Aval Payasam - Tamizh Puthandu Vazhthukal!

Wishing all my readers a very happy tamil new year!!

The best part of tamil new year is the custom of arranging jewels, fruits, money in front of a mirror overnight and early morning the first thing we see is all the arranged things through the mirror. And thats how we start the tamil new year day followed by a hearty meal with sambar, kootu,poriyal, vadai and payasam. :)

Aval Paysam Recipe:

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Aval - 1 cup (thick/thin variety) - I used thick here
• Milk - 2.5 cups
• Powdered Jaggery - 1/4 cup
• Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp grated (optional)
• Elachi powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cashews broken - 1/2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat ghee and fry the cashews till golden brown and keep aside.In the remaining ghee roast coconut until slightly browned and keep aside.
2. Soak aval in water for 5-7mins or until the aval becomes soft. Drain water and keep aside.
3. Heat milk in a non stick/heavy bottomed pan and simmer for 5 mins. By now the milk would have become slightly thick.
4. Now add powdered jaggery, elachi powder and mix until jaggery is well combined.Now add coconut , mix well.
5. Then add aval and simmer for another 5mins. Garnish with cashews and switch off. Serve hot or cold.

My Notes:

• I used thick aval so soaking for 5-7 mins was required. If you use thin variety then soak only for 3-5 mins else it will become mushy.
• This payasam becomes thick after sometime so take it off in a running consistency. Add milk at the time of serving if required.
• You can add 1 tbsp of condensed milk to make this payasam even more rich and creamy.

This payasam is quite easy especially during the festival times when we have loads of work in the kitchen. It comes handy when we have the craving for payasam during regular days.

Wishing you all, the best in this tamil varudapirappu and always. See you all soon on Monday with another recipe from my kitchen :)