Rice Payasam (Paramannam)

Rice payasam or paramannam recipe – Ksheerannam, annam payasam, bellam paramannam are the other names to this delicious, rich and creamy sweet dish. Rice payasam is a traditional sweet pudding made of rice, milk, ghee and nuts. It is a South Indian version of the popular North Indian Rice kheer.

In most South Indian homes, rice payasam is prepared during festivals, celebrations and religious ceremonies. It is offered to the Hindu gods or deities as Naivedyam during the puja.

After the offering it is distributed among the family & friends as prasadam.

Traditionally rice payasam was prepared with jaggery as it is believed to be a wholesome & purest form of natural sweetener. Cow’s milk & ghee were used as a custom especially when prepared for offering.

A generous pinch of cardamom powder is used to flavour the dish. Rice payasam is slow cooked for a delicious, rich and creamy texture.

There are a few different ways of preparing the dish. I am sharing the method we follow at home.

For variations, we also add 2 tbsps of roasted moong dal or chana dal depending on the occasion.

How to Make Rice Payasam (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation

1. Wash rice few times. Soak it till the milk comes to a boil.

2. Rinse a heavy bottom pot. Set the flame to medium. Pour milk and bring it to a boil. Rinsing helps to prevent the milk solids sticking at the bottom.

3. Drain off the water from rice and add it to the boiling milk.

4. Cook till it is soft cooked and mushy. While the rice is getting cooked, keep stirring every few minutes to prevent the payasam getting burnt at the bottom.

Make Jaggery Syrup

If your jaggery is clean and free from debris then you can skip making syrup and just add the grated jaggery to the payasam towards the end.

5. Add jaggery and water to a pan and begin to heat it.

6. Boil it on a medium heat until it turns sticky. There is no string consistency needed but the syrup has to be slightly thick & sticky. This enhances the taste of the rice payasam.

7. When it turns sticky, turn off the stove and set aside to cool completely.

Make Rice Payasam

8. Keep checking the rice. It needs stirring often.

9. Check if the rice is soft cooked by mashing a few grains of rice. It must be soft and get mashed easily. Mash the rice with the ladle lightly. This helps to thicken the rice payasam.

10. Add fresh ground cardamom powder.

11.The jaggery syrup has to be cooled completely. Then turn off the stove and filter the syrup to the cooked rice. Note: Adding hot syrup to the milk, will curdle the payasam.

12. Give a good mix.

13. Heat ghee in a small pan.

14. Fry cashews until light golden. Then add raisins. When they sweel up. Turn off the stove.

15. I prefer to cool this a bit and add to the payasam.

If offering as naivedyam, cool the rice payasam completely and then offer.

For more Traditional Andhra festival recipes
Chakkara pongal with jaggery
Sagubiyyam payasam
Poornam boorelu
Garelu

Recipe Card

Rice Payasam (Paramannam)

Paramannam or rice payasam is a pudding that is prepared with rice, milk and sugar or jaggery. It is also called as annam payasam, ksheerannam or bellam paramannam if prepared using jaggery. It is prepared during festivals to offer it to the Gods as naivedyam.

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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time35 minutes

Total Time40 minutes

Servings4

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

• ▢ 4 cups Milk (cow’s milk if making for naivedyam)
• ▢ ½ cup rice
• ▢ 4 green cardamoms powdered or ealichi
• ▢ ¾ to 1 cup jaggery or sugar or palm sugar (3/4 is moderately sweet)
• ▢ 2 tbsp Ghee (Cow’s ghee is preferred if making for naivedyam)

Instructions

Preparation

• ▢
  Wash rice several times and soak it in enough water.
• ▢
  Pour milk to a rinsed heavy bottom pot.
• ▢
  Bring it to a boil on a medium flame.  Rinsing prevents the milk solids from sticking at the bottom.

Make Jaggery Syrup

• ▢
  Add grated jaggery to a pan along with half cup water. Mix well and heat it.
• ▢
  Boil on a medium flame until slightly thick and sticky. It doesn’t need a string consistency but has to be sticky.
• ▢
  Cool this completely before using it.

How to Make Rice Payasam

• ▢
  To the boiling milk, add drained rice and stir.
• ▢
  Cook the rice till it turns mushy and soft. Stirring once in every few minutes is needed. Mash few grains of cooked rice with a ladle to the side of the hot pot, the rice should get mashed well.
• ▢
  Adjust the consistency of the payasam by adding more milk. Let the rice and milk bubble up after adding milk if needed. Mash the rice if you desire.
• ▢
  Turn off the stove before adding jaggery.
• ▢
  Add cardamom powder. Filter the cooled jaggery syrup to the cooked rice. If using clean jaggery then you can add the gratings now. Stir well until dissolved.

Fry nuts

• ▢
  Heat ghee in another small pan. Fry cashews till golden, then add raisins. Stir till they swell and pour this to the rice payasam.
• ▢
  Set aside the nuts and raisins for garnish if desired.
• ▢
  Serve rice payasam warm or cold.

Notes

1. Low fat milk can be used instead of whole milk.
2. Jaggery syrup has to be cooled completely before adding to the payasam. Otherwise it will curdle and ruin the dish.
3. When cooled the rice payasam thickens, So turn off when it is still runny.
4. You can also add more milk and heat up till it begins to bubble. Do not cook for longer.
5. Handful of moong dal can also be added.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

Video

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts

Rice Payasam (Paramannam)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 496 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 53mg18%

Sodium 106mg5%

Potassium 371mg11%

Carbohydrates 69g23%

Sugar 50g56%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 395IU8%

Vitamin C 0.4mg0%

Calcium 303mg30%

Iron 0.9mg5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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