Paal payasam is a traditional South Indian dessert prepared with rice, milk, sugar, cardamom and cashew nuts. It is a very rich, creamy and delicious payasam. It is usually prepared on special occasions like Navratri, Diwali, Pongal.

Ingredients:

Serves 4 to 5

• 4 cups / 1 litre – Milk
• 1/4 cup – Basmati rice
• 1/2 cup – Sugar (add as needed)
• 1/8 tsp – Cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp – Ghee
• 10 no's – Cashew nuts

Preparation method:

1. Heat 1/4 tsp of ghee in a pressure cooker, roast basmati rice until they are slightly golden color. Let it cool completely and grind it to a slightly coarse powder, set it aside.
2. In the same cooker, add 3 cups of milk and bring it to boil. Add roasted and coarsely ground rice, cover with lid and whistle, pressure cook it over low flame for about 20 to 25 mins or until 1 or 2 whistles. Allow it to cool.
3. Open the pressure cooker, add remaining milk, sugar and cardamom powder, mix well and cook for 5 to 10 mins. Finally roast cashew nuts in ghee and add it to the payasam. Serve hot or cold.

Notes:

• Do not over roast rice and also do not over grind the rice, that will affect the texture of payasam.
• You may increase or decrease the quantity of sugar as per your taste. I have used organic pure sugarcane sugar which is slightly sweet less. That’s why I have added 1/2 cup, so you can decide the quantity depending on your sugar.
• If you think payasam / kheer is thick, then add little more milk to dilute it to the consistency you may need.
• The entire process has to be done on low flame / low heat as it makes delicious payasam. No hurry.
• You may use heavy bottomed pan for preparing this payasam. Pressure cooker will reduce the cooking time and saves energy.