Karwa Chauth 2022: Pheni, A Preferred Sargi Meal

In northern and western India, married Hindu women observe the festival of Karwa Chauth. The celebration is customarily commemorated as a day of fasting, which spans from dawn to moonrise. During this period, the women pray for the well-being and longevity of their husbands. Women who observe this fast eat pheni as part of their pre-dawn meal. Pheni, is a typical food served on Karwa Chauth, and it's a kind of seviyan or vermicelli. The sphere-shaped, ultra-thin sevyian, available in sweet stores or markets, is pre-fried in ghee. One needs to soak them in boiling milk and enjoy them as a mild kheer. This tasty and simple dessert is pretty easy to make. 

Thus, pheni kheer is frequently consumed as part of the morning sargi for Karwa Chauth. It is also quite filling and helps the women to fast for the rest of the day without difficulty. 

Pheni Kheer

Ingredients:

• 100 grams pheni 
• 300 ml milk of your choice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon Ghee
• 1 tablespoon cashew nuts
• 1 tablespoon Sultana raisins
• 2 tablespoons almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder

Method:

Pheni kheer, Image Source: Sinamontales

1. Arrange all the ingredients and keep them handy
2. Heat ghee in a frying pan and lightly fry the cashew nuts
3. Take them out from the pan and keep them aside
4. Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring it to a quick boil
5.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until it slightly thickens
6. Now pour the sugar and almond powder and boil for another two minutes
7. Add the fried cashew nuts and sultanas
8. The milk will become more viscous with the aid of almond flour
9. Add the cardamom powder and give a stir
10. Quickly add the pheni, give a good mix, but be gentle
11. Turn off the heat immediately
12. For about 10 minutes, let the milk and pheni mixture sit in the pan
13.  As soon as the pheni comes in contact with the hot milk, it will turn supple
14. To avoid it getting soggy, it is essential to know the right time to add the seviyan and handle the heat
15. Allow it to cool down a bit

Serve it in the bowl by garnishing with dry fruits!