Choshi is a small, oval-shaped Pithe, made with either rice flour or all-purpose flour. These little dumplings are simmered in a sweet mixture of milk and jaggery, transforming into a delightful Choshir Payesh. This special Bengali dessert is traditionally prepared during Makar Sankranti. A single chosi is about the same size as a grain of basmati rice. This means that if you're making chosi yourself, you'll need to be very careful and precise.
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Just the other day, Mehebub asked, "Debjani, don't you think we should introduce Pithe Payesh to Pasta?" I teased him, replying, "You just want Pithe Payesh, don't you? Pasta already knows how good Pithe Puli is!" He eventually confessed that he was indeed craving it. So, I made my first batch of Pithe for the year yesterday, starting with the simple and heavenly Choshir Payesh, also known as Choshi Pithe.
Makar Sankranti and Pithe Puli
With Makar Sankranti just around the corner, I'm planning to make more tasty treats to celebrate this harvest festival. On my list are Patishapta, Saruchakli, Dudhpuli, Bhaja Pithe, and Gokul Pithe. But these are still just plans, and I'm not sure how many I'll actually manage to make when I get home from work today.
About Choshir Payesh
Let's talk about Choshi, a delightful little Pithe shaped like a tiny oval. Made from either rice flour paste or all-purpose flour, it's cooked with milk and jaggery to create Choshir Payesh, a popular Bengali kheer that's especially loved during Makar Sankranti in the winter. The cooked Choshi resembles long-grain rice, and we simmer it in milk to make this delicious Payesh. My grandmother used to make Choshir Payesh often. She always insisted on using Gobindobhog or another fragrant rice, as the combination of the rice and jaggery gives the Payesh its unique flavor, since no other flavoring is typically added.
Making Choshi at home
While it might look like other Pithe or Puli, Choshi is quite different. It has the shape of a typical Pithe, but it's much smaller, doesn't have a filling, and is cooked in milk and date palm jaggery. Nowadays, you can easily find ready-made Choshi premix packets (just the dumplings) in local markets and Bengali specialty stores, even outside of Bengal and internationally. However, I prefer to make Choshi at home.
About the recipe
For this recipe, I like to use a blend of Gobindobhog rice powder and semolina to create the choshi. To sweeten it, I use Patali Gur, also known as Date Palm Jaggery. And of course, rich, full-cream milk is essential for making delicious choshi-r Payesh
Recipe Card
Choshir Payesh | Choshi Pitha Recipe
Ingredients
To make Choshi:
- 100 g Gobindobhog Rice
- 1 tablespoon Semolina
- 1 pinch Salt optional
- 1 Cup Hot Water
To Make Choshir Payesh:
- 1 cup Choshi
- 2 liters Full-Cream Milk
- 300 g Date Palm Jaggery aka Patali Gur
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 1 Bay Leaf optional
Instructions
To make Choshi:
- Wash Rice 2-3 times under running water and sundry the rice completely. This will take around two days to completely sundry the rice.
- Now, make a fine powder of the rice. You can make the Rice Powder in bulk and use it as and when required.
- Take 100g Rice Powder and Semolina in a bowl along with a pinch of salt and mix thoroughly.
- Now add 2-3 tablespoon hot water and start kneading.
- Add water little by little to make a tight dough.
- Once the dough is prepared, cover it with a wet cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Now take a pinch-sized dough and, using your finger, give it an elliptical shape. It should look like a rice grain both in size and shape.
- Following the same process, make the rest of the "Choshi".
- The size of Choshi varies from person to person; however, I prefer the rice grain size.
- Once prepared, sundry the Choshi completely. You can store excess Choshi in an airtight container.
To make Choshir Payesh:
- Take the milk in a deep-bottom pan and start boiling it after adding 2 cups of water and 1 bay leaf till the milk reduces to ⅔.
- Add Ghee in between.
- Once the milk reduces to ⅔, add 1 Cup of Choshi to the milk and keep cooking on a low flame.
- Cook until the milk thickens and the Choshi turns translucent in color.
- Add Date Palm Jaggery and mix thoroughly, and cook for 5 minutes, and then switch the flame off.
- Serve Choshir Payesh at room temperature. I, however, prefer to serve it after storing it for one day in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Instead of making Choshi at home, you can easily buy it from the market. If you do want to make it yourself, using store-bought rice flour is a convenient alternative.
- Some people like to fry the Choshi before adding it to the milk, but I prefer not to. Adding it directly helps to thicken the milk faster with the rice residue and adds a wonderful flavor.
- I don't include any dry fruits in my Choshir Payesh, but feel free to add your favorites to make it even richer.
- You can use sugar instead of date palm jaggery, or even a combination of both. However, the jaggery really gives the Choshir Payesh a unique and delicious taste.
Nutrition
Winter delicacies from Debjanir Rannaghar
- Komola Kheer | Kheer Komola | Bengali Orange Kheer | Komlalebur Payesh
- Khejur Gurer Payesh | Bengali Rice Kheer with Date Palm Jaggery
- Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tomato Chutney; it is all about chetey chetey Khawa.....
- Nolen Gurer Sandesh
- Phulkopi Aloo diye Chingri Kaliya (also known as Bengali Prawn Curry with Potato and Cauliflower)
- Phulkopir Singara | Kolkata style Fulkopir Shingara Recipe
- Koraishutir Kochuri (also known as Bengali Peas Kachauri)
- Natun Aloor Dum | Bengali Niramish Aloor Dum | Dum Aloo Recipe
- Gokul Pithe (also known as Bengali Madan Gokul Pitha)
- Narkeli Jam Pitha
- Dudh Puli
- Patishapta (also known as Bengali Patishapta Pitha)
Have you tried the Chooshi Payesh recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
I would love to see a picture if you are making it following my recipe. You can share here on [email protected]. You can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and share it through Instagram as well. and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.
Here's the Choshir Payesh Recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board!
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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