During Onam festival, people make different types of payasam for Onam sadya. I have already shared Payasam varieties of Kerala in my Onam sadya posts. Here is yet another traditional Payasam recipe of Kerala that is prepared using raw rice and jaggery. It is called as Sharkara payasam/ Ari payasam/ Unakalari payasam / Nei payasam / Ney payasam/ rice payasam with jaggery/ Kerala rice kheer.
Its consistency and taste is more like Sweet pongal / Sakkarai pongal. This payasam is more popular in Kerala temples. This payasam is prepared using Kerala raw rice that looks light pink in color. It is called as Unakalari in Malayalam.
Traditionally Ari payasam is prepared in a big uruli but I used a pressure cooker to finish the job quickly. So you cannot achieve the authentic taste but its equally good. In Kerala, people make this payasam adding thin and thick coconut milk. But there is another version that uses ground coconut paste instead of coconut milk. I followed that recipe. Soon I will try to share the temple style authentic Sharkara payasam.
Now lets see this easy version of making Kerala style rice payasam with jaggery in a pressure cooker with step by step pictures.
Please check out my other KERALA RECIPES too !
Kerala rice payasam with jaggery / Ari payasam – Nei payasam
Kerala style rice payasam with jaggery. It is called as Ari payasam / Sharkara payasam / Nei payasam in Malayalam.
Cuisine: Kerala
Category: Sweet
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes
- Kerala raw rice / Unakalari – 1/2 cup
- Powdered dark jaggery – 1 cup
- Water – 2 cups
- Ghee – 1/4 cup
- Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
- Cardamom – 2 (crushed)
- Dry ginger powder – 1/2 tsp
- Edible camphor / Pachai karpooram – a dash
- Salt – a pinch
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HOW TO MAKE KERALA RICE PAYASAM WITH JAGGERY
- Wash and take the rice in a pressure cooker. Add water and a pinch of salt.
- Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Make sure rice is not over cooked and mushy. It should retain its shape.
- In the mean time, melt jaggery in little water to make a syrup. No need of any consistency.
- Filter the syrup and add to the cooked rice. Mix well and boil for few minutes.
- Add grated coconut or thick coconut milk and boil for a minute. Add ghee at regular intervals and mix till thick.
- switch off the flame once it becomes thick, creamy and glossy. Roast the cashews and add to it. Add cardamom powder and a pinch of edible camphor.
- Mix well and serve !
METHOD – STEP BY STEP PICTURES
- Wash and take the rice in a pressure cooker. Add water, a pinch of salt and cook in low flame for one whistle. Alternately you can cook the rice in open pot too.
- Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Make sure rice is not over cooked and mushy. Rice should be cooked but its should retain its shape.
- Open the cooker after the steam is released. Mash it gently. Melt jaggery adding water and strain the syrup. Add to the cooked rice.
- Add grated coconut, mix well. Boil for few minutes. When it starts to thicken, add ghee at regular intervals till the payasam becomes creamy and saucy. Switch off the flame and let it rest.
- In the mean time, roast cashews, coconut pieces till golden and add to payasam. Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and mix well.
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- Serve hot or warm as you like. Enjoy ! This payasam looks like sweet Pongal once its cold. So you can serve as such or add little coconut milk or warm milk to adjust the consistency.
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Note
- Adjust the quantity of jaggery as per your taste buds. Traditionally 1:2 of rice and jaggery is used.
- You can add thin coconut milk instead of grated coconut, let it boil and finally add thick coconut milk before switching off the flame.
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Enjoy this delicious, Kerala style Sharkara payasam @ nei payasam with pazham and papadam !
