Here are some quick and delectable payasams to round off the Vishu sadya ..Choose from the indispensable traditional temple-style pal payasam or try the new caramel version, the fatless date avatar and finally a super - surprise Vishkaineettam payasam for kids.
Traditional Paal Payasam
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Fresh cow's milk - 1 litre
Sugar - 500 gm
Nellukuthiya ari or onakkal Ari - 1 cup
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Venna (homemade churned butter), if not, unsalted butter - the size of a gooseberry
Method
This is the type of payasam that is made in traditional temples. Boil rice in a pan of water till three-quarters cooked. Now, add half litre of milk. When the rice is completely cooked, add the sugar. Reduce the flame. Stir well. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the remaining milk and boil for five to ten minutes. Remove from heat. Add a dollop of fresh, churned homemade butter called venna. You can also use unsalted butter. Stir well. Though traditionally, no ingredients were used to flavour, you may add 25 gm raisins (kismis) and cashews lightly roasted in ghee.
Mambazha Payasam
Ingredients
Sweet mangoes, Mangalorean or Alphonso variety - 4, medium-sized, sweet and ripe
Sweet mango juice - Freshly squeezed from 2-3 mangoes
Jaggery syrup - 4 cups
Freshly squeezed coconut milk (slightly loose) , or fresh cow's milk - 500 ml
Method
Clean and ensure that the mangoes are sweet and not infested. Remove just the outer peel, leaving maximum flesh intact with the stone in ball form. In two cups boiled water, add the mangoes, the mango juice and cook for fifteen minutes. If it thickens too much , you can add two cups of boiled water. Reduce the flame. Add jaggery syrup. Simmer for ten minutes, stirring constantly. Now, add fresh coconut milk, if not cow's milk. Simmer for five minutes. Take off from heat. Cool and ladle the mango payasam with a stone into each serving bowl. Serve after Vishu sadya.
Caramel Carrot Payasam
Ingredients
Carrot - 4, julienned
Milk - 4 cups
Sugar - 2 cup
Ghee/ clarified butter - 2tsp
Milk powder - 2 heaped tsp
Dry fruits - 1 tbsp
Method
Combine the carrots and milk to a smooth paste in the processor or mixer. In a dry, non-stick pan, place the sugar. Scatter the sugar evenly across the pan while keeping the flame on high.
In a few minutes, the sugar starts to melt. Using a wooden ladle, stir it through, maintaining the heat until it is transformed into caramel syrup. Keep on the adjoining unlit burner, as soon as it turns light golden. Stir well.
Add the ghee and stir. Pour in the carrot milk and stir for 5 minutes. Keep stirring until everything is fully dissolved. Now add the milk powder (your preferred brand) . Cook for another minute. Garnish with dry fruits.
Serve warm.
Date Caramel Payasam (Fatless)
Ingredients
Milk - 4 cups
Sugar - 2 cups
Boiled water - 1 cup
Dates - 10 no, deseeded
Rock sugar (Kalkandam)- 1 tbsp, crushed.
Method
In a flat, non-stick pan, heat the sugar. Once it melts into caramel syrup, stir well; keep it on the next burner (unlit). Pour in the water. Now, return it to the flame and stir until the liquid is absorbed . Now, puree the dates with some milk to a smooth paste. Pour in the date puree and the milk. Stir for 5 minutes. Once it thickens, pour into a serving dish.
Sprinkle kalkandam, rock sugar lumps, crushed and slivered almonds or pistachio for garnish.