Thursday, April 19, 2012

PAAL PAAYASAM

This is the king of payasams and the most popular one at that – it finds a place at most of the feasts and festivals of South India. It must have a slight sandalwood color – ‘Ambalapuzha paal payasam’ is considered the ultimate!

Ingredients
Milk – 5 glasses (1 litre)
Rice – ¼ glass
Sugar – ½ cup
Condensed milk (sweetened) – 1/2 tin
Nuts / raisins (optional)

Method
Soak the rice in water for 10 minutes, wash it also rubbing the rice between your fingers – so that they break a little.
Pour 1 litre of boiled milk in a vessel and place it in the pressure cooker.
Add the rice to it, stir and pressure cook it.
At the 1st whistle, lower the flame and continue to heat on low flame for 25 minutes.
Turn off the stove and cool.
Remove the vessel from the cooker – the milk should have a nice sandal-wood color.
Add sugar and stir well.
Add condensed milk and mix well.
Serve chilled.

Tips
The payasam will thicken after some time, so be patient and allow some time for that.
Since condensed milk is also an ingredient, you can use cow's milk for the payasam - it will give a nice sandalwood color.
In case you are not using condensed milk, use whole milk. Also add double the quantity of sugar.
© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.

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