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Nikhuti Payesh
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Nikhuti Payesh | How to make Nikuti Payesh

Nikuti Payesh is rich deep fried paneer balls served in chilled milk cream, loaded with nuts. This involves deep frying, soaking in sugar syrup and in milk.
Course Sweets
Cuisine Bengali
By Cook Method Deep Fried, Stovetop
Occasion Diwali, Festival Meal
By Diet Protein Rich
Dish Type Deep Fried Dishes, Paneer Dishes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Author Srivalli

Ingredients

For the Nikuti

  • 1 cup Paneer / Chhana Crumbled
  • 1 tsp All Purpose Flour / Maida
  • A Pinch Baking Powder
  • Cooking Oil for deep frying

For the Sugar Syrup

  • 1 cups Sugar
  • 1 cup Water
  • 3 - 4 Cardamom / Elaichi

For the Malai/ Payesh

  • 2 cups Milk
  • 1/2 cup Cream
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 2 Cinnamon Sticks

Other Ingredients

  • Mixed Nuts for garnish
  • Few Strands Saffron

Instructions

For the Sugar Syrup

  • Take the sugar with water and let the sugar melt and remove the impurities if any. Then boil the sugar with the water and crushed cardamoms till one string consistency or a thick syrup is formed. This will take about 8-10 minutes.

For the Nikuti

  • Prepare the soft chhana for making Bengali Sweets.
  • Take the crumbled paneer on a plate and with your heel, knead till there are no coarse grains or lumps and the Chenna becomes very soft.
  • Add the flour, baking powder to the soft chhana and knead it for nearly 10-12 minutes or till it starts releasing oil to make a smooth textured dough. You can start by adding very little flour to the dough.
  • Cover the bowl and keep it aside for 10 minutes and divide the mixture into tiny oblong pieces.
  • Heat a kadai with oil and reduce the flame when it reaches smoking point.
  • Gently drop in the Nikuti and deep fry in batches, till it turns golden brown.
  • Drain the Nikuti and soak them in the prepared warm sugar syrup for 2-3 hours.
  • Then drain the Nikuti and serve in the chilled Malai/Payesh you will prepare.

For the Malai /Payesh

  • In a heavy bottom pan, boil the milk along with cinnamon, cream, and sugar.
  • Cook on a medium heat and keep stirring. Cook the milk and cream mixture till reduced to 3/4th. Switch off the heat. Remove the cinnamon stick.
  • Add the drained Nikuti to the Malai. Garnish with finely chopped nuts along with some soaked saffron
  • Refrigerate and let it stand for 1 - 2 hrs.
  • Serve cold.

Notes

  • If you want to save time in making the Malai, you can use Condensed Milk instead too.
  • Add flour only as much as it is required. Else the Nikutis will turn hard.
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