Meethe Chawal Recipe | Learn how to make Gur Ke Chawal for Basant Panchami | Video Recipe for Gur Ke Chawal
Rice sweetened with jaggery/gur, loaded with nuts flavored with spices like cardamom, a Basant Panchami/Saraswati Pooja Special from North Indian
Gluten-free and Vegan-friendly Rice Sweet Rice Pulao with Nuts
About the recipe Gur Ke Chawal
Meethe Chawal, also known as Gur Ke Chawal(when made with Gur) is a delicious rice preparation from North India, made in Desi Ghee, colored with turmeric, flavored with spices like saffron, cardamom, with lots of nuts. The dish has lot of variation within the Indian Subcontinent.
Many people make it with sugar and many add jaggery/gur to it for sweetness. Yellow or orange color is also added to give it a more vibrant color.
Zarda Rice/Pulao another popular and richer version of this rice, is flavoured with rose water and khoya along with nuts and candied fruits and orange peel is added to it.
Another Savory version is Zafrani Pulao/Indian Saffron Pulao (vegetarian version), a delicacy from the Royal Kitchens of Awadh and Hyderabad.
About Basant Panchami/Saraswati Pooja
Vasant Panchami is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the bright half of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Magha, which typically falls in late January or February. The festival commences forty days before the Spring festival HOLI. (It is generally winter-like in northern India, and more spring-like in central and western parts of India on Vasant Panchami, which gives credence to the fact that Spring is actually in full bloom 40 days after the Vasant Panchami day). SOURCE ONLINE
On this day Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge is also worshipped and the day is also known as Saraswati Pooja.
Significance of making Meethe Chawal and Yellow Color on Basant Panchami
Meethe Chawal as it is popularly known in Northern States of India (Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana) is Basant Panchami special. Yellow color that signifies vitality, strength, sunlight and happiness is the color of Basant Panchami.
Wearing yellow color clothes and having yellow color dishes especially made with rice, is considered auspicious on this day.
People worship Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge, on this auspicious day.
Popular recipes for Basant Panchami and Saraswati Pooja
Aloo Matar Ki Tehri/Tahri is another dish that is popularly prepared on this day. Dishes from other states. Lemon Rice, Moong Dal Halwa, Rava Kesari (Saffron flavored Semolina Pudding) and many more. You can prepare Zafrani Pulao, Gatte Ka Pulao, Zarda Rice for the occasion. Kadhi Chawal is another favourite that you can make on this auspicious occasion.
Basant Panchami falls during Jan-Feb. this time there is fresh harvest of Green chickpeas is available in Indian vegetable markets. You can also make Choliya Pulao(with fresh turmeric) or Choliya Mangodi ki Subzi .
Another all time favorite is Chawal ki Kheer which can be made during this auspicious day.
In Bengali households special Khichdi/Khichri along with other delicacies is also prepared on Saraswati Pooja.
Mom always prepared either Meethe Chawal or Tahri on Basant Panchami/Saraswati Pooja. This is my mom's recipe. The nuts are roasted in desi ghee and real flavour of the dish comes from the whole spices(green cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, black peppercorns, saffron) that are added to it. Basmati Rice which is one of the best rice quality and has a distinct aroma is traditionally used to prepare the dish.
Ingredients to make Meethe Chawal/Gur Ke Chawal
Rice, Desi Ghee, Nut(Almonds, Cashew nuts), Dry Coconut(thinly sliced), Raisins and Cranberries, Milk, Jaggery Powder or Grated Jaggery.
Spices- Saffron strands(12-15), Green Cardamom, Bay Leaf, Cinnamon Stick, Cloves, Black Peppercorns, Star Anise(optional), Turmeric Powder(or yellow color).
How to make Gur Ke Chawal
- Soak rice, chop nuts and make saffron milk.
- Make Jaggery Syrup.
- Heat ghee in a kadhai, add whole spices, then fry nuts. Fry almonds and cashew nuts first then coconut and then add raisins and cranberries.
- Then add saffron milk, let it boil a little then add soaked rice. Drain water from cooked rice. Add turmeric power, mix and cook rice covered on low flame.
- Cook till rice is cooked 60%, like biryani rice.
- Add jaggery syrup. Mix very lightly, do not over mix.
- Cover and cook rice till the syrup is absorbed and rice is soft.
- Check rice, do not over mix it. Leave it covered for few minutes.
Tips make the best Meethe Chawal with each rice grain separate
- Soak rice at least half an hour before cooking.
- Desi Ghee gives the distinct aroma and taste to the dish.
- Roast nuts in ghee before adding to the rice.
- Add water/ milk carefully while cooking as the rice can turn mushy if more liquid is added.
- Don't overcook and mix rice frequently as it can turn mushy.
- Use a heavy bottomed pan/kadhai or a non stick pan to avoid the burning of rice.
Recipe Card
Meethe Chawal
Equipment
- Kadhai
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- ½ cup Mixed Nuts(Cashew nuts, Almonds, Raisins, Dried Cranberries)
- 1-2 tbsp Dry Coconut thinly sliced
- 4-5 Cloves
- 4-5 Black Peppercorns
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Cinnamon Stick(small)
- 1-2 Green Cardamom
- 10-12 Saffron strands
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
Make Jaggery syrup
- ½ cup Grated Jaggery or Jaggery Powder
- ¼ cup Water
Saffron Milk
- 12-15 Saffron Strands
- ¾ Cup Milk
Instructions
Make Saffron Milk
- Soak saffron strands in warm milk few hours(at least 1 hr) before preparing the rice. Â
Soak Rice
- Wash rice and soak for at least half an hour(30 mins) before cooking. Roughly chop nuts. Â
Prepare Jaggery syrup
- In a pan heat water and add jaggery. Mix and give it one boil. Keep aside.
Cook Meethe Chawal
- In a thick bottomed pan/kadhai, heat ghee. Add the whole spices, roast for a few seconds, then add nuts to it and roast till they give the aroma. and start turning light brown.
- Add dry coconut, fry for few seconds.
- Add raisins and cranberries, fry for another few seconds.
- You can keep few nuts and raisins and berries for garnish.
- Now add saffron milk and then rice. Drain water from rice before adding it.
- Cover and keep the rice on medium flame and cook till the rice becomes 60%soft, like biryani rice. Cooked rice grain should be a little raw and not soft.
- Now add prepared jaggery syrup and mix very lightly. Do not over mix, rice grains may break and rice will turn mushy.
- Cover and cook on low flame, till the water is absorbed and rice grains are cooked.
- Take off the flame and keep covered for few minutes. Do not open or mix rice just after the you take it off the flame.
- Serve hot and add a few roasted nuts before serving.
Video
Notes
Do try this delicious Meethe Chawal Recipe for Basant Panchami or any of your special and auspicious occasion. I am sure you and your special ones will surely love it.
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Swati
dpranita583
So nice.!
harini
Meethe chawal looks very pretty and perfect for Basant Panchami. Though the yellow rice custom is not prevalent in our families, I heard about this tradition in our local temple here.
Megala
Meethe chawal looks so beautiful & tempting! Love the sweet, spicy & nutty flavors in a rice dish.
Swati
Thanks Megala!! Glad you liked it.
Rajani
The presentation is so beautiful Swati. It will look nice and impressive in a buffet table ?