How to make Payasam, the rice pudding from India

If we talk about a dessert with a generally smooth texture, pleasant taste and very aromatic, which also stands out as a traditional delicacy characteristic of Spanish cuisine, it is quite likely that the rice pudding It becomes one of the dishes that comes to mind.

Indeed, it is a traditional Spanish dessert, in which a series of basic ingredients are used for its elaboration: rice, milk and sugar. Then the most common is to aromatize it with other equally natural ingredients, as for example is the case of cinnamon and lemon peel.

Believe it or not, rice pudding is a dessert that probably arrived in Europe at the time of the crusades, entering through the eastern part of the Mediterranean, where trade between Persians, Venetians and Genoese made the beginning of the sweetener that it will use honey for its elaboration.

However, it was not until much later when the honey was finally replaced by sugar, which developed in the early nineteenth century after the presence of sucrose in beet was discovered.

As far as Spain is concerned, it originally began to be made in Andalusia, where it was common to flavor rice with milk with cinnamon, lemon peel or orange peel, until it spread gradually and reach Asturias, where it also became a dessert tremendously typical.

But nevertheless, Did you know that in India there is also a very similar typical dessert? In those parts it is known by the name of payasam (and also with other denominations, such as, for example, the case of clown, payesh or kheer), and it becomes a Traditional sweet dish characteristic of South Asia.

Obviously, it is a dessert that bears similarities to Spanish rice pudding, since rice, or split wheat, is used in its preparation, milk and sugar, all while boiling. But there is a difference: it is common that the preparation is flavored with cardamom, saffron or raisins, and also almonds, cashews or pistachios are added.

How to make your own Payasam

Its preparation is extremely simple and simple. And the result is simply wonderful. In addition, it has the added advantage that if you want you can incorporate sugar or not.

Main ingredients:

  • 180 gr. of white rice
  • 1 liter of whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon of cardamom
  • 1 handful of raisins
  • 1 handful of pistachios
  • 120 gr. of white sugar (optional)

Preparation of the Payasam:

  1. First put the whole milk in a saucepan on the fire and when it breaks to boil add the white rice in one go.
  2. Now lower the heat and let it cook for 45 to 50 minutes. It is important that you stir from time to time so that the rice does not stick to the bottom.
  3. Add the sugar and stir again until it dissolves. Turn off the heat and remove from the saucepan.
  4. While the preparation is still hot add cardamom, raisins and pistachios, and stir again.
  5. Ready!.

In Asia it is common to be served during dinner, or simply as a dessert at lunch. ThemesRice recipes

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