Pal Payasam

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From my early childhood, I always remember how festive occasions in India were always marked by sweets and delicacies. My favorite among them, outright, was the king of south Indian sweets - The Pal Payasam. Pal in Tamil means “milk” and Payasam in Tamil means Pudding. So there you go, all it really stands for is “Milk Pudding”. But trust me, it is MUCH more than that, a lifestyle thing for south Indians, a 3000 year tradition that lives in every south Indian family to this date. So here’s how I do it:

Ingredients:

1 litre Milk

5 tsp Uncooked Rice

6-8 tsp Sugar

4-5 Almonds

5 Green Cardamoms (Wikipedia - Green Cardamoms)

6-8 tnds Saffron

4-5 almonds

Preparation:

Heat milk in a cooker .Wash the uncooked rice and add it to the milk.After 5 minutes reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.Then add sugar and stir it continously till it reduces to one third of the original quantity partially crushing the rice.Add saffron ,chopped almonds and cardamom powder.Serve hot or cold.