Pal Payasam/ Rice kheer/ Rice pudding

Wishing all Tamilians a Happy New Year and all Keralites a happy Vishu! I am so glad that finally I have published the  Pal payasam recipe. You may be wondering as to what’s the big idea?
Actually pal payasam was supposed to be the first post on my blog . But for some reason, this post has been sitting in the drafts section since December 2010. I never clicked the pictures and got going on this post although I may have made pal payasam so many times after that…really don’t know why? maybe it was waiting for this particular special day of 2012!

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Pal Paysam is a south Indian sweet dish made of milk, rice and sugar. You can also call it rice kheer or rice pudding. It is one dish which cannot be skipped on  special occasions and festivities.
In the traditional stove top method, the milk is boiled and then the rice is added. When rice is cooked sugar is stirred it. You have to then simmer it and continuously stir it atleast for an hour until the entire milk is reduced to almost half and you get the light pink color.

I make my pal payasam in the pressure cooker using the following procedure:
Ingredients:

• 1 liter milk
• 1 cup sugar (preferably light brown)
• 3 tablespoons long grain rice (preferably red/ brown)

Method:

• • Boil 1 liter of milk and transfer it into the pressure cooker. 

• • Wash 3 tablespoons of long grained rice and mix it with the milk. Add 1 cup sugar and close the lid of the pressure cooker and  place the whistle when it starts letting out  steam.

• • Simmer the gas and cook for about 40-45 minutes.The rice will be cooked and the milk would have taken a pinkish shade. For getting better on the pinkish shade use red or brown rice variety . Also using light brown sugar helps enhance this color.
  • Let the payasam cool in the cooker itself for atleast an hour. This brings out the best taste and color.

• The authentic pal payasam is just rice, milk and sugar and needs no additional garnishing.You may choose to add nuts/ raisins if you wish to.