Onam was always special growing up. Kerala comes alive during this time more than at any other and everyone joins in the celebrations. It’s also the first 10-day break we get from school and college after they reopen post summer. So Onam meant a break after the first round of serious exams and tests, new clothes, pookkalam, songs, dance, and food. Of course the food, the Onam sadya. Click here for a list of Onam menu items and recipes. Amma made a modest sadya every year that wasn’t over the topic but always had two payasams. We had very split preferences in my family over payasam – some preferred the milk-based payasams and some favoured the brown, earthy, jaggery-based ones. I belong to the latter category. A good jaggery-based payasam gets my vote any day. Check out 8 easy payasam recipes for Onam. Strange that I say that when I am about to share this milky creamy sago payasam recipe with you but here’s what. Over the years, I have grown to like everything. When you are younger and your family makes the meals and all you have to worry about was dressing yourself and getting to school, it’s easy to be picky and say bleh when your mom puts a lovely bowl of payasam in front of you. I am older and wiser (I think) now. I make whatever food my memories are made of and make it the way I remember it being made for me – with easy ingredients and lots of love. Sago payasam is very easy to make and quite similar in process to semiya payasam. The sago is cooked in water or diluted milk and then more milk is added, cooked down, before sugar and cardamom. Step by step pictures to make sago payasam Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and roast the cashew nuts until golden. Drain and set aside. Add raisins to the same pan and fry until they puff up. Drain this as well and set aside. Add 1 cup water and 1/2 cup milk. Notes:
Condensed milk is optional, you can just use thick full cream milk to make the payasam and it will taste just as delicious. I add some since I used low fat milk and wanted a fuller milk flavour Add more or less sugar to your taste. Add a bit more than you think you need since the sweetness level goes down as the payasam cools You can omit raisins if you don’t like them The sago pearls get quite a bit thicker and enlarged as they cook. I had originally used 1/4 cup of sago with the same quantity of milk and it made my payasam quite thick 1 cup = 250 ml in this recipe
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