Kitchen Corner-Try It

10 Delicious Kerala Sadhya Payasam/ Pradhaman- Vishu and Onam Sadhya Tomorrow Malayalees around the world will be celebrating Vishu/ Kerala New year. So this is the perfect time to share some Sadhya recipes. Sadhya is a hearty meal, a vegetarian feast made on festive occasions. It is served, on a banana leaf with rice, pickles, chips, and curries ranging from mild yogurt and lentil curries to more spicy vegetable curries. But this post is dedicated entirely to the delightful treat/ dessert. Payasams are festive puddings served at the end of the Sadhya/ feast. Pradhaman/ payasam is made on all festive occasions like Vishu, Onam , Diwali, etc. If you love desserts here, are ten Kerala-style puddings for you to try. Payasam and pradhaman are both desserts or puddings, but when it comes to making pradhaman, there is a time-honored cooking technique. Payasam is easier to make but, pradhaman is time-consuming. It is cooked and reduced, and then cooked again- sort of double cooking which add...

Ragi Semiya Caramel Payasam Today's recipe is a sweet payasam, a dessert with the goodness of finger millet/ragi.It is a healthy treat for your taste buds.When ever its time for a celebration or festival I make semiya payasam because it is the easiest and also my favorite.I never tried ragi semiya before so was excited to try this payasam for Vishu Sadya. As you know malayalee sadhya is not complete without payasam/dessert served towards the end feast.Ragi semiya caramel payasam is enticing and luscious milk and caramel sugar payasam. Ragi or finger millet is famous for its nutritional value,it is high in iron and calcium and a good source of fiber. My mom and grandmother always made sure to incorporate ragi to our diet on a weekly basis. My favorite was ragi halwa and ragi puttu. But looking into my blog,I realized that I have rarely posted anything with ragi. Finger millet/ragi is very healthy and if you are looking for some healthy options,try incorporating it in your d...

Lychee Cashew Nut Payasam Payasam is very popular dessert in Kerala and is made on every special occasions.Payasam is a very satisfying dessert and there are several varieties of payasam. This is a flavorful fruit and nut payasam. It is made with lychee fruit and cashew milk. Lychee is a summer fruit and  is very flavorful, and has a beautiful texture, soft ,translucent and sweet. You can buy cashew milk from the supermarket. I used Silk Creamy Cashew Milk. In addition sago pearls gives this pudding/payasam the desired creamy consistency. You can substitute it with rice or ada.Try this you will surely love it. Ingredients Chopped lychee-1 1/2 cup Cashew Milk- 2 1/2 cup Condensed milk- 3/4 cup Cashew nut (to make a paste)- 10-12 Sago pearls/ chowari-1/2 cup Sugar-3 tbs Chopped cashew nuts- 8-10 Raisins- a few Crushed cardamom-3-4 Ghee-2 tsp First step is to cook the sago. In a heavy bottom pan add 5-6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the sago pearls...

Kadachakka Payasam Kadachakka/ breadfruit payasam is a quick dessert . You can make this with coconut milk and jaggery or with sugar.This is my mom's recipe. Here I have used sago pearls along with bread fruit to make this payasam. My mom some times makes it with small rice dumpling called kozhukatta.Give this recipe a try, you will surely love it. Ingredients Bread fruit sliced- 3 cup Sago pearls/ chowari-1/2 cup Thick coconut milk- 1 1/2 cup Thin coconut milk- 3/4 cup Powdered jaggery- 1 cup (Adjust according to sweetness you prefer) Water- 3/4 cup Cardamom crushed- 5-6 Chukku/dry ginger powder- a pinch (optional) Sliced coconut- 3 tbs Raisins and cashew nuts- a few Ghee- 2 tbs   To cook the sago boil 5-6 cups of water. Add the chowari and allow it to boil for two to three minutes, drain and add fresh batch of boiling water (again 5-6 cups) and continue cooking till it is clear and translucent.  Strain and run under cold running water and set a...

