Paal Payasam / Rice pudding

Paal payasam (in Tamil), Milk payasam, Rice kheer or Rice pudding is pretty well – known dessert everywhere. Traditional method, the three main ingredients, Rice, milk and sugar are stirred and cooked together in low fire to enhance the taste. Usually, we prepare it for neivedyam (God offering/ prasadam). Slowly, the original way of cooking in low fire has been swapped by Pressure cooker to make it faster. But now, due to time constraint or technology invention, people sticks to their convenient cooking method, can I say Microwave? This paal payasam is cooked under waves “Microwave”.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice: 4 tbsp
Sugar: ¼ cup (We really like mild sweet – u can increase or decrease according ur taste)
Milk: 2 cups
Green cardamom: 4 pods (powder)
Nutmeg: a dash grated
Edible camphor: a dash crushed (good for god offering & aromatic)
Saffron: a pinch (optional – usually not used in paal payasam)
Almonds or nuts of ur preference: to garnish
Microwave tips:
*To reduce the cooking time for the rice: Rinse and drain rice, soak it at least 20 min, after soaking, throw in food processor and use pulse button, to break the rice grain.
*Use a bowl with maximum height (milk easily over flow)
All microwave settings depend on your brand. So adjust the cooking time more if u thinks if it is still grainy.

Method:
Add the milk in the bowl and heat for 2 minutes in microwave.
Take out and add the soaked, broken rice in hot milk, stir and set the microwave for another 8 minutes, uncovered.
Stir every 2 min for even cooking…and keep watching it may overflow!
Take out the bowl add the sugar, green cardamom powder, saffron (if u like it), camphor and nutmeg and nuts and stir well…
Let it rest for 10 minutes and enjoy the dessert cold or warm.
This microwave entry goes to “Microwave easy cooking” which is hosted by Srivalli for the theme of month “Rice Dishes”. I just add little saffron to the white dessert to make it colorful “Srivalli”.