February 9th, 2009
Komola Kheer/Orange Kheer/Creamy Milk Pudding with juicy Oranges
I love the months of December, January and February in Mumbai. A wide range of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables make their appearance in the markets during this time. One of my favourites to make a grand entry are oranges. Juicy, fresh and aromatic with their lingering, unique, citrusy taste, aroma and flavour.
One of my favoured ways to eat oranges is to peel the outer skin, segment the sections and pop them into my mouth to savour their exquisite taste and goodness. This, in my opinion is the simplest and one of the best ways to devour an orange. There are of course other ways to relish them. I do so in the form of cakes, cookies, salads, certain desserts and the topic of today’s post the komola kheer or orange kheer. I never let an orange season go by, without making a batch of komola kheer and if Ro insists, which is often the case, many batches throughout the season.
I actually had no plans of putting up another kheer recipe on divinetaste this soon, particularly after this post. I would like to maintain a certain frequency before similar types of dishes are published. But then, oranges will soon be out of season here and I couldn’t think of waiting for another long year (well, almost!) for these divine fruits of nature to start making an entry into my home again and for me to write this post. So…here we go. I do hope you will relish the juicy chunks of oranges dunked in thickened, condensed, sweetened and delicately spiced milk, studded with green gorgeous pistachios as much as we do.
Komola Kheer/Orange Kheer/Creamy Milk Pudding with juicy Oranges Recipe
I make this dessert with a certain type of oranges called Malta oranges that we get here in Mumbai. Valencia Oranges or Clementines might work just as well. This recipe is from an erstwhile household in Bengal, made from oranges grown in their own farm.
Ingredients:
2 litres Full Cream Milk (preferably cow’s milk)
8 tbsp granulated Sugar
3/4 tsp cardamom powder
6 juicy sweet Oranges
(peeled, segmented and deseeded with the thin white outer skin removed)
½ tsp saffron
(roasted lightly and powdered or crushed with a mortar and pestle)
2 to 3 tbsp Pistachio nuts, chopped for garnishingMethod:
Heat the milk and bring it to a rolling boil over a high flame in a heavy bottomed wide rimmed pot or wok*. A Le Creuset cocotte works best for this purpose. Reduce the flame to medium and thicken the milk till it coats the back of a spoon or until the milk changes it’s colour to a nice cream colour, stirring in between to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the vessel. This should take any time between 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 and half hours. Once you reduce the flame to a medium, it doesn’t require constant monitoring, although you need to watch it in-between. The milk should be reduced to a little less than half the original quantity. Add the sugar, cardamom powder and saffron powder, lower the flame and cook for 5 minutes more. Cool to room temperature and add the orange segments. Chill for at least 3 to 4 hours and serve garnished with chopped pistachio nuts*.
*Don’t use an iron wok without coating. Iron woks or pots with enameled coatings or non-stick cookware can be used.
*I usually make this in the night and leave it overnight to chill. The more the oranges soak in the spiced liquid, the more heavenly they taste.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:42 am
I’ve never tried a pudding like this before but it sounds fantastic. I don’t cook with oranges too often. I love oranges and mostly just peel them and eat them. I will have to make an exception.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:03 am
YUMMY!!!!!!!! looks great!! i absolutely love all your pics!!
February 10th, 2009 at 3:06 am
Also, when do u add the saffron? just for garnish? i will def try this.. i like anything with oranges!
February 10th, 2009 at 7:09 am
Never had or even heard of orange kheer. This looks absolutely delicious. A must try. Love the pics and the way you’ve written. very nice!
February 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
i wish, mihir wudnt see every post that makes its appearence. sigh, some of the surprise is stolen…
February 10th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Sara: Do give it a go! I’m sure u’ll enjoy it.
Soumya:You need to add the saffron with the cardamom powder. I have added this in the recipe. Let me know how you like it.
Vidya: Glad you liked the post.
Simi: Your very act of cooking for him will make up for everything…surprises or no surprises!
February 10th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Anu.. i think you wrote cardamom powder twice now instead of saffron..haha… preoccupied excited mom-to-be huh?
February 11th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Sorry Simi. But the pictures and accompanying information are too tempting to resist. I don’t read the recipe though:)!!
Cheers
February 14th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
This looks so delicious! heading to the shop today to get some juicy oranges….
February 16th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Hey Anu,
I tried this out for V-Day…needless to say, it was delicious..I couldn’t get hold of Clementines, so I had to make do with Minneolas. Though I couldn’t get rid of the white skin altogether, it was still praise-worthy!
Thanks a bunch!
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:24 am
Anushruti, a very very delectable kheer. i am not too fond of kheer, but these are wonderful flavors & i will love this:-)
this sounds very bengalish..