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

Kerala · Dessert

Coconut Milk Payasam

A payasam where coconut milk itself is the star — rice noodles or sabudana cooked purely in layers of coconut milk with minimal sugar, celebrating the raw richness of freshly pressed Kerala coconut.

🧺 Ingredients

• Idiyappam (rice noodles) or sabudana: 150 g
• Thick coconut milk (first press): 500 ml
• Thin coconut milk (second press): 600 ml
• Sugar: 150 g
• Ghee: 2 tbsp (30 ml)
• Cardamom: 5 pods (crushed)
• Cashew nuts: 25 g
• Raisins: 20 g
• Salt: a pinch

👩‍🍳 How to make Coconut Milk Payasam

1. If using dry idiyappam, soak in hot water for 5 minutes.
2. Cook in boiling water for 3–4 minutes until tender.
3. Drain.
4. If using sabudana, soak 150 g in 400 ml water for 30 minutes until pearls swell.
5. Drain.
6. Bring 600 ml thin coconut milk to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
7. Add cooked idiyappam or soaked sabudana.
8. Add 150 g sugar and a pinch of salt.
9. Cook over medium heat for 12–14 minutes, stirring, until the payasam thickens slightly and the noodles/pearls are translucent.
10. Reduce to low heat.
11. Pour in 500 ml thick coconut milk.
12. Add cardamom.
13. Stir gently for 5–6 minutes.
14. The payasam should be silky and cream-coloured.
15. Do not boil.
16. Fry cashews and raisins in ghee over medium heat until golden.
17. Pour over payasam.
18. Serve warm.

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