Elaneer Rose Payasam/ Rose Tender Coconut Payasam  Elaneer payasam is made with young tender coconut water. Elaneer is refreshing and sweet in its own. Tender coconut meat will be soft and jelly like and can be scooped with a spoon. This payasam is made extra flavorful with the addition of rose petals. You can use tulasi leaves instead of rose  petals.Sago pearls is also added and helps thickening up puddings Try this, you will surely love it. Ingredients Tender coconut meat - 1 cup Tender coconut water- 1 1/2 cup Milk- 1 1/2 cup Condensed milk- 1/2 tin Sago pearls/ chowari-1/2 cup Sugar- 2 tbs Rose petals - course paste- 1 tbs Rose water- a few drops Chopped cashew nuts- 8-10 Crushed cardamom- 2-3 First step is to cook the sago. In a heavy bottom pan add 5-6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the chowari and allow it to boil for two to three minutes, drain and add fresh batch of boiling water (again 5-6 cups) and continue cooking till ...

Karikku Payasam/Tender Coconut Payasam Tender Coconut/karikku is a favorite among Malayalees. The water of tender coconut  is refreshing and is a thirst quencher on hot summer days. It is available year around and is used to make several tasty desserts and puddings. Karikku payasam is a simple and quick dessert made with the fleshy meat of the tender coconut along with coconut milk and jaggery. Try this you will surely love it. Ingredients Karikku/Tender coconut meat- 1 cup Tender coconut water- 1 cup Thick coconut milk- 1 cup Powdered jaggery- 3/4 cup (Adjust according to sweetness you prefer) Water- 3/4 cup Cardamom crushed- 5-6 Raisins and cashew nuts- a few Ghee- 2 tsp In a heavy bottom pan bring 3/4 cup of water and jaggery to a boil. Simmer till it is completely dissolved.Strain the impurities and return to the stove and allow to thicken. Cook tender coconut meat in coconut water till it becomes soft (note if it is too tender you can skip this...

Kadala Pradhaman/Kadalaparippu Pradhaman Kadala parippu or channa dal payasam is a traditional payasam made on special occasions like Onam and Vishu . This payasam is also an integral part of Kerala wedding feast.I made this payasam for Vishu sadhya. Parippu payasam sounds simple but believe me, it looks and taste exotic with an enticing flavor. Kadala parippu is cooked in coconut milk and jaggery and flavored with cardamom,roasted cumin, dry ginger powder and ghee.If you like you can also add chowari/cooked tapioca pearls. Try this,you will surely love it Ingredients  Channa Dal/kadala parippu- 1 cup Jaggery  powdered- 1 1/3 cup Ghee- 3 tbs Thick coconut milk- 1 1/2 cup Thin coconut milk- 3 cups Cashew nuts and raisins- a few Chopped coconut slices- 2 tbs Dry ginger powder- 1/2 tsp Roasted cumin powder- a pinch (optional) Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp First step is to cook the channa dal. You can pressure cook it till soft ( 3-4) whistles. If the is exc...

Ari Sharkara Payasam Do you like puddings with rice? Today's recipe is an old-fashioned delicious dessert/pudding with rice and jaggery. I love puddings with rice because it is a simple, homey dessert and is easy to make. Rice payasam with jaggery tastes delicious. Unlike refined sugar, jaggery is often used in traditional recipes as a sweetener to make snacks and desserts. Jaggery adds a rich molasses taste, and its color can vary from golden brown to dark brown. For this Ari sharkara payasam/ rice jaggery payasam, it is preferable to use the dark jaggery. Rice is a staple in South India, and pudding with rice is very common. Rice has a divine appeal to it, and rice payasam is a cherished offering of South Indian temples. Ari sharkara payasam is a quick and simple dessert/pudding. Rice, coconut milk, ghee, and jaggery/molasses together makes a unique and tasty dessert. It has a beautiful texture, soft and moist, and almost melting in ghee along with the creamy taste of coc...

Paal Ada Mambazham Payasam Payasam is very popular dessert in Kerala and is made on every special occasions. This recipe is a tweak to the traditional paal ada pradhaman by adding mango puree. You can buy paalada from Indian grocery store,it is available in dehydrated form. Try this creamy and flavorful fruit payasam, you will surely love it Ingredients Palada - 100 grams Mango puree- 2 cups Milk-3 cups Condensed milk- 1 ( 14 ounce container)  Sugar- 2-3 tbs Cardamon powder- 1/2 tsp Cashew nuts and raisins for garnish. ghee- 2 tsp  Heat one tsp ghee in a pan and add mango puree. Cook this in medium flame till the puree thickens. Add 3 tbs of sugar and continue cooking till it thicken and starts leaving the edges of the pan. Allow this to cool down a bit and stir in the condensed milk. Set this aside. Wash palada and strain it. Add one tsp of ghee in a heavy bottom pan and lightly roast the ada for a minute. Add 3 cups of milk and allow it boil. Reduc...

