Palada Payasam
Palada Payasam, also known as Palada Pradhaman, is a classic Kerala dessert made with rice ada, milk and sugar. This payasam is slow-cooked until creamy and flavored with fresh homemade caramel. A must-have dessert in every Onam Sadya!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Ada
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 Litre Milk
- ½ Cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar for Caramel
Instructions
- Take ½ cup of store-bought rice ada in a bowl. Wash them with plenty of water and drain. I’d suggest following the brand instructions for the soaking time.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and turn off the flame. Add washed and drained ada to the hot water. Cover it with a lid and let it sit for about 15 minutes or until it turns slightly soft but not mushy.
- Drain the soaked ada and rinse with water once or twice to get rid of starch. Keep it aside until use.
- Add 1 litre of milk to a heavy-bottomed pan or uruli (traditional brass vessel). When the milk has started heating up, add ½ cup of sugar. Mix well and cook on a medium-low flame until the milk reduces to half. It will take anywhere between 30-40 minutes. Do not forget to stir occasionally to prevent it from burning.
- When it is reduced to half, add the soaked ada to the reduced milk mixture. Mix everything without any lumps and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes or until the kheer is thick.
- When it is thick and creamy, remove it from the flame.
- To make the homemade caramel, heat 2 tablespoons of white sugar in a pan and let it melt. When it starts to melt, mix well using a spoon or spatula until it is smooth and golden brown.
- Pour ¼ cup of water into the melted sugar and mix well immediately. If the caramel hardens at this stage, don’t panic. Just stir gently on a low flame until it dissolves back into a smooth syrup. Pour it into the prepared palada pradhaman.
- Mix everything until well combined and serve warm or cold.
Video
Notes
- The secret of the best palada payasam is slow-cooking. Do not cook on a high flame. Always cook over a medium-low flame.
- Always use a heavy-bottomed pan to cook the milk.
- Palada Payasam thickens more as it cools. If you are making it ahead, keep it slightly runny or add a splash of hot milk before serving to thin it out.
