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

Kerala · Dessert

Paal Payasam

Snow-white, gloriously simple rice payasam made by simmering raw rice in full-fat milk for hours until it dissolves into a thick, sweetened cream — the purest expression of Kerala's milk-and-rice dessert tradition.

🧺 Ingredients

• Raw white rice: 80 g
• Full-fat whole milk: 2.5 litres
• Sugar: 180 g
• Ghee: 1 tbsp (15 ml)
• Cardamom: 4 pods (crushed)
• Saffron: a pinch (soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk)
• Rose water: 1 tsp (optional)
• Use a wide, heavy pan to maximise evaporation surface

👩‍🍳 How to make Paal Payasam

1. Wash 80 g rice three times.
2. Drain.
3. Bring 2.5 litres milk to a full boil in a heavy-bottomed, wide pan over high heat, stirring frequently.
4. Watch carefully — milk boils over rapidly.
5. Add washed rice to boiling milk over medium heat.
6. Stir every 3–5 minutes continuously.
7. The milk will gradually reduce and the rice will slowly dissolve.
8. After 60–70 minutes, the milk should have reduced to about 1 litre and turned faintly pink-cream.
9. The rice should be completely dissolved — no individual grains visible.
10. Add 180 g sugar over medium heat.
11. Stir until dissolved.
12. Cook for 8 minutes until the payasam coats the back of a spoon.
13. Add cardamom, saffron milk, and rose water.
14. Stir and remove from heat.
15. Stir in 1 tbsp ghee for gloss.
16. Serve warm or lightly chilled.

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