Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Thengai paal payasam (coconut milk kheer)

Wishing all my friends and readers a bright and prosperous , Happy Tamil New year! The Tamil month Chithirai starts on April 14 and it is celebrated by Tamil people as the beginning of Tamil New year. The name of this new year is 'Kara' year.

Let's start the new year with a milky white payasam made of coconut.

We have some coconut trees in my  father's house. I cannot remember us buying coconut from shops in those days. Mom would arrange a man to pluck all the matured coconuts in a regular time interval and the tender coconuts go as snack for us:) One fine day, mom's friend Mrs.Noohu aunty visited us and she taught us to make coconut kheer. Aunty used to say it as 'paachoru' (paal choru means milk+rice). Our maid scrapped lot of coconuts and we made a big batch of this kheer for all of us (Ours , Aunty's, my friend's and maid's family). It was so delicious that I have never tasted anything like that before:) Now we need not struggle much....just open a can of coconut milk and ta...da...the kheer is ready! I tried to bring out her's and it was 90% success. My rice started to get cooked, but her's was firm and bit chewy, which is the correct stage. Anyways recording the recipe for my future reference.



Ingredients:
Coconut - 1 (small)
(or) coconut milk - 1 cup thick + 1 cup thin.
basmati rice - 1 cup
sugar - 1 cup
rose essence - 2 drops
almond, cashew - few.

Method:
Extract milk from coconut using 2 cups of water. Shred the coconut. Divide the water into 3 parts and extract thrice. Keep the first extract (thick milk) separate. keep the thin milks together.
Wash the basmati rice and drain water completely.
Boil sugar to get a 2 string consistency. Add the rice and stir carefully. After a few minutes add the thin milk and cook the rice. The rice will get cooked and become chewy but not mushy, because of the sugar syrup. This is the correct stage. At the same time it may become thick and start leaving the edges. Put the chopped cashew, slivered almonds and mix well. Pour the thick milk and stir again to get a thicker consistency, and switch off before the rice gets soft.
After switching off add a drop of rose essence.
coconut milk payasam is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve warm or chilled as dessert.
Prepare 1/5 of the above quantity for 2 people.

24 comments:

Suparna said...

yummy coconuty kheer viki :) love the coconut flavour in payasams! thanks for the recipe!

Hamaree Rasoi said...

Kheer looks amazing. Great recipe.

Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi

Ila said...

yummy and delicious kheer

Torviewtoronto said...

yummy looking sweet kheer

Suja Manoj said...

Yummy and drool worthy payasam,rich and creamy

Priya Suresh said...

Happy Tamil New Year Wishes Viki..payasam looks super inviting and fabulous..

sathya said...

Payasam looks very inviting, Happy tamil new year!

www.appetitetreats.com

Reshmi Mahesh said...

Yummy and inviting kheer...

aipi said...

I am going to have to try this. It looks super delicious!
Happy Tamil new year to you n your family dear :)

US Masala

Santosh Bangar said...

yummy kheer with the flavour of coconut

Panchpakwan said...

Happy Tamil new year wishes to you and your family...
Kheer looks yummy..

Unknown said...

yummy and delicious kheer


உங்களுக்கும உங்கள் குடும்பத்தினருக்கும் இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்

Mehjabeen Arif said...

Coconut flavor in kheer is a delight.. so inviting..

divya said...

Yummy and drool worthy payasam,rich and creamy

Swathi said...

Thengai paal payasam looks dleicious, If there is coconut I am in. We usually add jaggery to coconut milk.

Peggy said...

I love coconut and this kheer sounds really yummy! =)

My Inspired Reality said...

Viki, so glad I found your blog. So many recipies that remind me of home and Mom's cooking:):)

Myvegfare said...

lovely coconut kheer, love pal payasam, happy new year to you and your family

Hamaree Rasoi said...

happy Tamil New year to you and your family dear

Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi

Nandinis food said...

Happy Tamil New Year! Yummy payasam! It's cool and refreshing!

Suman Singh said...

Happy Tamil New year wishes to you and to your loved ones dear..Kheer looks so YUM!!

Unknown said...

iniya puthaandu vazhthikal to you viki - Payasam looks super!

Unknown said...

It looks tremendous scrumptious!Yummy & drool worthy payasam,rich & creamy. Thanks for shearing.
Kitchen cabinets

Unknown said...

Well Kheer have been my all time favourite. Thengai paal payasam looks delicious, If there is attic I am in. We usually add jaggery to attic milk. Its really wonderful to know that recipe.
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