Aval Payasam (Poha Kheer)

The Tamil New Year is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu Solar Calendar. Popularly known as Puthandu, it is celebrated with feasts in Hindu homes and the entrances to the houses are decorated elaborately with kolams. Every year in the month of Chithrai (the first month of the Hindu calendar), Tamil New Year is observed with much gaiety and fervor.

The auspicious things include gold and silver jewelry, betel leaves, nuts, fruits and vegetables, flowers, raw rice and coconuts. It is followed by people taking a ritual bath and then they visit the temple to pray.The highlight of Tamil New Year Festival in Tamil Nadu is the 'Maanga Pachadi' and Sweet dishes.I have posted Aval payasam to start my New year with happiness.

Aval payasam is a quick and easy to make dessert / pudding. The reason is that aval or beaten rice does not need a whole lot of time to cook; in fact, it becomes nice and soft and good enough to eat once you soak it in water for a few minutes. You can do this soaking when you are getting the other things ready. This is very easy to prepare which will not take more than 5 minutes. So suitable for beginners and bachelors.

Aval payasam is a healthy kheer/payasam perfect to make for poojas/ guest visits. It’s made using Aval aka poha which is said to be the favorite of Lord Krishna. So South Indians, usually prepare this during the gokulaashtami festival. Nowadays this payasam is served as thinner in consistency and served in glasses or cups in most of the places even in marriages But in our south Indian menu, it should be served between rasam and buttermilk. Here in this recipe I have used sugar for sweetness. 

Prep  time	cook time	Serves
5 mins	10 mins	4 persons

Recipe type:  Payasam varieties

Cuisine:  Tamil Nadu cuisine

Ingredients Poha (Aval) – 1 cup Sugar – ½  to  ¾  cup Water – 3 cups Milk – ½ cup Cardamom powder – ½ tsp Cashews - 6 to 10  no’s Raisins - 8 no’s Ghee -1 tbsp. Cardamom -2 no’s Condensed milk -1 tbsp. (Optional)

Method

1. Heat ghee in a pan, fry cashew nuts until light golden in color on low heat. Then add in the raisins and fry until fluffy and transfer it to a bowl.Now add 1/2 a cup of water to roasted Aval and cook in the fry pan. (Time may differ according to the thickness of Aval)Transfer to a bowl and keep it aside.

2. In a sauce pan, add in the milk and let it boil. Once boiled, reduce heat to low and cook until the milk is slightly reduced. Stir occasionally.Then add in the roasted rice flakes, sugar and combine well. Cook until the rice flakes are soft and the kheer is semi-thick. Stir occasionally. 

3.When it melts completely, you can switch off the stove and add milk. Remove from heat and serve warm.

This can be served either warm or you can cool down in a refrigerator and serve chilled. 

4. Garnish with fried cashewnuts, dry grapes and pinch of cardamom powder.

Notes

You can use white or red rice flakes. I used thick rice flakes.

If you are using thick rice flakes, gently rinse it in color water for 2 times. Drain immediately and set aside.