Almond Kheer / Badam Kheer (Paal)

Have you ever been complained about for not eating properly??? Oh thats very common isnt it!!! Calm evening sitting by yourself and watching "King of Queens" and laughing at Doug's clumsy actions and aftermath, suddenly Krish came from work desk complaining that I dont drink sufficient Milk and ladies need a lotta calcium and blah blah!!! He continued - Almonds are good source Vitamin E and rich in dietary fibre... When I heard Almonds my mind wandered off to childhood days while he was still talking about the goods of Almonds, at Ammamma's place Almond/Badam will be picked and laid to dry, when dry the outer shell is cracked open to get the edible nut. We as kids would be so intrigued about the fruit and would ask Ammamma:

We: "When can we eat them?"
Amma: "Kanna, it has to dry, so wait till tomorrow!" cos she know kids could wait only until tomorrow.
We: "Okay Ammamma!!!"

We would run away and play but within the same afternoon we would go back to her a hundred times asking her if the Badam's are dry. After a while there is no putting us back, so she sits with us in the evening to break the shells, the wet shell would neither yield nor would we. Finally breaking open we would eat half of them even before they reach the plate. Laughingly Amma would break and give each of us our fair share. But there will be hardly anything left to take into her kitchen.

Suddenly my hands were thrusted with Almonds only then I realized Krish was still hanging on to his arguement. I gave him a blank look and took them and munched on a few, slowly with so much memories from childhood I went to the kitchen to make Almond Kheer/Badam Kheer/Badam Milk/ Badam Paal or what ever its called as.



Ingredients:

Unsalted Almonds - 1/2 cup
Milk - 3 cups
Saffron - few strands
Sugar - 5 tbsps
Cardamom - 1-2 nos.
Nutmeg - some
Water

Garnishing:

Almond Slivers

Method:

1. Heat Water in a microwave or a kettle and soak the Almonds for 15-20 mins. Use your thumb and press the Almonds to remove off the peels.
2. In a blender or mixer make a fine or coarse (your choice) paste of Almonds with some Milk.
3. Heat the remaining Milk in a heavy bottom pan, when Milk boils pour the ground paste and stir well.
4. Now add the Sugar and Saffrons and cook until the kheer turns thick, when its not as liquidy as Milk but still pourable remove from flame.
5. Remove the Cardamom pods and powder the seeds, add it to the kheer. Using a grater grate the Nutmeg and mix well while Hot.
6. Pour in individual cups or bowl garnish with Almond Slivers and serve kheer cool or warm.

Take another look at the Badam Kheer - served with love.



I am sending Almond Kheer to

Divya's Sunday Snacks and

Notyet100's Holi Event