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    Home » Recipes » Desserts and Sweets

    Indian Rice Pudding (Kerala Payasam)

    Published: Dec 17, 2019 · Modified: Jun 4, 2021 by Alonna

    Creamy, comforting, make-ahead, and pretty as a picture, Indian rice pudding will solve your sweet course. Topped with nuts of your choice for some crunch, this is a satisfying way to end a meal. 
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Indian Rice Pudding (Kerala Payasam) Beautifully garnised with nuts, raisins and saffron and ready to serve.
    Indian Rice Pudding (Kerala Payasam) Beautifully garnised with nuts, raisins and saffron and ready to serve.
    Creamy, comforting, make-ahead, and pretty as a picture, Indian rice pudding will solve your sweet course. Topped with nuts of your choice for some crunch, this is a satisfying way to end a meal.

    Make-Ahead

    Indian rice pudding is simple to make, though it takes some loving time and care to simmer the milk and rice together until tender. It needs frequent stirring, but in the end, you will have a profoundly creamy, comforting, glorious bowl of rice pudding. It is also easy and—very importantly—a make-ahead dessert. Double or triple the quantity, dress it up with garnishes and plop in the middle of the table so everyone can serve themselves. Add a pretty plate of cookies alongside, that you may or may not have made yourself, and the sweet course is sorted.

    Payasam or Kheer

    Rice pudding is a favorite, must-have dessert throughout India. Each region has their favorite ingredients and cooking methods. As I am working on an exploration of the food of Kerala at the moment, I present you with an enriched coconut dessert. In North India, rice pudding is called here, and in South India, it is called payasam. I am looking forward to comparing these puddings from state to state, starting with the basics of rice, a sweetener, and some milk.

    Your Indian Rice Pudding

    Keralan cooks often use dried mung/moong beans, tapioca, or vermicelli instead of rice for Kerala payasam. Or if rice is the choice, it might be the parboiled red rice of Kerala called matta rice or rosematta. Broken rice is also used, both of which cooks more quickly than regular rice. And jaggery, a homegrown unrefined sugar with a touch of caramel and smoke, is often the sugar of choice. Brown sugar is an easy substitute, and you can use that here if you prefer. Basmati is the rice I usually have on hand, so that is what I used. I find it cooks faster than other rice, but use the rice you like to cook with. Keep in mind, however, that cooking times may vary.

    Some other Indian-inspired puddings to make:

    • Mango mousse served in pretty jars garnished with mint and small cubes of mango
      Light & Airy Mango Mousse
    • Mango fruit custard served in small jars garnished with chopped pistachios and saffron.
      6-Ingredient Indian Mango Custard
    • Dished out into jars for individual servings garnished with berries, peanuts, and chocolate shavings.
      Vegan Chocolate Pudding Two Ways
    • Sweet & Creamy Chai Pudding - Served with a cloud of whipped cream and a shower of pistachios and candied rose petals.
      Sweet & Creamy Chai Pudding
    Indian Rice Pudding (Kerala Payasam) Beautifully garnised with nuts, raisins and saffron and ready to serve.

    Indian Rice Pudding (Kerala Payasam)

    Creamy, comforting, make-ahead, and pretty as a picture, Indian rice pudding will solve your sweet course. Topped with nuts of your choice for some crunch, this is a satisfying way to end a meal. 
    Print Pin Comment
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    0 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 479kcal
    Author: Alonna

    Ingrediants

    • 1/2 cup rice ~ I used basmati
    • 3 cups full-fat milk ~ If you soak the rice, start with 2 1/2 cups
    • 1 cup coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup sugar ~ Granulated or brown sugar or jaggery
    • 6 cardamom pods ~ 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
    • 2 tablespoons ghee ~ Or coconut oil if preferred, for garnishes
    • 1 tablespoon cashews ~ Optional
    • 1 tablespoon pistachios ~ Optional
    • 1 tablespoon raisins ~ Optional
    • 1 tablespoon flaked almonds ~ Optional
    • 1 tablepoon large coconut flakes ~ Optional
    • 1 pinch saffron ~ Optional
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    Instructions

    • Gather all your ingredients.
      Indian Rice Pudding (Kerala Payasam) All the ingredients gathered
    • Gently rinse the rice in a bowl filled with water to cover it. Rinse until the water is clear enough to see your hand.
    • If you want to shorten the cooking time, soak the rice you are using for 30 minutes. This not only shortens the cooking time, but you will need up to 1/2 cup less milk.
    • If using whole cardamom pods, coarsely crush them in a mortar and pestle. Remove the seeds, discard the shells and grind to a fine powder. You can also use a heavy pan or another heavy object to open the pods up and grind the spice. Skip this step if you are using ground cardamom.
    • In a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan pour in the milk, coconut milk, and the rice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and add the sugar and ground cardamom. Stir to melt the sugar. Cook until the rice is tender, not mushy, stirring frequently to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. This will take between 30 to 40 minutes if you have soaked the rice. If you haven't the cooking time will be between 1 hour and an hour and 20 minutes, depending on the rice you are using. Keep an eye on the pudding as it cooks, and add a little more milk if it is getting too thick.
    • Gather the garnishes you would like to use and while the rice is cooking, toast the nuts and raisins.
      Indian Rice Pudding (Kerala Payasam) the garnishes plated before their hot, buttery bath
    • If you are using a mix of nuts, start with the whole cashews and toast in a small pan over medium heat until they are starting to brown. This will take a couple of minutes. Add the almonds and toast another 2 more minutes. Finally, add the pistachios and raisins and sauté for another minute or two. The pistachios should just be warmed up and the raisins softened.
      Indian Rice Pudding (Kerala Payasam) the garnishes plated after their hot, buttery bath
    • Test the rice between two fingers, starting at the 30-minute mark for soaked rice, and at the 50-minute mark if unsoaked. It should be cooked through, but not mushy. Add milk if you would like the pudding to be a little soupier. Top the Indian rice pudding with the toasted garnishes and shower with saffron, if using. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold.
      Indian Rice Pudding (Kerala Payasam) Beautifully garnised with nuts, raisins and saffron and ready to serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 296IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 3mg

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    Alonna Smith owner of My Indian Stove dot com
    Alonna Smith, Publisher (and chef!)

    As an adventurous and accomplished home cook, I am having the time of my life, cooking through the many regions of India, learning different cooking methods, and the many ways of using spices, pulses, and creating unforgettable food, if I may say so myself.

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