Chowari/ Sago Pearls Payasam/ Pudding Payasam is very important for Onam Sadhya. It is a delightful treat/ dessert served at the end of the Sadhya/ feast. Today's payasam/pudding is sugary, creamy rich, a dessert made with lots of milk. I think few could resist a warm bowl of payasam to end a  hearty meal.  If you like pal payasam and semiya payasam, you will surely love this payasam too. The payasam has milk and chowari/sago pearls/ tapioca pearls. Have you tried making desserts with sago pearls? They are soft and delicate with a slightly chewy texture and helps thicken puddings. These beautiful white pearls are a must-have in my pantry. I use them for breakfast, snacks, salads, and desserts. The payasam is easy to make and truly delectable. It is perfect for any festive occasion.   Chowari payasam is gently laced with the flavor of ghee and cardamom. Cashew nuts and raisins and fried in ghee/ clarified butter and used as a garnish. The trick to make a perfect sago pa...

Aval Sharkara Payasam Aval Sharkara payasam is quick and simple payasam/pudding. It is made with rice flakes/beaten rice and jaggery and coconut milk. Earlier I posted aval milk payasam.This is yet another yummy version. Give this recipe a try,you will surely love it. Ingredients Aval (Beaten red rice)- 1 1/2cup Jaggery ( powdered)-250 grams (Adjust according to sweetness you prefer) Coconut milk thick- 1 1/2 cup Coconut milk thin- 2 cup Cardamon crushed- 5-6 Raisins and cashew nuts- a few Ghee- 3 tsp Place aval in a strainer and rinse under running water, strain and keep aside. Add jaggery in a heavy bottom pan, add 1 1/2 cup of water  and bring to a boil.Strain the impurities and bring it back to boil. Allow this to reduce and become a thick syrup. In a separate pan heat ghee in a pan and roast the aval/rice flakes till it becomes crisp. Add thin coconut milk and cook  till aval become soft.Pour the jaggery and crushed cardamom allow the pay...

Pineapple Payasam Desserts/payasam are part of every celebration and festive occasion in Kerala. There are different verities of payasams, but let me talk about some fruit payasams that are my absolute favorites. I must confess that a perfect fruit payasams we need patience, but the result is an exotic and extremely appetizing dessert.Chakka/Jack fruit, pazham/ plantain and mambazhayam/mango payasam/pradhaman are among the best of fruit payasams.  Pineapple pradhaman /payasam was new to me. I tried this for the first time at my cousins wedding. It was yellow in color and I am sure was made with sugar.It was a payasam to die for, extremely flavorful and sweet. I wanted to try a home made version of pineapple payasam and opted jaggery instead of sugar. This was part of our Vishu Sadhya ( Malayali New Year) and it was yummy. I read once that pineapple takes longer time to cook and for curries its flavor is best when it is cooked and mushy. So make sure you cook this down real...

Neipayasam/Sharkara payasam Today's recipe is a delicious sweet/pudding with rice. Rice payasam is comforting and has a divine appeal to it, and sweet rice puddings are often associated with the temples.Nei payasam/ Aravana payasam/ Kadum Payasam is a cherished offering of Kerala temples. For many Malayalees, when they think of Prasadam, the first image would be Aravana payasam. It is a sure treat for all those with a sweet tooth. It has a richness and unique taste that is magical! Now I warn you, this dessert is quite addictive, but it is calorie-rich and extremely sweet. It is also called Kadum Mathura payasam because of its sweetness.  My memories of having the tastiest Nei Payasam/ aravana payasam is when my dad or my cousins go on their yearly pilgrimage to Sabarimala temple and bring home  Aravana prasadam in canned tins. This payasam has a long shelf life and there is a time-honored technique in making Nei payasam. This is my humble attempt to try to recreate th...