ACK 10.14: Khir sevian

Khir sevian

Creamed vermicelli pudding

This dish comes from the Mogul school of cooking, and its popularity among Vaisnavas shows us that any vegetarian dish, regardless of its origin, can be offered to Lord Krsna. Similarly, any person, regardless of his birth, can chant Krsna's holy names and become His pure devotee. In fact, some close associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (the incarnation of Krsna who came to earth to spread the chanting of Krsna's holy names), came from Muslim families.

Preparation and cooking time: 20-25 min

6 cups (1.4 liters) whole milk
1 tablespoon butter
6 cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cups (125 g) fine vermicelli
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1 tablespoon ground pistachio nuts
1 tablespoon ground almonds
1 3/4 cups (425 ml) thick cream
1 teaspoon rose-water

Bring the milk to a boil; then simmer. In another saucepan, melt the butter and quickly fry the cloves and half of the ground cardamom. Add the vermicelli. Stir-fry until it is lightly browned. Pour the milk into the saucepan and boil on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the sugar and the nuts. Lower the heat. Cook for 15 minutes (stirring every few minutes to prevent scorching) or as long as needed to allow the mixture to thicken slightly. Remember that it will continue to thicken after it is removed from the heat.

Take the saucepan off the heat, fold in the cream, and add the rose-water. Pour the khir sevian into a serving dish, top with the remaining ground cardamom, and serve hot or cold.