Guru Purnima is a celebration to honor and express gratitude towards your guru. Every teacher, mentor, spiritual guide, or even a friend that guides you towards light becomes your guru. A guru leads one from darkness to light, from ignorance to wisdom. The day of Guru Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day or Purnima of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashadha. In Buddhism, Guru Purnima marks the day when Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath which symbolized his transformation into a teacher. In Hindu tradition, Guru Purnima is celebrated in commemoration of the birth of the Sage Ved Vyas, the author of the great epic Mahabharata and the compiler of the Vedas. Due to this, the day is also called as Vyasa Purnima.
Guru Purnima has significance in many other cultures and it is an auspicious day celebrated throughout the nation. Just like all the festivals in India are celebrated with a sweet treat, Guru Purnima also has its own sweet treat that resembles the significance of the day and mimics its essence. And that sweet treat is none other than kheer. Kheer is among the most auspicious desserts in Indian culture. It symbolizes purity, abundance, purity, gratitude and offering, which are the core of any enlightened spiritual guru. Kheer is often served as a prasad since it carries the energy of devotion and sanctity. With all of these qualities, kheer becomes more than just a dessert, it becomes a sacred offering.
While the symbolism of kheer can be deep and more intricate, its recipe is still the simplest one that you can come across. The simplicity of ingredients as well as the making process turns kheer into a divine treat that purifies the soul. Check out this easy recipe to make kheer at home to celebrate Guru Purnima’s true spirit.
Ingredients:
Method:
Heat 1 liter of full cream milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir it occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Once the milk starts to boil, drain the soaked basmati rice and add it to the milk. Simmer this on low heat while stirring gently. Gentle stir is necessary so that you won’t break the delicate rice kernels and keep their long shape intact.
Now once the basmati rice is added, let the mixture cook for about 35 to 45 minutes while stirring it often. The rice should cook in the milk completely until it is soft and mushy and the milk should be reduced to half, turning to a thick and creamy consistency.
Once the rice is cooked and milk is reduced, it is time to flavor the kheer. For this, infuse saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm milk and let it sit for 5 minutes, then dissolve the saffron-infused milk into the prepared kheer and add crushed cardamom on top of it. Stir it until well mixed. The aroma will immediately start to come and this means that the flavors have blended well.
Now add sugar and stir it until it dissolves in the kheer completely. Let the kheer simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Heat up a separate small pan and in it add a teaspoon of ghee. Chop almonds, cashews, and pistachios into even sizes and lightly roast them in ghee until turned golden brown and aromatic. Once roasted, add this directly into the kheer and stir to distribute evenly.
To bring a festive touch, a royal appeal, or just a whimsical fragrance to the kheer, you can add a few drops of rose water or kewra water to the kheer. Just before switching off the heat, add one or two dops of rose water or kewra water to the kheer and stir well.
Finally, pour out the kheer into designer bowls, garnish it with slivered pistachios and rose petals, and serve it warm with a spoon. Enjoy the comfort of kheer both warm and cold and delight your taste buds this Guru Purnima.