Heaven in a bowl- the humble payasam

Payasam is not just a dessert, but an emotion. Mixing sweetness with an aromatic spice to create Heaven in a Bowl. Derived from the word Peeyusham (nectar or ambrosia), it is also more commonly known as kheer in Hindi, and Payasam in the south of India. Paal Payasam is Milk Payasam. The word Payasam originates from the Sanskrit term pāyasa, which means milk or a dish made from milk.

This humble dessert finds a mention in Ayurveda as a happy food for good health. Payasam can be made with many ingredients including vermicelli, rice, mango and so on. I have used vermicelli but other versions have whole rice and flattened rice.

Centuries in the making, the sweet dish has a hallowed history and legends associated with it. The story of Ambalapurrha Paal-Payasam in Kerala is called The Legend of the Chessboard. According to the legend, Lord Krishna appeared in the form of a sage in the court of a king who was known as a chess grandmaster, and challenged him to a game.

The king asked the sage to choose his prize in case he won. The sage wished only for a few grains of rice.

However, the amount of rice would be determined using the chessboard in the following manner: one grain of rice would be placed in the first square used, two grains in the second square, four in the third square and so on with each pile growing at a geometrical progression from the last pile.

The king was surprised by the request for rice as a reward instead of other riches. Needless to say, the king lost after a long arduous match. As the sage started adding grains of rice to the chessboard, the king soon realised the true nature of the sage’s demands. After playing numerous squares, the number had reached one million grains of rice and more, and the royal granary soon ran out of rice to offer. The king realised that even if he provided all the rice in his kingdom, he would not be able to fulfil the promised reward.

The sage appeared to the king in his true form, that of Lord Krishna and told the king that he did not have to pay the debt immediately, but could pay him over time. The king would from then on serve Paal Payasam (made of rice) in the royal temple to every pilgrim every day until the debt was paid off. The Ambalapurrha Krishna temple in Kerala still serves Paal Payasam to this day and it is integral to any festive meal in south India.

1 litre full fat milk

1 cup Semiya (vermicelli)

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbsp ghee

10 to 15 cashew nuts

10 to 15 raisins fried in ghee/keep aside

Crushed cardamom seeds, husks removed

A pinch of salt

Heat the 4 tablespoons of ghee in a frying pan. Add 3/4 of the vermicelli. Fry until it reaches a golden brown colour (make sure it’s not burnt). Once the vermicelli is golden brown add the rest of the vermicelli, mix well and remove from fire (there should be vermicelli with two different colours at this point).

In a heavy-bottomed deep pan, add the sugar and 1.5 tablespoons of water and caramelise. The mixture should be stirred until the sugar begins to dissolve. Once the sugar/water mixture comes to a boil it is then left alone to cook, without stirring. As the water continues to evaporate and the heat rises, the sugar will caramelise. Once the sugar caramelises and reaches an amber shade, add 1/4 cup of hot water (be careful of hot splashes). Stir well.

Add milk to another deep-bottomed pan. Stir and bring to a rolling boil. Add the vermicelli to the boiling milk and stir well. Reduce the fire to medium and simmer. Add the caramelised sugar and mix well. Make sure the vermicelli does not get over cooked.

Add crushed cardamom and ghee-fried raisins to the payasam. Add a pinch of salt to balance the taste. Switch off the gas. Cover and let the payasam rest for 15 – 20 mins.

Caramelise an extra 2tbsp sugar and add the cashew nuts into it. Make sure the nuts are coated well with caramel. Take out of pan and cool completely. Crush the cooled caramelised nuts with a rolling pin then use to garnish payasam.

Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

You can add 2 tablespoons of sweet condensed milk for a creamier version.

Serene Tharian, arranges South Indian Dinner Clubs in Cyprus, through her cooking club, The Best Exotic Kerala Kitchen. She can be contacted on 99 222462 to book a South Indian meal with your friends. Instagram/Facebook: @thebestexotickeralakitchen