Easy Recipes

Payasam: a delicious Indian dessert made with Basmati rice

Rice pudding is one of people’s favorite desserts, since it is easy to prepare and satisfies the most demanding palates.

Indian Payasam or Kheer is a sort of rice pudding, so if you want to enjoy a delicious dessert to surprise your family, this preparation is a good option to enjoy at home.

Rice sweetness

There are numerous desserts that are prepared with that grain, such as rice with coconut and almonds, horchata ice cream, rice with mango, inflated rice, rice cake with chocolate and nuts, and many others. Definitely, rice is a very versatile ingredient to prepare sweet dishes.

However, one of the most delicious and popular is rice pudding and following a recipe, such as the rice with milk Arroz con Leche Recipe with Basmati Rice | Mahatma® Rice, you can prepare it easily and quickly at home, without having to be a cook expert.

The Indian version

A traditional south eastern India pudding is also made with milk and rice, so it is also considered a variation of this worldwide popular dessert that is worth knowing to experience the cuisine of another country.

It is known as Payasam or Kheer, and Indian people, just to get different combinations of flavors, frequently add to it other ingredients, such as cardamom powder, nutmeg, rose water, kewra water, blanched almonds, raisins, or chopped pistachios.

Dessert is often served at religious festivals in India, to celebrate new beginnings with a sweet touch, although it can be eaten at any time of the year. It can also be decorated with pistachios and glazed cherries to give it a very striking appearance.

Here are the ingredients and method of preparation for you to try this Southern India version of Payasam.

It can be prepared in 10 minutes and cooked in 30 minutes, so in a mere 40 minutes you’ll have this delightful dessert ready. Besides, you’ll find all of the ingredients in stores.

Ingredients

  • A cup of rice, can be long, short, raw or basmati grain, any option guarantees an incredible result.
  • Four cups of whole milk.
  • A spoonful of ghee or clarified butter.
  • ¼ cup of sugar.

Method of preparation

  1. The first thing to do is rinse the rice with cold water, spread it on a paper towel and let it dry, then keep it aside.
  2. Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a deep skillet, then pour the rice and sauté for about two minutes, after this time add the milk and bring it to a boil.
  3. Once the milk is about to boil, add the sugar, lower the heat and let cook.
  4. For the next 3 to 5 minutes stir occasionally until the rice becomes creamy.
  5. When ready, Payasam starts to acquire a creamy texture, and the milk reduces to half its volume, which can take about 15 minutes. At this point, you must remove it from the heat.
  6. You can decorate it with nuts, raisins or cherries, and serve cold or hot.

With just a few ingredients and following these steps, you can prepare this delicious dessert easily and quickly to enjoy a typical Indian dish.

Things to bear in mind when cooking Payasam

There are some recommendations that can help achieve a better result in the preparation of the Payasam, and get a delicious dessert without having too much experience in the kitchen.

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  • Don’t forget to stir the rice once in a while, this way you avoid milk and rice sticking to the bottom of the pan, or the formation of lumps.
  • You may choose red rice for this recipe if you want, but it would be better to use a pressure cooker. Once you hear it whistling, reduce the heat and let the rice cook for about 7 minutes. The pot should have enough water.
  • You can also use brown sugar in the preparation of this dessert. Flavor will be just as good. 
  • Likewise, the Payasam is amazing even if other ingredients, such as the above mentioned, are not added. So enjoying it without nuts or other flavoring is a delight worth it.

Making this delicious and curious dish is easier than you think, you won’t have to be a great cook to prepare it.

Philip Okoye
the authorPhilip Okoye
Your favorite recipe author, faithful to every course. Mail me at chef@foodwellsaid.com

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