Photo: Sharvarism · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kerala · Dessert

Chembu Payasam

Colocasia/taro (chembu) cooked and simmered with jaggery and coconut milk into a thick, earthy payasam with a satisfying starchy body and deep caramel sweetness.

🧺 Ingredients

• Taro/colocasia (chembu): 400 g (peeled)
• Jaggery: 250 g
• Thick coconut milk: 350 ml
• Thin coconut milk: 450 ml
• Ghee: 3 tbsp (45 ml)
• Coconut pieces (sliced): 30 g
• Cashew nuts: 20 g
• Cardamom: 4 pods (crushed)
• Dry ginger powder: ¼ tsp
• Water: 400 ml
• Boiling in salted water helps neutralise taro's mild astringency

👩‍🍳 How to make Chembu Payasam

1. Peel and cube 400 g taro.
2. Pressure cook with 400 ml water for 3 whistles over high heat.
3. Drain.
4. Mash completely until smooth — no lumps.
5. Taro should be fully broken down.
6. Dissolve 250 g jaggery in 80 ml water over medium heat.
7. Strain.
8. Add mashed taro to jaggery syrup in a heavy pan over medium heat.
9. Stir vigorously and continuously for 10–12 minutes.
10. The mixture will bubble — keep stirring to prevent burning.
11. It should thicken and turn deep brown.
12. Add thin coconut milk over medium-low heat.
13. Stir and cook 6 minutes.
14. Reduce to low.
15. Add thick coconut milk, cardamom, dry ginger.
16. Stir gently 3 minutes.
17. Remove from heat.
18. Fry coconut pieces and cashews in ghee over medium heat until golden.
19. Pour over payasam.

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