Paal Payasam (Kerala Milk Rice Pudding)
Rice slowly simmered in milk until creamy and pale gold, with ghee roasted cashews and cardamom.
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.60 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Rinse the rice well and drain. Pour the water into a large heavy pan and bring to the boil. Add the rice and cook for 10 minutes until soft and the water has mostly gone.
10 min - 2
Add the milk and bring back to a gentle boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring often so it does not catch. The milk should slowly turn creamy and pale gold.
45 min - 3
Stir in the sugar and crushed cardamom and cook for 5 more minutes until the sugar has melted into the pudding.
5 min - 4
Melt the ghee in a small pan over a medium heat. Fry the cashews for 1 to 2 minutes until golden, then add the raisins and cook for 30 seconds until they puff up.
2 min - 5
Stir the ghee, nuts and raisins into the payasam. It will thicken as it cools, so loosen with a splash of warm milk if needed.
- 6
Serve warm or chilled, in small bowls.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
