Diwali recipe · serves 4
Bellam Paramannam (Jaggery Rice Kheer)
బెల్లం పరమాన్నం · गुड़ वाली खीर · गुडतण्डुलपायसम् · Bellam Paramannam · Gud Wali Kheer
Paramannam is the rice-and-milk sweet that Telugu homes cook for festivals and pujas: rice simmered slowly in milk until soft and creamy, then sweetened. Bellam paramannam, made with jaggery, is a common naivedyam at Diwali, Sankranti and Varalakshmi Vratham, offered at the puja and then shared at the festive meal.
Cane jaggery turns it a light caramel colour and gives a rounder, toffee-like sweetness. Ghee-fried cashews and a little cardamom finish it. This recipe serves 4.
- Prep10 min
- Cook40 min
- Total55 min
- Serves4
Total includes the 5-minute rest before the jaggery goes in.
In short
Cook rice in milk till creamy, rest it 5 minutes, then stir in grated cane jaggery. Finish with ghee-fried cashews and cardamom.
బియ్యాన్ని పాలలో మెత్తగా ఉడికించి, 5 నిమిషాలు ఆగి, తురిమిన చెరుకు బెల్లం కలపండి. నెయ్యిలో వేయించిన జీడిపప్పు, యాలకుల పొడి వేయండి. బెల్లం వేశాక మళ్ళీ స్టవ్ మీద పెట్టకండి, పాలు విరిగిపోతాయి.
चावल को दूध में गाढ़ा होने तक पकाएँ, 5 मिनट रुकें, फिर कसा हुआ गन्ने का गुड़ मिलाएँ। घी में भुने काजू और इलायची डालें। गुड़ डालने के बाद खीर को दोबारा आँच पर न रखें, वरना दूध फट सकता है।
Ingredients serves 4
For the paramannam
- ½ cup rice sona masoori or another short-grain rice, about 100 g
- 4 cups milk about 1 litre; whole milk gives the creamiest result
- ¾ cup grated cane jaggery lightly packed; up to 2 tbsp more if you like it sweeter
To finish
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 10 cashews halved
- 1 tbsp raisins (optional)
- ½ tsp cardamom powder or the crushed seeds of 4–5 pods
Method
- Wash the rice in 2–3 changes of water until the water runs almost clear, then drain it well.
- Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pan and bring it to a boil on medium heat, about 8–10 minutes. Stir now and then so it does not catch at the bottom.
- Add the drained rice to the boiling milk and turn the heat to low.
- Cook the washed rice in the milk on a low flame till soft and creamy, about 30 minutes. Stir often, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan each time.
- Check the rice: a grain should mash easily between your fingers, and the milk should have thickened slightly. For a creamier paramannam, lightly mash a few grains against the side of the pan.
- Switch off and let it rest 5 minutes. This brings the milk below the boil, so the jaggery will not split it.
- Stir in the jaggery till it melts, about 1–2 minutes, keeping the pan off the heat.
- Taste, and stir in a little more grated jaggery if you want it sweeter.
- Heat the ghee in a small pan on medium-low heat.
- Fry the cashews in ghee; add with the cardamom. Stir the cashews until golden, about 1 minute, adding the raisins for the last few seconds until they puff up. Pour the nuts and ghee into the paramannam, sprinkle in the cardamom powder and stir.
- Serve warm. Paramannam thickens as it stands; loosen it with a few spoons of warm milk, off the heat, if needed.
Tips
- Jaggery goes in off the heat so the milk does not split.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan and scrape the bottom each time you stir; milk catches easily during the long simmer.
- Cook the rice until fully soft before the jaggery goes in; the grains do not soften further once it is sweetened.
- Grate the jaggery finely so it melts in the hot milk without going back on the stove.
Variations
- Palm jaggery: use the same amount of grated palm jaggery for a darker colour and a deeper, smoky sweetness.
- Pesarapappu paramannam: dry-roast 2 tbsp split moong dal until light golden, wash it and cook it with the rice.
- Coconut: fry 2 tbsp thin slivers of dry coconut in the ghee along with the cashews.
Serving
Serve warm as naivedyam at the Diwali or Lakshmi puja, then as the sweet at the festive meal. Some like it chilled the next day.
Storage
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge and eat within 2 days. It sets thick when chilled; stir in a little warm milk, off the heat, before serving.
Questions
Why did my paramannam curdle after adding jaggery?
Jaggery stirred into milk that is still on the heat or boiling can make it split. Switch off, let the paramannam rest for about 5 minutes, then stir in the grated jaggery.
Can I use palm jaggery instead of cane jaggery?
Yes. Use the same amount of grated palm jaggery (thati bellam). The paramannam turns darker and tastes deeper and slightly smoky.
Which rice is best for paramannam?
A short-grain rice such as sona masoori cooks soft and creamy in milk. Long-grain basmati keeps its grains separate and gives a thinner paramannam.
How do I fix paramannam that has become too thick?
Stir in a few spoons of warm milk, off the heat, until it loosens. It thickens as it cools, so stop when it is a little thinner than you want.
