Akki Payasa/ Rice Pudding

I should confess I am not the biggest of sweet toothed, not in terms of quantity but sweets are always welcome. Just a spoonful or so will satisfy my craving but I end up craving for 2-3 sweets each day. This holidays it was a surfeit of sweets, baked, simmered, deep fried all kinds of sweets. I almost ran of ideas and had to rely on something very traditional and is a proven crowd pleaser for the last of parties. So I dished up akki payasa, also known as Phirni, Pal Payasa etc depending on which part of India you hail from... My mother-in-law is an acknowledged expert of this particular dish. Also, this is something she makes frequently and with an incredible degree of practiced ease, as if I am sitting with my laptop while munching on a handful of peanuts! It is creamy, comforting and I actually do not know of anybody who does not like this particular dessert..



Serves 8 ||  Calories per serving (Kcl) | total 284 | Protein 10 |  fat 17 || Fiber 0.4 gm |

Rice a handful about 1/4 cup (I used Basmati)
Whole milk 2 liters
Sugar 1/2 cup (adjust according to taste)
Saffron a few strands
Cardamon 2
Raisins a handful
Cashew a handful
Ghee 2 tsp

Method:

• Wash rice in several changes of water. Drain well.
  
• Combine the rice and whole milk and bring it to a boil. Add the saffron and ground cardamon. Simmer for about 3 hours stirring periodically and scraping the sides.
• Heat the ghee in a pan. Drop the raisins and cashews. Toss them in the ghee and cook till golden brown. Set it aside to cool.
• Once the milk mixture has reduced to a quarter of its original quantity and the rice is cooked, add sugar. Check and adjust if needed more. Pour over the raisin and cashew mixture. Stir. Remove from heat.
  
• Once the Payasa cools down to room temperature, pop it into the refrigerator.Serve chilled. The payasa tastes best after it has sat for at least 6 hour. I prefer to sit it overnight in the refrigerator.Enjoy!!