With the fast approaching Vishu, I drool just for the sake of the varieties of payasam that feature up on the sadhya menu
Vishu the beginning of the new year as per the Kerala calendar began with a grand prosperous viewing of “the kani.” Arranged by the eldest in the family, late at night after everyone had slept was the secretive element of the festive which keeps children so attached to it.
To view the country vegetables, mangoes and jackfruit with pots of rice and pulses all laced beautifully with the added yellow hue of “Kani Konna” (cassia) flowers was even more enhanced by the light from the oil lamp and its reflections on the mirror, the water and the gold and silver all creating a magical feeling of richness and instant happiness early in the morning.
As much as we loved these as children, we eyed the coins which often become the “Vishu Kaineetam” which came as the only pocket money for the whole year. Eagerly we would meet any older members of the family that day and shower them with the most pearly smile to receive this extra bit of blessing for all the pickled gooseberries and mangoes or orange candy we could buy later.
Lunchtime
The next best thing after the Kai neetam to look forward to this day was the sadhya.
The most happening element on the sadhya menu is ofcourse the dessert…payasam
The payasam experience
Since mom used to make rice based payasam very often..it as quite a fancy to look forward to the pale rose coloured prathaman payasam with bits of glisening cooked ada shinig like a mosaic in the paalada payasam.
Expecting this beauty and knowing my mom cannot any longer handle this in the sweltering heat I ordered small quanity of the paalada prathaman when I was back home for a visit. Well, I did totally ignore my parents warning…that it will be quite unlike the old one. And the inevitable happened. I got a gooey mix …yuck with added colour and over sweetened muck.
I am sure you could feel my anger in there. Thats the time i decided to master this mess and get back to the old beautiful version.
My mom’s treasure had some handmade ADA (rice based pasta style broken bits). She also told me I could try this in the pressure cooker.
So here we are with the easy pressure cooker version of the Paalada Prathaman for this Vishu season.
Wish you all a very Happy Vishu season with prosperity and fun while I am figuring out how to get my hands on some Cassia flowers.
Here are most of the sadhya elements from my fellow bloggers and me to help you create the sadhya magic.
Paalada prathaman-
easy pressure cooker/ instapot payasam.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup rice ada
- 100 ml warm water
- 500 ml low fat/ full cream milk keep 100 ml warmed and seperate.
- 4 green cardamom peel and extract the seeds
- 1/2 cup unrefined sugar
- 1 tsp ghee / clarified butter
- 6-7 cashewnuts
Instructions
- Soak the Ada in warm water for 10 minutes to start with.
- Peel the cardamom and collect the seeds. Powder the cardamom seeds with a tbsp of sugar
- Into the pressure cooker ( a deep one) add 400 ml water and the soaked ada
- Mix this well and leave a heavy spoon across the sunken ada bits. This will prevent spewing of the milk.
- Cook for two whistles or in a instapot medium for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally and gently open the lid.
- Stir and retrieve the spoon.
- Add sugar, cardamom powder and stir well.
- Adjust the thickness using the remaining 100 ml of milk( gently boil this milk to add to retain the warmth)
- In a small pan, Heat the ghee on a low heat and roast the cashewnuts
- Add them to the payasam and serve warm.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
What a quick way to make delicious kheer. Loved the idea of making kheer in pressure cooker. Lovely share ????
Thankyou, hope you enjoy making it.
The festival of vishu is new to me. As for this prathaman looks delicious I wish you had included the pics of the ada. Somehow I feel as a kid I must have had this but can’t place it.
Looks delicious.
Will for sure post the ada as I make it. till then , It is what is a bit scattered along the pic.
Nice to read about the Vishu festival. A quick and easy way to make kheer, would have never thought of making it in the pressure cooker.
Glad you like it
The recipe of kheer looks really delicious. What is rice Ada..is it similar to normal rice or a different variety of rice it is. I love this authentic dish, Happy Vishu in advance
I love quick and easy desserts. Looks tempting.
Thankyou Dhwani
Wish i get a small bowl of this alluring palada prathaman, such a rich looking delicious Kerala Delicacy.. Tempting to the core.
Come over and i will make it for you
Love that you have made this look so easy in a pressure cooker! Love payasam any time and with your method; it can be ready in a jiffy!
Thanks dear, was glad this works well.
Indeed a quick and easy Palada Pradhaman. Happy Vishu, Seema.
Thank you Aruna, glad you like this quick version.
One benefit of blogging is that we get to know about cultural variations across India. I have never heard about Vishu festival. The way you have explained has brought me back to my childhood. Making payasam in pressure cooker is no doubt is a very time saving method. I do make it occasionally.
That’s true Ritu and the best part is we could try each ones recipes to understand the celebration too.
Nothing beats the taste of Palada Pradhaman esp on vishu. Childhood memories when ladies of the house made this in bulk quantities over a gas stove in the April heat. Kudos to such traditional recipes. Happy vishu to you and family dear and thank you for including my recipe as part of the post.
Oh yes, the heat in the kitchen and my mom slogging is a memory of every sadhya. I really don’t want to be that one, yet love the flavours… hence the shortcuts and experiments.
Such a quick and easy desert recipe, the payasam looks mouthwatering.
thanks dear
OMG I just love this prathaman.. So tempting and loved the idea of making it using cooker.. Brilliant !
Thanks … hope you could try.
My mum used to make Kheer in a pressure cooker too! I too have posted this recipe a few years back. Such an easy and convenience recipe.
Yes, my mil always makes kheer in the pressure cooker. but spewing is what bothered each of them.Am glad now that’s over.
This is a quick method, but I need to know about the ada. It is something new to me. Nice share
I will surely post up the ada recipe soon. Thanks.
I make this kheer for vishu! This time I am planning to make Moong Dal kheer. This looks delicious:)
Pressure cooker is one AMAZING invention for busy homemakers and this payasam recipe is simply BRILLIANT to make a delicious dessert in minutes. Love it!
What a quick way to make delicious kheer. Never got idea of making kheer in pressure cooker … Great share
What a quick way to make delicious kheer. Never got idea of making kheer in pressure cooker. Great share
Kheer is among my favourite Indian sweets. Thanks for sharing a quick way to make it
Lovely write-up on Vishu, Seema. Wish you a happy festivity. The payasam sounds so delectable..I do make the broken wheat kheer in a pressure cooker , no clue as what is rice Ada.
I never thought of using a pressure cooker to make payasam. Such an easy way and saves a lot of time stirring it. I will keep that in mind the next time.
I love paalada and this quick version is really time saver to delish this pradaman