PAAL PAYASAM

Payasam is a traditional South Indian sweet dish, especially popular in the state of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. It is a creamy, rich pudding made by cooking ingredients like rice, vermicelli, lentils or tapioca in milk or coconut milk with sugar or jaggery, and is often flavored with cardamom and garnished with roasted cashews and raisins. It is typically served as a dessert during festivals, celebrations and special occasions.

Paal payasam is one of the most popular type of payasam. It is made primarily with milk, rice and sugar. The word “paal” means milk in Tamil, highlighting the dish’s rich, creamy base. Paal payasam is made by slow cooking rice in milk until it becomes soft and blends into a thick, creamy consistency. Sugar is added for sweetness, and the dish is often flavored with cardamom powder and saffron for a pleasant aroma.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

This recipe can be made either by cooking rice in milk, or adding mashed cooked rice to milk and boiling it until it thickens. I’ve made this recipe by adding mashed cooked rice to milk. Both methods works well for this recipe, and doesn’t really alter the taste of the recipe.

Payasam is generally garnished with cashews and raisins. I’ve used raisins, chironji seeds, almonds, cashews and pistachios as garnishing for this recipe. Adding these nuts are completely optional. I usually add them to give an extra crunch and flavor for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS FOR PAAL PAYASAM:

• FULL FAT MILK – 1 LITRE
• SUGAR – 3/4 CUP
• COOKED RICE – 1 CUP
• GHEE – 2 TBSP
• CARDAMOM POWDER – 1/2 TSP
• SAFFRON – 10 STRANDS
• RAISINS – 2 TBSP
• CHIRONJI SEEDS – 1 TBSP
• ALMONDS (CHOPPED) – 1 TBSP
• CASHEWS (CHOPPED) – 1 TBSP
• PISTACHIO (CHOPPED) – 1 TBSP

HOW TO MAKE PAAL PAYASAM:

• Add 1 cup of cooked rice to a mixing bowl along with 1 cup of water. Mash the rice with hands, and mix it until the rice and water is well combined. Keep it aside.

• Boil 1 litre of full fat milk.

• Once the milk starts to boil completely, add the rice and water mixture to it. Also, add sugar, saffron and cardamom powder to it. Mix it well.

• On medium-high flame, cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes. It slightly thickens after 3 to 4 minutes. At this stage, turn the flame to medium-low, and let it cook for about 10 minutes.

• After 10 minutes, heat a tadka pan, and add 2 tbsp of ghee to it.

• Once the ghee is heated, add the raisins to it and fry them. Once they are fried, add only the raisins to the boiling milk. Do not add the ghee.

• In the same tadka pan, add the chironji seeds, chopped almonds, cashews and pistachios and fry them until they turn light golden brown in color.

• Once they turn light golden brown in color, add them along with the ghee to the boiling milk. Mix everything well.

YUMMY AND DELICIOUS PAAL PAYASAM IS READY.

PAAL PAYASAM

Recipe by foodpassion1513Course: DESSERTCuisine: SOUTH INDIAN, TAMIL

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

250

kcal

Payasam is a traditional South Indian sweet dish, especially popular in the state of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. It is a creamy, rich pudding made by cooking ingredients like rice, vermicelli, lentils or tapioca in milk or coconut milk with sugar or jaggery, and is often flavored with cardamom and garnished with roasted cashews and raisins. It is typically served as a dessert during festivals, celebrations and special occasions.
Paal payasam is one of the most popular type of payasam. It is made primarily with milk, rice and sugar. The word “paal” means milk in Tamil, highlighting the dish’s rich, creamy base. Paal payasam is made by slow cooking rice in milk until it becomes soft and blends into a thick, creamy consistency. Sugar is added for sweetness, and the dish is often flavored with cardamom powder and saffron for a pleasant aroma.

Ingredients

• FULL FAT MILK – 1 LITRE

• SUGAR – 3/4 CUP

• COOKED RICE – 1 CUP

• GHEE – 2 TBSP

• CARDAMOM POWDER – 1/2 TSP

• SAFFRON – 10 STRANDS

• RAISINS – 2 TBSP

• CHIRONJI SEEDS – 1 TBSP

• ALMONDS (CHOPPED) – 1 TBSP

• CASHEWS (CHOPPED) – 1 TBSP

• PISTACHIO (CHOPPED) – 1 TBSP

Directions

• Add 1 cup of cooked rice to a mixing bowl along with 1 cup of water. Mash the rice with hands, and mix it until the rice and water is well combined. Keep it aside.
• Boil 1 litre of full fat milk.
• Once the milk starts to boil completely, add the rice and water mixture to it. Also, add sugar, saffron and cardamom powder to it. Mix it well.
• On medium-high flame, cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes. It slightly thickens after 3 to 4 minutes. At this stage, turn the flame to medium-low, and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, heat a tadka pan, and add 2 tbsp of ghee to it.
• Once the ghee is heated, add the raisins to it and fry them. Once they are fried, add only the raisins to the boiling milk. Do not add the ghee.
• In the same tadka pan, add the chironji seeds, chopped almonds, cashews and pistachios and fry them until they turn light golden brown in color.
• Once they turn light golden brown in color, add them along with the ghee to the boiling milk. Mix everything well.
• YUMMY AND DELICIOUS PAAL PAYASAM IS READY.