Aval Payasam
Beaten rice (poha) payasam — thick poha (aval/flattened rice) rinsed, drained, and simmered in full-fat milk with jaggery and cardamom until the poha dissolves partially and the milk thickens to a lightly grainy, golden-coloured payasam. Finished with a few cashews and raisins fried in ghee. Quicker to make than rice payasam (no long-grain reduction required) and lighter than semiya payasam; the beaten rice gives the payasam a subtle texture — not fully liquid, not fully solid — and the jaggery a deeper sweetness than refined sugar. Made for Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami), Rama Navami, and other Vaishnava festivals when it is offered as prasadam along with other sweet preparations.
Cuisines
Best for
Recipe
Ingredients
| 1 cup | aval (flattened rice or poha) |
| 1 cup | jaggery |
| 2 cups | water |
| 1 cup | coconut milk |
| 2 tablespoons | ghee |
| 10 | cashew nuts |
| 10 | raisins |
| 1/4 teaspoon | cardamom powder |
| 1 pinch | salt |
Instructions
- 1 Rinse the aval (flattened rice) in water and drain it. Set aside.
- 2 In a pan, add 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
- 3 Add the jaggery to the boiling water and stir until it dissolves completely. Strain to remove impurities if necessary.
- 4 Add the rinsed aval to the jaggery syrup and cook on a low flame until the aval becomes soft and absorbs the syrup.
- 5 In a separate pan, heat ghee and fry the cashew nuts until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- 6 In the same ghee, fry the raisins until they puff up. Remove and set aside.
- 7 Add the coconut milk to the cooked aval and mix well. Cook for another 2-3 minutes on low heat.
- 8 Add the cardamom powder and a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor.
- 9 Garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins before serving.
Tips
For a richer taste, use thick coconut milk and adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of jaggery.