Payasam /Chilled Summer Drink

The weather is getting better and who will say NO to a refreshing chilled payasam... Let's get started..

Ingredients (Serves 5)

Milk - 2 1/2 cups

Water - 1/2 cup

Saffron - few strands (optional)

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Raw rice - 1 tsp

Almonds - 10 nos

Light brown sugar - 1/4 cup

Ghee / clarified butter - 1 tbsp

Nuts and raisins of your choice to garnish.

Soak the almonds, rice and the saffron strands in 1/2 cup of hot water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the skin from the almonds. Using a blender, grind the soaked almonds, saffron strands and the rice into a fine paste by adding 2 tbsp of the water that we used for soaking. Then add the remaining water into the blender, mix well and keep aside.

In a saucepan, heat the milk. Once bubbles start forming around the edges of the pan, pour the almond and rice mixture. From now on, you have to stir continuously to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.

The mixture will start thickening. Now turn the heat to low and add the cardamom powder and the sugar and mix well until it dissolves. This will take about 2 mintues. Switch off the stove. In a small skillet, heat the ghee in medium heat and fry the nuts and raisins and add it to the payasam.

Once this cools down, refrigerate for about 1 hour and serve chilled.

You can also pour this mixture in kulfi molds and freeze for 8 hours or overnight and enjoy as kulfis! Yummyyy...

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