Paal Payasam

Paal Payasam is a rice pudding popular in South India and it is served during festivals, and as a dessert during weddings. It is rich , creamy and delicious melt in mouth. Full cream milk is slow boiled and thickened. And then Basmati rice is slow cooked with simmered thick milk and condensed milk.

 

One of the easiest dessert to make for a party / get together. It is no fail recipe and sure to please a crowd. Go ahead and make extra servings for your guests.

 

 

 

Yield : 5 Servings

Ingredients

1 Litre Milk ( I used full cream milk)
2 Tablespoons of Basmati Rice
2 Tablespoon Ghee
1/4 Cup Sweetened condensed milk
1/4 Cup Sugar ( adjust according to your taste)
10 Cashew Nuts ( Traditional payasam doesn't have nuts and dry fruits. However I like it with fried cashew nuts. It gives payasam a nice little crunch. You can add your favourite dry fruits and nuts )
10 Raisins
1 Tablespoon Charoli / Chironji
6 blanched almonds
5 to 6 strands of saffron

Directions

1. Heat milk in a heavy bottomed pan and bring it to boil
2. Once it comes to boil, simmer and let the milk reduce to half of its original quantity. Keep Stirring intermittently to avoid burning at the bottom
3. Wash basmati rice several time and set aside
4. In a non stick pan, heat ghee. When the ghee is hot, add cashew nuts and fry on low flame until the nuts are golden. Remove from ghee and drain them on a kitchen towel

5. Then fry raisins and chironji quickly for few seconds until the raisins plum up
6. Remove from the pan and set aside
7. In the remaining ghee, add washed basmati rice and fry for 2 minutes or until the rice is fragrant and crispy

                                  


8. Add a cup of water and let the rice cook for 10 minutes until the rice is cooked through and mushy

                                   


9. Add 1/2 of the simmering milk into the rice pan and give it a nice stir

                                   

10. Add condensed milk and mix everything
                            
                                   

11. Bring to boil and them simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Let the rice cook in the milk and condensed milk mixture
12. Then add sugar along with remaining milk that has been simmering in the pan
13. give it a nice stir and let the mixture simmer for another 2 to3 minutes
14. Finally add saffron, fried cashew nuts,
8. Add a cup of water and blanched / slivered almonds , raisins and chironji and switch off the flame