Payasam (Pudding)
1. Parippu Pradhaman:The following recipe makes about 3 quarts of Parippu Payasam.
Ingredients:
Fry the dhal in skillet in low heat until the color starts to change. Do not make it burn. Cook the dhal in water in a 4-quart steel vessel in water until it becomes very tender. Add more water, if needed. Add brown sugar and 3/4th of the butter. Cook for 5-8 more minutes, stirring well. Add the coconut milk and bring it to boil. Make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the vessel. Reduce the heat. Add the regular milk and continue cooking for 3 more minutes without boiling. Turn off the heat and remove from stove. Fry the cashew nuts and raisin in the remaining butter until the cashew is light brown. Add it to the payasam. Finally add the cardamom powder and mix well.
Note: You may add a pinch of salt to the payasam to make it tastier. Also you may add a pinch of "chukku" (dried ginger powder) and cumin powder to the payasam, if needed. Indian brown sugar sometimes contains these ingredients.
2. Ada Pradhaman: The following recipe makes about 3 quarts of Paalada Pradhaman.Ingredients:
Boil the ada in water until it is soft (about 25 minutes). Reduce the heat when the water starts to boil. Drain the water, add the brown sugar and whole milk in low heat. Boil the mixture until it is of the right consistency. Add 3/4 stick of butter and continue cookng for another 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk and boil for about 10 minutes until the payasam is reduced to about 3 quarts. In a separate pan, fry the cashew nuts using the remaining 1/4 stick of butter until the cashews start to turn light brown. Add the raisins to this and fry until the cashews become light brown. Add the fried cashews and raisins to the payasam and remove from heat. Add the powdered cardamom.
3. Paalada Pradhaman:The following recipe makes about 3 quarts of Paalada Pradhaman.
Ingredients:
Fry the ada in 1/4 stick of the butter until it starts to turn light brown. Do not burn it. Remove from heat. In a clean vessel mix the condensed milk and water thoroughly. Boil the mixture and then add the fried ada. Cook it well until the ada becomes soft and tender. Add 1/2 stick of butter and continue cookng for another 15 minutes until the payasam is reduced to about 3 quarts. In a separate pan, fry the cashew nuts using the remaining 1/4 stick of butter until the cashews start to turn light brown. Add the raisins to this and fry until the cashews become light brown. Add the fried cashews and raisins to the payasam and remove from heat. Add the saffron to the payasam.
Note: Ada can be purchased from most of the South Indian grocery stores. It can be made at home as follows. Mix rice flour in water until a thick paste is formed. Spread over several small aluminum sheets. Fold the ends of the aluminum sheets to cover the paste pinching the edges. Cook in boiling water until it becomes solid. Cool and remove from the sheets.