Ari Payasam / Rice Kheer

                                                Happy Birthday Dad
Today is my Dad’s birthday and so I made his favorite payasam. He loves all varieties of payasams and all the time.But now as he is diabetic, Mom makes payasam only on special occasions and that too very little just to taste.

This is a special payasam which I never made before. I had this once, when I visited my S-I-L’s house. The taste was amazing. I thought they might have added milkmaid, but to my surprise the taste is just because the rice is cooked in milk in slow fire till the colour of the milk turns light pink. The ingredients are also simple. I was desperate to try this and today is the perfect occasion to try and it came out really well.

Traditionally the rice used for this payasam is red rice to get the light red colour, but we can also use basmati or normal rice.

Ingredients:

1. Basmati rice- a hand full
2. Sugar- 2 hand fulls (double the rice)
3. Milk- ½ litre
4. Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
5. Almonds / Cashews (roasted in ghee)- 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and grind coarsely basmati rice in mixer.
2. Take a cooker put the rice, sugar and milk together, mix and close the cooker on high flame.
3. When the steam starts, put the whistle and lower the flame and cook for about 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes when the cooker is cool open and add the cardamom powder and mix.
5. The colour of the milk will turn to light pink and the rice is cooked. A delicious payasam is ready to serve. While serving add the roasted almonds or cashews.