Mysore Payasa

Karnataka-style rice or moong dal pudding — thin, fragrant, and coconut-forward compared to North Indian kheer. Cooked rice or split moong is simmered in fresh coconut milk and jaggery with cardamom and a few strands of saffron until the payasa is pourable and intensely fragrant. Made at Karnataka festivals, temple prasadams, and the final sweet course of a banana-leaf meal.