Coorgi Payasam
Veg
Vegan
Rice pudding in coconut milk — Coorgi's aromatic Jeerige (Kaima) short-grain rice cooked slowly in fresh coconut milk with jaggery and cardamom until thick and creamy. The jaggery gives a darker, more caramel-like sweetness than sugar-based payasam, and the local rice's natural fragrance gives this pudding a distinctive floral note. Made at every festival and feast.
Cuisines
Coorgi
Best for
Dinner
Snacks
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1/4 cup | moong dal |
| 1/4 cup | jaggery |
| 2 cups | coconut milk |
| 1 cup | water |
| 2 tablespoons | ghee |
| 1/4 teaspoon | cardamom powder |
| 1 tablespoon | cashew nuts |
| 1 tablespoon | raisins |
| — | pinch of salt |
Instructions
- 1 Wash the moong dal thoroughly and drain.
- 2 In a heavy-bottomed pan, add the ghee and roast the moong dal on low heat until it turns golden brown.
- 3 Add 1 cup of water to the roasted moong dal and cook until the dal is soft and mushy.
- 4 Add the jaggery to the cooked dal and stir until it dissolves completely.
- 5 Pour in the coconut milk and mix well. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- 6 Add the cardamom powder and a pinch of salt, stirring to combine.
- 7 In a small pan, heat a little ghee and fry the cashew nuts and raisins until golden. Add them to the payasam.
- 8 Simmer the payasam for a few more minutes, then remove from heat.
Tips
For a richer flavor, use freshly extracted coconut milk.