Ari Payasam / അരിപ്പായസം!! (Kerala style Rice Dessert with Jaggery and Coconut Milk)

Ingredients

1 cup Unakkalari/parboiled rice (the red grain with bran) soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
400 gm jaggery
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup thick coconut milk (thala paal)
1.5 cup thin coconut milk (randaam paal)
2 1/4  cup very thin coconut milk(moonaam paal)
2 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp cardamom powder or 2 cardamoms crushed
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder/chukku podi

To Garnish

2 tsp ghee
1/4 cup chopped coconut
handful of cashews

Method

• Pressure cook the soaked rice (parboiled rice takes more time) in very thin coconut milk.Once the whistle comes,reduce the flame and cook for another 10-12 minutes.Wait till the pressure goes.
• Meanwhile boil the jaggery with 1/2 cup water and make a syrup of  one thread consistency.
• When the pressure release open the lid and add the jaggery syrup.Bring it to a boil and add the ghee.Roast it sauting till it gets thick.
• Now pour the thin milk and boil.Cook in medium heat till payasam gets bit thick.Pour the thick milk and just heat it.Don't boil .Sprinkle the cardamom and dry ginger powder. Switch off the stove.
• Heat ghee in a small skillet and fry the chopped coconut and cashews till light brown.Pour this over the payasam.(While resting the payasam is to go thick more)

*I am sending this payasam to  Celebrate Sweets-Sweets with Rice guest hosted by Priya of Priya's Easy N' Tasty Recipes,event by Nivedita.