Sunday 28 July 2013

NEI PAYASAM

NEI PAYASAM

Nei payasam.


Payasam means kheer.  A sweet dish made with jaggery, plenty of ghee for Neivedyam in temples as well as at home.  This mouth watering kheer remains in the fridge for around 15 days if kept properly.  This is normally made in Uruli ( a brass vessel) in temples and even at home.



Yesterday we conducted the Bhagatiseva pooja.  This pooja is performed in households as well as in temples for one month from mid July to mid  August during the Karkidaga masam (Aadi month)  (Ashada month) for pleasing the Devi except on Amavasya day.  It is a wonderful pooja and i love to see the Padmam, the rangoli made by the Priest and chanting of devi stuti viz. Ashtothram, Namavali and trisati, the decoration with flowers etc. For the last more than 15 years, this pooja is performed in our  house or in the temple as per the convenient but now regularly it is performed at home.

For Neivedyam, we make the nei payasam, medu vada and  is loved by all.

Let us have a look at the recipe.

Total time taken : 1 hr to1 hr 25 mts
serves: 35-40   people.  (since it is very sweet and is served  in as small quantity)

Rice - 1 cup ( i took around 300 gms)
Jaggery 4 cups
Ghee: 2 cups

1/4 cup cashew nuts broken
1/4 cup bits of coconut
3 tbsp Kalkand (cubes) Kadisakkar (sugar candy)
3 tbsp Kismish
1/2 tsp elaichi powder


Method:

Wash and pressure cook the rice  with 2 cups of water and keep aside.
Melt the jaggery with 1/2 cup water and remove the impurities.
Take a big thick bottom vessel mix the jaggery syrup and the rice, ghee  and cook till it is blended nicely and get a saucy consistency. You can add the ghee in part in between also but i add together and cook it in slow flame as it is likely to splash all over.

take a kadai, add little ghee in it and fry the cashew nuts, kismish and  keep aside. fry the coconut bits and keep aside
Now mix the cashews, coconut, elaichi powder in the ghee and mix well.  when it is cool, add the Kalkand cubes in it.  The sugar candy is added when it becomes cool as it is likely to melt in int.

Nei payasam is ready for Neivedyam.

Since it is very very sweet,and lots of ghee is added,  cannot consume much.

Variation:  You can add 1/2 cup of fried moongdal while cooking rice.

Note:  If you are health conscious, the quantity of ghee can be reduced.  But nei payasam means lots of ghee is required.  colour of the payasam defers depending upon the jaggery used.

No comments:

Post a Comment