Aval Payasam Recipe

Aval Payasam recipe / Aval Kheer / Poha Payasam / Poha Kheer Recipe / Atukula Payasam recipe / Rice Flakes Payasam / South Indian Style Payasam / Festive Recipes / Neivedyam / Naivedyam Recipes / How to make Aval Payasam? 

Payasam is an integral part of traditional South Indian meal. It is primarily prepared with milk & sugar with the addition of either rice, vermicelli, tapioca or wheat. Payasam is served as an offering to the Gods in temples, served as a dessert in marriages, prepared during festive occasions- offered as neivedhyam. It is also made in homes for simple poojas, like amma makes it for krithigai days, she usually makes it with coconut milk and jaggery. My version here is even simple -just made with aval, milk and sugar.  Making payasam with aval is very easy and simple, takes less than 20 minutes. இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துகள் !

Heat about 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan and start toasting the cashews and raisins. Once done, remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan add the remaining ghee and toast the aval/ poha / flattened rice / rice flakes until slightly golden. Remove from pan and keep aside. Meanwhile start heating the milk in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. (I’ve used full cream milk) Bring it to a boil and simmer until it thicken a bit(not necessary to thicken if you have thick full cream milk).

When it starts boiling, add the cardamom powder, followed by the roasted aval. Let the aval cook for few minutes. (about 3-4 minutes for thin aval, about 5 minutes for thick aval) Once it gets cooked and becomes soft, add sugar and garnish with the roasted raisins and cashew nuts. Add few strands for saffron at this stage and switch off. Serve warm or cold.

Notes:

• This recipe yields about 2 cups of payasam approx.
• You may add jaggery instead of regular white sugar.
• Ground coconut paste can be added at the end for variations.
• Aval gets soaked up after a while and drinks up all the milk. If you are serving this payasams after a while, then add some plain milk to it and warm it up to bring it to the right consistency.
• Adding saffron is optional.