Milk Payasam / Kheer

A very very special dish which we prepare for all auspicious occasions and functions is Kheer or Payasam. After many trials and errors, finally I learnt to do Payasam with great effort. I would like to give a special thanks to my Manni, Mrs. Latha Anandhan, for guiding me in this learning process. I'm very glad to share the recipe with all my friends.

Ingredients

Milk – 2 litres

Basmathi Rice - 1/4 kg

Sugar – ½ kg

Khoa – 100 g (with or without sugar)

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Badam seeds – 100g

Cashew nuts – 50g

Raisins – 50g

Cardamom powder – 2tsp

Poppy seeds / Khus Khus – 1tsp

Method

Soak Basmathi rice in water for 30 minutes.

Soak Badam seeds in hot water for 30 minutes and remove the skin.

Boil the milk and keep aside.

Take peeled badam seeds, khoa, poppy seeds and grind it into a fine paste with little milk and keep aside.

In a deep, thick bottomed pan cook the soaked basmathi rice with water in low flame. Add required water. Check frequently for, it will not catch to the pan in the bottom.

When it is finely cooked, add boiled milk to it and stir well. Continue cooking in low flame. Milk must blend to the rice and it will reduce in quantity. (This stage is very important.)

Now the milk mixed rice will be thicker.

Add Sugar, stir well and continue cooking.

When the sugar dissolves in the mix, it will become thinner. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Check frequently for, it will not catch to the pan in the bottom.

Now add the badam-khoa paste to the mix and stir well. Continue cooking. Check frequently for, it will not catch to the pan in the bottom.

The mixture will come to a continuous boiling and it will be thicker now.  We can feel the good aroma of the payasam. Turn off the stove.

Add cardamom powder.

Heat ghee in a separate pan. Fry cashew nuts and raisins till golden brown and add to Payasam.

Serve hot or cold, as per your wish.

To make it more delicious:

We can add Milkmaid/fresh cream after adding the badam-khoa paste.