A malayali sadhya is one of the best feasts in the world and for good reason. Every Keralite will swear by the same. The sadhya is incredibly healthy while being the epitome of mouth-watering deliciousness. The star of the show is the dessert – payasam. There are numerous varieties of this dish and many more ways to eat it as well. However, the best of the lot is paalada payasam. Paalada payasam is always on the cravings list of most South Indians. The good news is that you can make it with ease at home!
What is Payasam?
Payasam or kheer is a unique Indian dessert which is primarily made up of milk, rice and sugar. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that it is derived from the word ‘payas’ which means milk. It is believed to have originated a thousand years back and, like all things ancient, has its very own legend or origin story. The legend goes that Lord Krishna took the form of a wise sage and challenged the Ruler of Ambalapuzha, a small province of South India located in present day Kerala. The story goes that the ruler accepted the challenge but the sage put forth a condition at that point – the ruler had to give the sage a grain of rice for every move the king made. The game commenced and at the end of it, there was a small mountain of rice that the king owed the sage. The sage then revealed his true identity to the king and said that every pilgrim who comes to the town to pray in Krishna’s temple should be offered milk and rice. This became the prasad of that temple and the tradition is followed even to this day. And thus, the payasam was born.
Milk, rice or rice products and sugar are a staple of payasam and the other ingredients are what’s used to cook the different variations of this dish. Among them, paalada payasam holds the elite status. Without further ado, let’s learn how to whip up this wonderful dessert.
Ingredients Required
Unlike other Indian desserts, paalada payasam only requires a handful of ingredients to prepare the dish. These include paalada (ada rice), cashew nuts, almonds, raisins, cardamom powder, sugar, milk and ghee (clarified butter). Condensed milk can also be included if a heavier and thicker consistency is preferred.
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Preparation Steps
The first step is to get the paalada ready. Open a packet of readymade paalada and leave it to soak for a quarter of an hour in warm water. There will be a noticeable increase in the size of the paalada pieces. When that happens, take it out of the warm water and rinse it with cold water a couple of times, preferably with the help of a sieve. Set the paalada aside for the time being.
Heat a saute pan over medium flame and add some ghee to it. Chop the cashews and almonds into small pieces. Add the raisins along with the chopped nuts into the pan and roast them. Once they become softer and turn a browner shade, transfer the nuts and raisins to a separate plate and set them aside. Add milk to the pan followed by sugar, cardamom powder and finally the paalada. Increase the flame to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Ensure to stir the contents of the pan continuously in order to prevent the paalada from sticking to the walls of the pan. Once the milk starts to boil and rise, reduce the heat and let the payasam mixture simmer for another 15 minutes. The condensed milk can be added at this point if required.
Turn off the heat once the paalada softens and let the payasam cool down naturally. Add additional sugar to taste. Transfer the payasam to a serving bowl and top it off with the chopped nuts and raisins that were put aside earlier. Et voila, the sweet and milky paalada payasam is ready to be served!
People of all ages enjoy the sweet taste of paalada payasam and a serving of this south indian dessert is a joyful treat in a traditional Keralite feast. There are various different ways to enjoy the payasam as well. Some prefer to do it the traditional way and like the paalada payasam to be served directly on the banana leaf from which they have eaten the sadhya. It is usually squished with bananas and crushed papads to complete the taste decks. Those with a modern outlook prefer it in a bowl and enjoy it like pudding. Either way, paalada payasam is simply the most wholesome dish that can make your day all the more better!