Aval payasam recipe | Poha payasam | Atukula payasam

Aval payasam recipe – Atukula payasam or poha kheer is simple to make and tastes delicious. I had made aval payasam few times before but never got it delicious and felt nothing special. Sometime ago I had a friend home to help me prepare naivedyam for a puja. Her aval payasam turned out delicious, so thought of sharing it here.

This can be made anytime for festivals, friday puja or just to serve as a after meal dessert. It is light and goes well in a meal too.

Aval or poha doesn’t actually thicken the paysam, so a thickener like powdered aval, rice flour, coconut paste or powdered nuts lend a thick texture & taste.

In this recipe I have used thick white poha, you can also use red poha. I have used jaggery but it can be replaced with sugar. But traditionally payasam is made with jaggery.

You may like to check these Payasam recipes & these 50 Festive snacks recipes.

Aval payasam can also be prepared for Krishna Jayanthi to offer as Naivedyam. For more krishna jayanthi recipes, you can check
Aval ladoo
Butter murukku
Rava ladoo
7 cups burfi

Aval payasam recipe

Aval payasam

Aval payasam or atukula payasam is a simple pudding made with flattened rice or beaten rice flakes. It is the made the traditional way using jaggery, milk, ghee and nuts. Aval paysam is made for festivals like Krishna Jayanti.

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time25 minutes

Servings3

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

Ingredients to make aval payasam

• 1 to 2 tbsp ghee
• 8 cashew nuts split for garnish
• 1 tsp raisins (optional), sweet
• ½ cup poha or aval or atukulu/ avalakki
• 2 cups milk (can use ¼ cup more)
• ½ cup jaggery grated or organic sugar
• 3 to 4 tbsps Water to melt jaggery (skip if using sugar)
• 3 to 4 green cardamoms powdered / elaichi powdered

To powder – thickens the payasam

• 2 tbsp aval or poha or 1 to 1 ½ tsp rice flour
• 8 cashews or 3 to 4 tbsp coconut

How to make the recipe

Make jaggery syrup for aval payasam

• Skip this section if using sugar. Add jaggery to a small pot along with 3 to 4 tbsp water. Melt the jaggery on a low flame. 
• When the jaggery melts and begins to bubble up then set this aside to cool completely. The syrup must turn sticky and don’t need a string consistency.

How to make aval payasam

• Powder cashews and poha in a blender to fine powder. Skip if using rice flour.
• Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews until lightly golden. Add raisins and fry until they turn plump. Set these aside.
• Add poha to the pan and keep frying on a low flame.
• Once the poha begins to smell good, then add the powder and fry for another 1 to 2 mins.
• Pour milk and begin to cook on a medium heat until the poha turns soft. Stir often to prevent the milk scorching at the bottom.
• In the meantime kheer thickens as well and the jaggery syrup has to cool down completely.
• Add cardamom powder. If using rice flour, stir it in 1/4 cup milk. Make sure there are no lumps. Add it to the pot. Stir and cook on a medium heat until the payasam turns thick.
• Filter the jaggery syrup to the payasam. Turn off the stove and mix everything well. Do not cook further, take it off from the stove.
• Add cashews and raisins. If desired some ghee as well.
• Serve aval payasam warm or cold.

Video

Video of Aval payasam recipe

NUTRITION

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 267mg | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Calcium: 195mg | Iron: 1.6mg

Preparation

1. Skip this and the next step if using sugar. If using jaggery then making a syrup will enhance the taste of the jaggery. However you can also skip this and add jaggery powder towards the end and turn off the stove. But making jaggery syrup is the traditional way of making payasam.
Add grated jaggery and pour water to a small pot.

2. Dissolve and bring it to a boil. Allow to bubble on a low flame. Off the stove when it turns sticky, don’t need to check any syrup consistency.

3. Heat the ghee and fry cashews until slightly golden.

4. Add raisins and fry until they plump up. Remove them to a plate.

5. Next add in aval/poha and saute on a low flame for few minutes until they smell good.

6. Mean while make a fine powder of 8 cashews and 2 tbsp poha or 1.5 tbsps rice flour.

7. The powder has to be fine.

8. Add this and fry well for a minute or two.

How to make aval payasam

9. Then pour milk and stir well. Cook on a medium flame until thick.

10. When the poha turns soft and the payasam turns thick, add cardamom powder.

11. Turn off the stove and filter the cooled jaggery syrup. Make sure the syrup is cooled completely otherwise it will curdle the poha payasam.

12. Mix well and do not cook further. You can also add more ghee if you prefer.

Cool the aval payasam and offer as Naivedyam. Garnish with the nuts and raisins.