/shell. Blend them into a smooth puree. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan. Cook the apple puree for 10 minutes on low heat.
- Heat milk in a pan. Keep 2 tbsp. aside and add saffron. Add amaranth/rajgira flour to the milk in the pan. Mix with a whisk, allow to boil and turn off the heat. Keep the mix aside to cool down.
- Add the saffron milk mixture to saucepan.
- Once the apple puree and milk mixture has cooled down completely only then mix them and garnish with nuts.
- Optionally, garnish with sliced almonds or apple slices. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
Top tip
When blended apple puree is added to saucepan, it should be cool. If it is still hot, the milk will curdle.
Variations
Apple ki kheer can be made in many ways. You can make apple kheer with jaggery or or make payesh recipe with condensed milk or simple milk kheer recipe with milkmaid. You can also use milk powder for the same.Some people even cook grated apple in some ghee or cook its puree. The above recipe however is better as it has no sugar or fat added to it. Some people also feed apple suji kheer to babies. Garnish with chopped nuts on serving bowls and almond slivers during festive time.
Storage
Payesh is best served fresh. However, you can store this in a refrigerator.
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