Paal Payasam - Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of rice - Soak the rice for 30 minutes to have a softer texture.

• 1-liter full-fat milk for creamy payasam. The fattier the milk, the creamier the dish!

• 4 tablespoons sugar

• 1 tablespoon ghee

• Cashew nuts, raisins, and 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder for garnishing

Instructions

• Boil the milk and place it aside.

• Sauté cashews and raisins in ghee and place it aside. Ensure to break the cashews and add the cashews before the raisins, as raisins get cooked faster.

• Place a Kadai with a thick bottom on medium heat. Add the ghee.

• When the ghee melts, add the rice grains.

• Keep stirring the rice until a nice aroma emerges. This should take about 45 seconds on medium heat.

• Add the milk to the rice now and stir the mix. Once the milk boils, bring down the flame to low.

• Ensure to keep stirring so that the mix does not get burnt.

• Keep stirring till the rice cooks to a soft texture. You will notice 'Paal aadai' on the sides of the Kadai, keep mixing it with the center.

• For faster cooking of the rice, you can place a lid on the Kadai, however, the milk may ooze out from the Kadai, hence be sure to be near the stove for this. If you have the time cook the rice without a lid and keep stirring continually.

• Once the rice is well-cooked (you can check by tasting a sample or smashing it with your fingers), add sugar, and keep stirring to ensure it gets mixed well.

• Once the rice grains are cooked well, add sugar. Stir so that the sugar is dissolved. If required, the rice can be smashed with a beater or a spatula (when hot) to blend well with the milk.

• Add the sautéed cashews and raisins as garnish.

• Allow the mix to simmer for 10 to 12 minutes to a thick consistency. You can serve with additional milk as preferred to keep the Payasam as a thick mix or a drink.

• You can serve the Payasam hot or cold per taste preferences.