Poori Payasam

Poori Payasam is also a South Canara dish or the Mangalorian dish. We used to eat this Payasam when we visited functions in our native. I loved it always, but they used to serve very little almost at the end of the meal. In my native, especially during functions we usually serve the sweets after Rice, Rasam, Sambar is served. Also many varieties of Sweets are served. So it is very difficult to eat all the sweets at once. The plantain leaf is full of variety of foods like, 2 Kosambaris, 2 varieties of sabjis or Palya, Chutney, Rice, Papad, Tovve. Later they serve, Tambli, Rasam, Sambar, then comes the varieties of sweets like burfi, Payasam, Holige, Fruit salad and Khara Mixture, Bonda and finally Curd Rice. In summer finally they serve Ice-creams also.

My hubby always loves varieties of Payasam, preferably payasam made using Jaggery as sweetner. This Poori Payasam made out of Sugar is an exception. It is totally different in taste. As the Pooris are fried in Ghee, it gives good aroma and taste to the Poori Payasam.The recipe is simple. You must be knowing how to make pooris. Only change here is we need to deep fry it in Ghee to get more taste. Many people prepare with Oil too, but in Payasam, you get the Oil taste. Always use very less Ghee to deep fry, it may waste later. Once pooriis fried, just crush them, add it to the Milk-Sugar mixture and cook it for 7 minutes. Flavour it with cardamom Powder. Finally garnish it with fried Cashews and Raisins.

Preparation Time: 30 to 40 minutes

How to Make Poori Payasam:

1. Take the Chiroti Rava in a bowl. Add Ghee and mix it well. It should looks like crumble.
2. Now add Maida to the Rava-Ghee mixture and mix well once. Then add water slowly and prepare dough out of it. The dough should be little tight not too loose like chapati dough. Rest it for 15 minutes.
3. Pinch the dough and make a lemon sized ball. With that prepare poori using roller and pin by dusting in Maida. Prick the rolled Poori with fork, so that it will not bubble up like normal poori.
4. Heat Ghee in a pan to deep fry. Once ghee turns hot, simmer the flame and slowly drop the rolled poori into the ghee. Deep fry in medium flame till it turns to crisp and golden in colour.

   

5. Remove the poori from the frying pan and transfer it to the plate. Allow it to cool. Once it is cooled, crush the poori lightly( not too powdery). When you have it in Payasa/Payasam you should get the pieces while chewing.
6. Heat Ghee (2 tsp) in a small frying pan, add the Cashew nuts, fry till it becomes golden in colour and remove to a small bowl. Then add the Raisins to the Ghee and fry till it bubbles up. Transfer these to the same bowl containing fried Cashew nuts.
7. In another vessel, add boiled Milk, Sugar and heat it till the sugar dissolves. Now add the crushed Poori into the Milk, mix till well and cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium flame.
8. Then add Cardamom Powder, fried Raisins and Cashews with the Ghee to the above Payasa mixture. Switch off the flame. Once the Poori Payasam cools down, it will become thick, as the Poori absorbs the milk.

Now Poori Payasam is ready. One can have it hot or warm or cold. I like it when it is cold.

Tips:

1. You can add 1 or 2 tsp of Condensed Milk and reduce the Sugar in the Payasam.
2. If you need more of liquid consistency, add more milk.
3. You can use Saffron instead of Cardamom Powder also. Anyone should be fine, if you add both, you will get the aroma of both and it will not suit.