🇮🇳 India · Dessert
Nolen Gurer Payesh
By eatmundo · July 12, 2026
A festive Bengali rice pudding sweetened with liquid date palm jaggery. It is creamy, aromatic, and deeply comforting.
Ingredients
check them off as you prepareHow to Make It
- 1
Bring 1 liter of full-fat milk to a gentle boil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- 2
Add 1/4 cup of soaked, drained aromatic short-grain rice to the boiling milk.
- 3
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the milk has thickened.
- 4
Crush 4 cardamom pods into fine seeds and stir them into the pot to add a floral fragrance.
- 5
Turn off the heat completely and let the pudding cool down to room temperature for 15 minutes before adding the jaggery.
- 6
Stir in 150g of grated jaggery until it is completely dissolved and the pudding turns a beautiful golden brown color.
- 7
Fold in 1/2 cup of freshly grated coconut for an added layer of texture and earthiness.
- 8
Serve warm or chilled, garnished with a few slivers of toasted nuts if you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of jaggery is best for Nolen Gurer Payesh?+
You should use liquid Nolen Gur (date palm jaggery) for the authentic aroma and flavor. Avoid using solid dark jaggery as it may curdle the milk.
Should I use rice flour or whole grains for this recipe?+
While the prompt mentions rice flour, traditionally, small-grained aromatic rice like Gobindobhog is used for better texture. If using rice flour, mix it with cold milk first to create a slurry before adding to the boiling milk to prevent lumps.
Why does the milk curdle when I add the jaggery?+
Jaggery is acidic and can curdle hot milk. Always remove the milk from the heat and let it cool slightly before stirring in the liquid jaggery.
How do I know when the Payesh is finished cooking?+
The dish is done when the milk has thickened to a creamy consistency and the rice grains are completely soft. It will thicken further as it cools, so turn off the heat while it is still slightly runny.
Mundo Match
This dish doesn't have a strong Mundo Match yet — but here's the closest ingredient overlap we found across the world's cuisines.
