Any South Indian meal served on occasions start with a sweet which is usually any 'Paysam'. This is served on the right hand bottom of the banana leaf. There are various types of payasam which are made but the most traditional and easy to make payasam is 'Paal Payasam'. 'Paal' means 'Milk' and 'Payasam' means 'kheer'. My mom makes wonderful paal payasam in no time and avoids all the hassle of keeping it on fire and stirring it constantly by using our very own Indian cooker. I share here my recipe for Paal Payasam
Paal Payasam
Milk - 1 Lt (use full cream milk for better result)
Sugar - 1 small cup
Rice - 1 hand full
Saffron - 2-3 strands (optional)
1. Wash rice till water is clear. Soak it for 10 min in water
2. Drain the water and crush the rice with hand. By doing this, rice grains are broken into two and the payasam becomes thicker
3. Boil the milk and keep aside
4. Mix the broken rice and sugar to the milk and stir until sugar dissolves
5. Keep the vessel in cooker. Let the cooker be in High flame
6. Once the steam comes place the weight in the cooker
7. After the first whistle, bring the fire to low flame and leave the cooker for 20-30 min in low flame
8. Switch off. DO NOT open the cooker until the steam is settled
9. Keep the Payasam on fire, add saffron and boil for 10-15 min or until the payasam thicken
10. Yummy paal payasam is ready
Making it in cooker gives a wonderful colour to the payasam and a great taste too. Do try this method. Btw, Hawkins cooker is the best for making payasam. I do not know why but it gives a great colour to it.
In Palakkad cooking 'kai kutu rice' is used. Only half the quantity of rice proposition is required if this rice variety is used. It is the best for making payasam. You can get this variety of rice in all grocery shops in Kerala and try asking them is specialised Kerala store around your place. Will post the name of the shop in Bangalore where this kind of rice is available.
