In my previous few posts I have been writing Onam is just round the corner, 2 more days to go etc, and Onam is already here. So tomorrow is Thiruvonam. Everybody must be busy shopping for their Ona Kodi (New Clothes), Ona Sadhya and also preparing for the Pookolam.
No, festive meal is complete without a payasam and so is the case with the Onasadhya. So today’s post is a Payasam – Idichu Pizhinja Payasam. The star ingredient of this payasam is coconut milk, and we all know how it is extracted, by grinding and squeezing scraped fresh coconut. In olden days, when there were no blenders or mixers, people used to pound the scraped coconut in a stone mortar. Idichu in Malayalm refers to pounding and pizhinja means squeezing and hence the name.
This payasam also known as chathachathayam is offered as Neivedyam, during Navarathri at our Annapoorneshwari Temple in my native place Puthucode. The highlight of the Navarathri Sadhya is the Navarathri Pulinkari and this payasam. Though I have not had the chance to taste the prasadam, my brother has had it many times and he has no words to describe it. He just loves it. So what are we waiting for, let’s get straight to the recipe:
What you’ll need:
1. Rice: ¼ cup
2. Powdered Jaggery – 1 cup
3. Coconut Milk – From 1 big coconut/ readymade coconut milk – 200ml
4. Ghee – 1 tsp
Method
1. Wash and drain rice. Cook the rice in a pressure cooker by adding water in the ratio of 1:3.
2. Scrape the fresh coconut. Now to extract coconut milk:
a. Blend the scraped coconut in a mixie or blender. Squeeze the milk out and strain it. This is the first milk.
b. Now add about 1 cup of warm water to the coconut residue and blend it again. Squeeze out the milk in another vessel and strain it. This is the second milk.
c. Now add about 2 to 2 ½ cups of warm water to the coconut residue and blend it again. Squeeze out the milk in yet another vessel and strain. This is the third milk.
3. Heat a heavy bottomed Kadai or vessel; add the jaggery and the 3rd milk, mix well. Let the jaggery dissolve completely. Strain for impurities and put it back on heat. Let this boil for about 5 minutes till the raw smell of the jaggery is gone.
4. Now mash the cooked rice well and add it to the jaggery and coconut milk. Mix well without any lumps. Let this boil for about 3 to 4 minutes or till the rice and jaggery are well blended.
5. Now add the second milk and let it boil for 5 to 6 minutes or till the payasam starts thickening a bit.
6. Now, remove from flame, and add the thickest milk or the first milk. Stir well. Add a teaspoon of ghee for flavor.
Yummy and tasty Payasam is ready to be served. Tastes best when served warm.
Note:
Wishing all my readers and friends a very Happy Onam.
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