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Aravana or Nei Payasam

A sweet dish made of rice, jaggery, ghee and toasted coconut bits made in some temples of Kerala as neivedhaym or ritual offering to God.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Course Neivedhyam
Cuisine Indian
Servings 8 serving

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup raw payasam rice
  • 3 tbsps thinly sliced slivers of coconut
  • 2 ripe plantains
  • 3/4 to 1 cup powdered jaggery
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup ghee
  • 2 tbsps cashewnuts broken
  • 2 tbsps raisins
  • 4 to 5 pods cardamom crushed
  • 2 tbsp ghee

Instructions
 

  • Wash the rice and cook it with enough water so that it well cooked and soft but not mushy. I do this in a pressure cooker. You can test this by pressing a couple of cooked rice grains between your thumb and index finger. You should be able to mash into almost a paste.
    If the rice is not cooked soft, it will become chewy and tough when cooked with the jaggery.
  • While the rice is cooking, peel and cut the ripe plantains into quarters lengthwise. Then cut them into 3/4-inch pieces.
    Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small pan, and toast the coconut slivers till deep golden brown. Do not let them get darker. Keep aside. Add the other 1 tbsp of ghee, and over medium heat cook the plantain pieces till soft but not mushy. Keep this aside as well.
    If using cashewnuts and raisins instead, then brown the cashewnuts in the ghee. Remove and keep aside. Then fry the raisins as well till they puff up. Remove and keep aside. Add the remaining ghee to the payasam while adding the rest of the ghee.
  • Dissolve the jaggery in the water and strain to remove any impurities. Pour the jaggery solution into a thick walled largish pan and bring to boil, while stirring occasionally. Turn down the heat to medium and allow to simmer for about 2 or 3 minutes. It doesn't have to be cooked to a syrup.
  • Add the cooked rice to this and stir well, ensuring there are no lumps. Also add the cooked plantain pieces at this point, if using. Continue to cook over medium heat and add the ghee remaining from the cashews and raisins.. Also stir in about 1/3rd the 1/2 cup of ghee. Stir till the ghee gets absorbed. Use up all the ghee in this way, adding 1/3rd each time and cook till it all absorbed.
  • The Aravana or Nei Payasam would have thickened and reached the consistency of a risotto. It will thicken further somewhat on cooling and should have a final consistency of a rather thick porridge.
  • Mix in the crushed cardamom and the toasted coconut pieces, or raisins and cashewnuts, whichever you're using. Remove from the stove.
  • Serve warm. This Payasam is quite rich and the servings should be smaller. so the servings need to smaller than most other desserts or sweet dishes.

Notes