Nai Payasam

Nai Payasam....simply a divine concoction made with rice, fragrant Homemade Ghee | Clarified Butter, sweet Jaggery and dryfuits! A rich Payasam|Kheer that is sure to leave one licking their fingers!

This is my favourite Payasam and Amma always makes this on my star birthday! We make this Payasam on Thai Pongal as we love this to the normal Chakkara Pongal. Amma's Nai Payasam has a fan following of its own and people just love to get one spoonful of this! A spoonful is what must be relished keeping in mind the health quotient!

Ingredients:

200 gm Rice, raw

1 kg Gur | Jaggery, grated

1 cup Homemade Ghee | Clarified Butter, to be used as required

1 tblsp Coconut, cut into small pieces

1 tsp Elaichi | Cardamom Powder 

20 Raisins

10 Kaju | Cashewnut, broken into 4

Method:

• Pressure cook rice for 4 whistles. Rice to water ratio is 1 : 3. Once the pressure is released, remove the cooked rice and keep aside.
• In a non-stick pan add 2 tblsp ghee, grated jaggery and hot cooked rice. Mix well.
• Place the pan on gas on high flame for 2 minutes and then reduce it to low. Stir occasionally till the jaggery melts so that the cooked rice does not stick to form lumps.
• Once the jaggery melts, keep adding little bit of ghee in intervals while stirring continuously. Depending upon the quality of jaggery you may sometimes need to add the entire cup or sometimes less than that. You need to stir continuously for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• The consistency of the payasam is semni-solid. The ghee would be nicely amalgamated with the jaggery and rice. It should not seperate out.
• Once the Nai Payasam has reached the semi-solid consistency, switch off the gas.
• In a pan, heat 1 tsp ghee and add coconut pieces and roast till they change to a deep golden brown color. At this stage add raisins and cashews and saute for a minute.
• Pour this on the Nai Paysam.
• Add Elaichi powder and mix well.
• Transfer to serving bowl.
• After naivedhyam, serve hot.

Nai Payasam that is made in this method, lasts for more than a month without refrigeration...provided it is not gobbled up before that!

On Varalakshmi Puja day Amma makes this payasam and Paruppu Vadai...to eat this payasam along with a bite of the vada is simply delicious. You can enjoy this with Medu Vada also.

Wwe have used:
1. Kolhapur Jaggery, it should bot be salty, it should be deep golden colour
2. Small grain rice

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About C R Meena

(c) 2014 - 2016, Meena's Taste Mantra is the result of my ardent desire to share my recipes, with all who appreciate and celebrate food. These recipes are as a result of 60 years of cooking experience, influenced by tradition and exposure to various concepts, new recipes/ingredients and a passion for cooking - adapting to healthier alternatives.