Paal Paayasam(Rice Pudding)

Between a fancy dessert and a rice pudding, the rice pudding will be the winner for me.Any Day!Paayasam is so simple yet the most delectable dessert.Some recipes carry Condensed milk but I thought just simple milk would do the trick as my mom always made this rich dessert with out any condensed milk.This one is for a good friend of mine who is not from India but is fond of Spicy Indian food and Rice Pudding.I am glad I made it for her and I hope she and her family enjoyed!!

10 cups of Whole Milk
3/4 cups of Basmati rice
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp saffron mixed with a 3 oz of warm milk
1/4 cup Jaggery; If Jaggery is unavailable, use Brown Sugar
1tbsp Ghee
6 Whole Cardamoms, crushed
1/4 cup of Cashews
1/4 cup Raisins

• Dissolve Saffron in warm milk and set aside for about 15 min
• In a heavy non stick pot, boil milk and sugar.
• Stir it constantly
• Continue to simmer until the milk reduces in half
• Add the sugar and Jaggery/Brown sugar. Do not add the jaggery before boiling the milk as it tends to curdle the milk
• Stir it until it is well combined
• Add the saffron with the milk. This gives the paayasam/pudding a subtle yellow color
• Heat the ghee in a small saucepan, and add cashews, raisins, cardamoms;Let the cashews brown slightly and the raisins plump
• Add it to the Pudding
• Simmer for about 1o more minutes until the mixture gets thicker.
• Serve warm or cold;Personally I like it cold.