We are starting the final week of BM#52, this week I will be doing Temple Prasadams. This theme will feature three interesting temple prasadams from different parts of India. I tried not to repeat the state and gather as much information as I could. This theme is quite a challenge in many ways. One I am not a great temple goer, two I have given company to people who think that temple visits are meant to be vacations. So you can imagine I have visited a lot of temples all through my growing up years. And continuing now with Hubby dear. I know those are contradictory statements, however, these are things that have made me what I am.
Growing up, I have seen two different beliefs, one that begins and ends with daily long hours of prayers and traditional customs. The other that says one does not have to go to the temple to pray, or to be religious to be pious.
My parents have never really forced either of their beliefs on me. I have arrived at my own beliefs and stand. However, I have been a willing company for all their beliefs and doings. The result is, I have visited a lot of temples along with Amma and then with Hubby dear, while still holding on to my beliefs. That has resulted in me gathering much more than what I might otherwise achieve.
Well that's for another post, my beliefs, and my spiritual hold can run for pages and this is not really the space to talk about it. It's just that I never do anything in half measures and it goes on to say, these posts were enlightening as much as I could expect.
Ambalappuzha is a small town in the Alappuzha district of Kerala state, south India. The town is noted for its Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple, one of the three important Sri Krishna temples in the state of Kerala.
Ambalapuzha Pal Payasam
Ingredients Needed:
Chemba rice / Basmati Rice - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Cashew and raisins - handful each
Ghee - 4 tbsp
A pinch of cardamom powder
How to make Pal Payasam
Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 mins.
Pressure cook the rice and keep aside.
Heat a nonstick pan with ghee, fry the cashew and raisins till it turns golden brown. Keep it aside.
Next, add 2 tsp of sugar and keep stirring continuously until the sugar melts and the colour of the ghee changes to brown. The sugar also caramelizes.
Add milk to it carefully and slowly from sideways and bring it to boil.
Once the milk starts boiling add the cooked rice to it and again allow it to boil. Now add the remaining sugar.
Continue to boil till the mixture becomes a bit thick.
Now add the fried cashews and raisins and cardamom powder. Mix well and switch off.
Offer as prasadam to Lord Krishna before partaking.
Notes:
When you are trying to brown the sugar, don't wait for long as it will harden.
Simmer before adding the milk, else it might curdle.
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Recipe
Ambalapuzha Pal Payasam
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Basmati Rice / Chemba Rice
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 & 1/2 cups Milk
- Cashew Nuts handful
- Raisins handful
- 4 tbsp Ghee
- A pinch Cardamom Powder
Instructions
How to make Pal Payasam
- Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 mins.
- Pressure cook the rice and keep aside.
- Heat a nonstick pan with ghee, fry the cashew and raisins till it turns golden brown. Keep it aside.
- Next, add 2 tsp of sugar and keep stirring continuously until the sugar melts and the colour of the ghee changes to brown. The sugar also caramelizes.
- Add milk to it carefully and slowly from sideways and bring it to boil.
- Once the milk starts boiling add the cooked rice to it and again allow it to boil. Now, add the remaining sugar.
- Continue to boil till the mixture becomes a bit thick.
- Now, add the fried cashews and raisins and cardamom powder. Mix well and switch off.
- Offer as prasadam to Lord Krishna before partaking.
Mayuri Patel says
its so nice to learn about the different types of prasadam.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
What a lovely prasadam and thanks for reminding the story of Krishna! I will be talking about this story tonight for my kid's bed time.
Ruchi Indu says
This is my favourite. We go to this temple just to get this payasam and we get it in litres!!! We can actually see the place where they make this payasam. They make it in a very large chembu - the milk is directly taken from the cows over there. Just a small correction. The rice is cooked in the milk. So first boil the milk - add rice, keep stirring until rice is cooked and then add sugar. This is how they do at the temple. At the temple only cardamom powder is added - no cashews/raisins and final payasam will be pink in color which is from the milk itself it seems.
Srivalli says
Ruchi Thanks for writing on the temple preparation. Yes I too wanted to boil the rice in the milk. However for ease I boiled it first and then boiled it again in milk. Its wonderful to know about your experience. Thanks for sharing..:)
Priya Srinivasan says
Thanks for the theme valli, though i m not well, i really wanted to do this theme!!
Payasa prasadam looks delicious and the story behind is very interesting. Thanks to Ruchi, for giving more info on the prasadam.
Sandhiya says
This is the first time, i heard about this temple & this prasadham..sounds interesting.Immediately searched in google and the city & temple are very scenic..The payasam looks tempting and the story behind this prasadham is interesting. Loved the idol in the first picture..
Pavani N says
Such a simple dish but must have tasted divine 🙂
Jayanthi says
I desperately want to try this recipe now Valli, the payasam and the story is so inspiring to read. Nice one!
Suma Gandlur says
I guess the divinity passes thru the temple preparations and they taste amazing. Love the kheer.
vaishali sabnani says
I am no temple goer but I enjoyed reading this post, the payasam looks delicious.
Sapana Behl says
Paal payasam looks wonderful and tasty.Nice theme...
Varadas Kitchen says
Very creamy dish. Enjoyed reading the post.
Chef Mireille says
enjoyed reading the intro. very informative and learned about the temple and story behind the dish as well as you personally 🙂
Harini-Jaya R says
Love the payasam.