Paal Payasam Recipe – This is popular south Indian dessert recipe that is made from ghee, milk, rice and sugar. This creamy, sweet dish is very simple and easy to prepare for special occasions or festivals.
This payasam is similar to North Indian kheer recipe but not the same. The addition of ghee here makes the big difference in taste and flavor. Also here no other flavoring ingredients are added. While we add saffron and cardamom powder in the kheer. You can add them here while making payasam, but trust me it tastes too good without any other addition of flavor.
There are many different ways of making paal payasam. After roasting the rice into ghee, many prefer to coarsely grind the rice. But I have not done so here. I have cooked the rice as such and then mashed lightly once soft. You can choose any method, it will be fine.
There is another version of it which is the Kerala style. In that broken red rice aka matta raw rice is used. In this recipe, we are using regular rice. I have used sona masoori rice. You can use any verity or even basmati rice.
The traditional classic method of making paal payasam is slow cooking of milk and rice till rice gets soft. But here to make it quick, I have cooked in the pressure cooker.
For those who are not familiar, Paal or pal means Milk. and payasam term is used for pudding like sweet or dessert.
Check out other similar recipes
Carrot payasam // Paruppu payasam (moong dal payasam) // Sabudana kheer // Pumpkin kheer
How to make Paal Payasam Recipe (Step by Step Photos):
1) Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker on medium heat.
2) Once melted and hot, add cashew nuts. Stir continuously and fry them till they are golden brown.
3) Then drain the excess ghee and remove it to a bowl. Keep it aside.
4) In the remaining ghee, add rice. Saute for 1-2 minutes only. You may notice a slight color change.
5) Now add 1 cup of milk and stir.
6) Cover the cooker with lid, put the weight on. Pressure cook it on medium heat for 3 whistles. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid. Rice should be soft and cooked.
7) Now add remaining 2 cups of milk and turn the heat back on medium.
8) Let simmer for 10-12 minutes. During this time, milk will get thick and rice will get more soft.
9) Now roughly mash the rice using potato masher or back of the spatula.
10) Add sugar and mix.
11) Simmer for another 3-4 minutes or till it gets right consistency.
12) If you take the ladleful of payasam and pour it back into the pan, rice and milk should flow together. This is the right consistency. Switch off the stove.
Remove the payasam to a serving bowl, garnish with fried cashews and serve warm or chilled.
Serving suggestion: In souther part of India, this paal payasam is made during the festivals and enjoyed as a dessert. During pooja, many offer it to the god as a prasadam along with other dishes like sundal, ladoo. You may find this payasam served in many temples as a prasadam.
Paal Payasam Recipe (How to make Paal Payasam Recipe)
US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)
Ingredients (1 cup = 240 ml)
- 1 tablespoon Ghee (Clarified butter)
- 5-6 Cashew nuts
- ¼ cup Short grain rice ,I have used sona masoori rice
- 1 cup + 2 cups Milk
- ¼ cup Sugar
Instructions
- Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker on medium heat.
- Once melted and hot, add cashew nuts. Stir continuously and fry them till they are golden brown. Then drain the excess ghee and remove it to a bowl. Keep it aside.
- In the remaining ghee, add rice. Saute for 1-2 minutes only. You may notice a slight color change.
- Now add 1 cup of milk and stir.
- Cover the cooker with lid, put the weight on. Pressure cook it on medium heat for 3 whistles.
- Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid. Rice should be soft and cooked.
- Now add remaining 2 cups of milk and turn the heat back on medium.
- Let simmer for 10-12 minutes. During this time, milk will get thick and rice will get more soft.
- Now roughly mash the rice using potato masher or back of the spatula.
- Add sugar and mix. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes or till it gets right consistency.
- Switch off the stove.
- Remove it to a serving bowl, garnish with fried cashews and serve.
