Aval Payasam - Aval Payasam with jaggery

                                    

This post explains one of the easiest payasam varieties to make - aval payasam with jaggery. This is one of the quickest recipes to make for any occasion.

As aval takes lesser time to cook, this can be prepared very easily and in a short span of time and is a perfect choice to offer as neivedhyam on festival days.

Aval Payasam with Jaggery

Serves - 2 to 3 people

Ingredients

• Aval(Poha/Rice flakes) - 1/2 cup
• Jaggery -  1/4 cup + 1 tbsp
• Water - 1 cup
• Milk  -  1 cup 
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp or 2 cardamom pods powdered
• Cashew - few pieces
• Ghee -  1 tbsp

Method

1. Heat jaggery with 1 cup water until it melts. No need to check for any consistency. Strain to remove impurities. Keep aside to bring it to room temperature.
2. Boil milk. 
3. In a pan, add 1 tsp ghee and roast the cashews until golden brown and keep aside.
4. In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tsp ghee and fry the aval in low flame until the raw smell goes and it leaves a nice aroma. This takes roughly about 5 to 8 minutes for the given quantity. Do it in low flame with continuous stirring, else it will brown quickly.
5. Add the boiled milk and cook the aval in medium flame until it becomes soft. Depending on the type of aval, the cooking time varies.
6. Once the aval is cooked, add the cardamom powder and mix well. Switch off the stove.
7. Once the jaggery water comes to room temperature, add it to the milk + aval mixture along with the fried cashews. Mix well. 
8. Serve hot or cold. Both taste great. Once it cools down, the payasam thickens. So add milk later to bring it to the required consistency.

                                     

                                    

                                    

                                    

 

 

Notes

• I have used thick variety of aval here. You can use any variety of aval.
• Do not mix jaggery and milk when both are very hot as it curdles the mixture. So I always boil jaggery, strain and keep it aside and then add it to the aval-milk mixture once it is at room temperature.
• The payasam thickens with time. So add milk accordingly. Even the thicker version tastes yummy like a kheer😋

Try this quick and easy to make payasam for any occasion!!