Cheppi Kheeri ..festive and traditional recipe

Kheeri is a traditional recipe which is made only during festivals i.e during Nag Panchami and Gouri Pooja which falls on the previous day of Ganesh Chaturthi or sometimes on the same day.Cheppi means saltless or bland and as this dish is very bland with just the aroma of turmeric leaves and flavour of coconut milk it is called as cheppi kheeri.Turmeric leaves or Haldi paan in Konkani is the essence of this dish and sadly there is no substitute for this.
Nag Panchami is the first festival which comes across during the auspicious “Shravan Mass”.Each region has its own way of celebrating this festival and own festive spread too.In south kanara we prepare all steamed items along with this delicacy.There is nothing much of a recipe here and it is very simple.

 Ingredients:-

• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup coconut
• Few turmeric leaves or the tips of the leaves

 Method:-

1. Extract coconut milk by grinding the coconut with little water in a mixer… and strain it using a muslin cloth or a strainer.
2. Grind the residue once again with little water and strain again so that you get enough coconut milk.
3. Heat 2 cups or a bit more water in a vessel or pan ..when it comes to boil drop the turmeric leaves or the tips and simmer the flame .
4. Now add the washed rice and give a stir.
5. Cook until the rice is  done .
6.  Add the coconut milk( reserving a little ) and stir well and continue to cook until the rice turns a bit mushy.
7.  Add the remaining coconut milk and when it just starts boiling switch off the flame.
8. Keep covered for some time so that the flavours are absorbed well.
   

   Kheeri

   Enjoy this festive preparation with side dish of your choice. Usually we have it with pinch salt and some coconut gravy based dish made on that day .

   NOTES:-
9. 1. There is no need of extracting thick and thin milk separately from coconut.
   2. It thickens a bit after cooling so if you prefer add some more water while cooking .
   3. There is no substitute for turmeric leaves in this recipe .