Palada Pradhaman | Kerala style Palada Payasam

ABOUT

Palada Pradhaman is a traditional Kerala dessert made using rice Ada cooked in milk & sugar which is simmered till creamy. They are typically a type of payasam prepared during Onam festival.

This payasam is thick and creamy with a hue of pink which is achieved by simmering the milk till it is creamy naturally. It is usually served with papadam and pazham (banana) in Kerala. This is one of my favorite payasam.

I am not a great fan of payasam from childhood. Every time my mom makes payasam, I ask her whether it is palada payasam !! We used to make it often in my home. This is a fool proof recipe with no artificial flavor added to it.

Similar recipes like semiya payasam, paal payasam, nei payasam are also popular in South India.

MAJOR INGREDIENTS

Rice Ada

Rice Ada is nothing but rice flakes which are more like pasta. They are readily available in the stores. Use good quality rice Ada.

Milk

For any payasam, use full fat milk which makes it creamy and rice. Do not add any water while boiling the milk.

Sugar

Normal white sugar is used for this Pradhaman. Ada Pradhaman is a similar recipe which calls for jaggery and coconut milk.

TIPS AND NOTES

1. Use full fat milk and boil the milk without adding water. This ensures the payasam is thick, rich and creamy.
2. The rice Ada once cooked, must be immediately transferred to cold water and then strained. This stops the rice Ada from cooking further and will not be too mushy.
3. Add sugar and cooked Ada only after the milk starts to reduce.
4. Keep stirring then and there , so that the bottom doesn’t stick and burn. Also the sides needs to be scraped continuously to cook everything evenly.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS WITH PHOTOS

Take 1/2 cup of rice Ada and wash it twice in water.

Take 2 cups of water in a kadai. Let it start to boil. Add the rice Ada to it and boil.

It cooks similar to rice. Keep the flame in medium and let it boil for 5-6 minutes.

Checked if it is cooked by taking a rice flake and mashing it between fingers. Once it is cooked, transfer the ada to cold water to stop the cooking process and strain them.

This ensures that they aren’t too mushy and ada is nicely cooked and separate.

Add full fat milk to a heavy bottomed pan and start stirring till it boils. You can also use boiled milk. Keep the flame in medium and keep stirring till it starts to reduce.

Keep scrapping the sides and mix the creamy malai with the milk.

Once the milk turns creamy, add the sugar and mix well till it dissolves.

When the sugar dissolves it turns watery. So keep stirring with patience till it reduces.

Once the sugar is dissolved and the payasam has turned creamy, add the cooked rice Ada and mix well.

Add cardamon powder and mix well for the aroma.

Let it boil till it reduces to half and the payasam gains a pink hue naturally. Make sure to stir in medium flame. It will turn thick and creamy.

Now in a separate laddle, add ghee, cashews and raisins. Roast them well till it turns golden.We usually add only cashews to palada payasam. So I skip the raisins here.

Add the roasted cashews in the payasam and mix well.

Thick and creamy palada pradhaman is ready to serve. Happy Eating!!