Akki Payasa
Karnataka rice milk payasam — short-grain raw rice fried in ghee until opaque, then cooked in full-fat milk with jaggery and coconut milk until the rice breaks down completely and the liquid reduces to a thick, ivory-golden payasam fragrant with cardamom and a pinch of dry ginger powder. Cashews and raisins fried in ghee are added at the end. The combination of both cow's milk and coconut milk — a specifically Karnataka Brahmin approach — gives the akki payasa a richer, more layered sweetness than the pure milk-based paal payasam of Tamil Nadu; the coconut milk provides tropical sweetness and the jaggery provides caramel depth. Made for the Udupi temple's Mangala Deepa Pooja, Krishna Janmashtami, and all major Brahmin festivals. The payasam is offered in the Krishna Math temple after evening worship.
Cuisines
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Recipe
Ingredients
|
1/4 cup | Basmati rice |
|
1 liter | Milk , full-fat |
|
1/2 cup | Jaggery , grated |
|
2 tablespoons | Ghee |
|
1/4 teaspoon | Cardamom , powder |
|
2 tablespoons | Cashew , nuts |
|
2 tablespoons | Raisin |
|
1 pinch | Saffron , strands |
|
— | Water , as needed |
Instructions
- 1 Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 30 minutes.
- 2 Drain the rice and set aside.
- 3 In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring the milk to a boil.
- 4 Add the soaked and drained rice to the boiling milk.
- 5 Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice is soft and cooked through.
- 6 Add the grated jaggery to the cooked rice and milk mixture, stirring until it dissolves completely.
- 7 In a small pan, heat ghee and fry the cashew nuts until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- 8 In the same ghee, fry the raisins until they puff up. Remove and set aside.
- 9 Add cardamom powder and saffron strands to the payasa, stirring well.
- 10 Garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins before serving.
Tips
For a richer flavor, use freshly grated coconut milk along with regular milk.