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Haalittu Payasa is a traditional Mangalore sweet dish prepared using thick steamed rice noodles and rice balls and cooked in jaggery and coconut milk. Cardamom powder is used to flavor. Payasa or Payasam is South Indian name for Kheer in North India.
Ingredients:
Sona Masoori Raw Rice – 1 cup
Coconut Milk Extract – 1 litre
Jaggery, powdered – 1 1/2 cups
Cardamom Powder – 1 tsp
Rice Flour – 1 tbsp
Cashew nuts – 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Ghee – 1 tsp for greasing
Murukku press with a disc with bigger holes
Steamer to cook (I used Idli steamer)
Method:
- Wash and soak rice in water for 1 hour.
- Grind the rice into smooth batter using the water used for soaking.
- Pour the batter into a thick bottomed pan, add enough water and salt to get into pouring consistency, like that of whole milk.
- Place the pan on high flame.
- Keep stirring the batter continuously until it forms a lump.
- Transfer this lump/dough onto a plate.
- Take a murukku press and place the disc which has slightly bigger holes(the one shown in the pic) in the press.
- Take small portions of the prepared dough in the press and press it onto a greased plate of the steamer to get thick strands of noodles. Repeat this until 2/3rd the quantity of the dough is pressed or used up.
- Make small marble sized balls with the remaining 1/3rd quantity of the dough. Grease your palms to help you make the balls with ease. Place them in a greased plate of streamer or in greased idli moulds.
- Steam cook for 20 minutes on high flame.
Pak
- Meanwhile, take powdered jaggery in a small pan, add 1/4 cup of water. Place it on flame until the jaggery melts.
- Strain the jaggery mixture to remove any residue.
- Transfer the jaggery mixture into a large pan.
- Add the steam cooked rice noodles and balls to the jaggery mixture. Boil it for 10 minutes on medium flame.
- Add cardamom powder.
- Now pour the coconut milk. Stir well to mix and bring it to a boil.
- Meanwhile, dilute rice flour in 3 tbsps of water and pour it into the boiling payasa.
- Continue to cook on medium flame for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid it from charring. The payasa will thicken now. Turn off the flame.
- Add cashew nuts.
- Serve hot. As it cools down, the consistency gets a little more thicker.
Note:
- The coconut milk extract must be thick, the first extract if preparing at home.
- Adjust the quantity of jaggery depending on taste and the sweetness of jaggery.
