Temple Style Nei Payasam | Aravana Payasam | Rice Kheer With Jaggery

4.67 from 3 votes

Temple Style Nei Payasam | Aravana Payasam | Rice Kheer With Jaggery

Temple Style Nei Paysam is a popular recipe from Kerala offered as naivedyam or prasadam at Sabarimala. The flavor in this kheer comes from the cooked rice blended with ghee and jaggery, a hint of warmth from the ginger powder. The addition of toasted coconut, nendran banana, and roasted dry fruits enhances the taste of this dish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Desserts, sweets

Cuisine: Kerala, South Indian

Servings:

Calories: 394kcal

Author: Kushi

Ingredients

1 cup Matta Rice or Red Rice
500 grams Dark Jaggery (approx 2 ¼ cups)
½ cup + 2 tbsp Ghee
½ cup Coconut pieces
2 tablespoon Almonds chopped
2 tablespoon Cashews chopped
1 tablespoon Raisins
½ to 1 teaspoon Dry ginger powder
2 Nendran Banana ripe and chopped

Instructions

Cook The Red Rice Or Matta Rice In A Pressure Cooker

In a pressure cooker on medium flame add washed and drained rice and 4 to 5 cups of water and pressure cook for five whistles. The first whistle can be on high flame and but the remaining should be on medium flame.
1 cup Matta Rice
I add extra water while pressure cooking and drain the excess later to prevent the rice from becoming mushy or sticky and avoid it from catching the bottom. If using any other rice, time and amount of water may vary.
Let the pressure release naturally. Once the rice is cooked, drain any extra water. You can even give the water/rice broth to kids or elders in your house, which is considered very healthy.

Toast Coconut Pieces And Nuts

While the rice is cooking, add 1 tablespoon of ghee and chopped coconut pieces to another pan. Saute till golden brown on medium flame. Transfer it to a plate.
½ cup + 2 tablespoon Ghee, ½ cup Coconut pieces
Add another 1 tablespoon of ghee, almonds, and cashews in the same pan and saute until golden brown. Add raisins and mix for few seconds. Switch off the flame.
½ cup + 2 tablespoon Ghee, 2 tablespoon Almonds, 2 tablespoon Cashews, 1 tablespoon Raisins

Make Jaggery Syrup

In a pan or pot on medium flame, add jaggery and 3 cups of water and cook until jaggery is completely dissolved and syrup is formed. You do not have to check for any string consistency, and this should take about 8 to 10 minutes on medium flame.
500 grams Dark Jaggery

Making Of Kheer With Jaggery Or Temple-Style Payasam

To the cooked rice in the pressure cooker, strain and add jaggery syrup, banana pieces, Let this come to a boil on high flame. Then add ½ teaspoon ginger powder, and 2 tablespoon of ghee (we will start adding ghee in parts from here in an interval of 8 to 10 minutes till the kheer thickens) and cook on medium flame. Keep stirring during the process. . Check video for more details.
½ to 1 teaspoon Dry ginger powder, 2 Nendran Banana, ½ cup + 2 tablespoon Ghee
After 10 minutes, add another 2 tablespoon of ghee and continue stirring on medium flame. Keep repeating this process every 10 minutes till all the ghee is added and the kheer thickens. Cooking with ghee should take about 30 to 40 minutes.
½ cup + 2 tablespoon Ghee
At this point, add toasted nuts and coconut, another ½ teaspoon of ginger powder if desired. Mix nicely and simmer for 1 more minute and switch off the flame.
½ to 1 teaspoon Dry ginger powder

Notes

The sweetness may vary depending on the jaggery used and the percentage of molasses in that jaggery.
The amount of water required to cook rice will vary depending on the type of rice. I generally add a little more water than needed, pressure cook, and then drain any excess water. By doing so, you are avoiding the rice from turning mushy or catching the bottom of the pressure cooker.
I have reduced the ghee by half, but there is no compromise on the taste in doing so. Don’t reduce it further.
You can vary nuts in the recipe as desired.

Nutrition