Payasam

There are several varieties of 'payasams'.  One is in which rice, wheat or vermicelli is boiled with milk and sweetened with sugar. It goes by the name of 'pal payasam'. Another, is made of boiled rice or dal or wheat, to which is added jaggery and coconut milk. Both are flavoured with spices. 

Pal Payasam

Ingredients : 

• Milk                  - 3litres

• Dried red rice - 180gm

• Sugar                - 700gm

Method of Preparation : 

Boil the milk. Add sugar and mix well. When it boils again, add the washed rice in it. Simmer in medium flame. Cook till the rice is done. Serve hot. 

Semiya Payasam

Ingredients : 

• Vermicelli         - 1 cup
• Cashew nuts      - handful
• Raisins               - handful
• Water                 -  ³/₄cup 
• Sugar                 - a cup
• Saffron               - a pinch
• Milk                   - a cup
• Cardamom       - two or three pods

Method of preparation : 

Heat the ghee and fry the vermicelli till light brown. In the meanwhile, boil the water. Add the vermicelli to the boiling water and cover it. Keep stirring occasionally. Once the vermicelli becomes soft , add the sugar and continue to stir. Put the saffron in the milk and dissolve it, add this milk to the vermicelli. Powder the cardamom and add it to the mixture. Then fry the cashewnuts and almonds in ghee and add these. Mix well and boil for about two minutes. Your payasam is ready and can be served hot or cold. 

Wheat Payasam

Ingredients:

• Broken Wheat    - 250g 

• Coconut             - 2

• Jaggery             - 500g 

• Raisins               -10g 

• Cashew Nuts       -10g 

• Ghee                  -3tbs

• Cardamom          -5g

• Dry ginger powder-10g    

• Cumin Powder-10g

Method of Preparation:

Grate the coconut. Add1/2 glass warm water to the grated coconut. Extract the first milk. Extract the second milk by adding 1 1/2 glass warm water. Again repeat the process to extract the third milk. 

Fry broken wheat lightly in one teaspoon ghee. Cook the wheat well in 1 1/2 liters of water.

 When it is done add the third milk and the second milk to the wheat and bring to a boil. when it thickens to a semi solid consistency, add powdered jaggery. Add the first milk, fried nut, raisins, powdered Cardamom, ginger and cumin. Mix well and remove from fire immediately. Serve hot.

Parippu Payasam

Ingredients:

• Parippu (Green gram dal)    - 250gm

• Sarkara (Jaggery)    - 250gm

• Coconut milk    - From 2 coconuts

• Ghee    - 2 tbs

• Cashew nuts, Raisins    - As required for seasoning

Method of preparation : 

Fry dal till light brown. Clean and boil the fried dal well. 
Heat jaggery with some water and make a thick solution. Take milk from the coconut thrice. Keep the thick milk taken 1st, aside. Add the 2nd and 3rd milk and the jaggery solution to the boiled dal. Simmer on medium flame till thick. Fry the cashewnuts and Raisins in ghee. Add these and the 1st milk to the payasam . Mix well and remove from fire.