Aval Payasam | Poha Kheer | Atukula Payasam

This time the festival is celebrated on different dates in different parts of the country according to the position of the stars.We celebrated it yesterday according to the south Indian calender suggested by my mom.Where as in Maharashtra and rest of India it would be celebrated today.My day was busy yesterday with the festival preparations,arrangements and pooja rituals.I kept the menu simple, as I had lot of other goodies to eat at home.I had prepared this Aval payasam along with few other goodies which will follow soon in my blog.
I had tasted Aval payasam for the first time almost 5 years back at a friends place and was surprised to know that it was made up of poha.The kheer was quite rich and very tasty and she added condensed milk to the kheer which gave a rich creamy flavor to the Kheer,so do not miss adding it.As we prepare poha based recipes on Gokulashtami,this is an apt preparation for the festival.
Avalakki Payasa | Poha Kheer | Atukula Payasam Recipe:
(serves 2)

Ingredients:
1/2 heaped cup Thick Poha(Flattened Rice)
1/2 litre Full cream milk
1/4 cup Condensed milk
3-4 tbsp Sugar
2 Cardamom pod seeds,powdered
5-6 Saffron strands,soaked in 1 tbsp milk
10-12 Cashew nuts
15 Raisins
1 tbsp Ghee
Method:

• Boil milk until it reduces to half of the original quantity.
• Heat ghee in a thick big kadai and add cashew nuts and fry until they turn light golden in color.Remove them and keep aside.
• Add raisins to the same kadai and fry until they puff up and remove and keep it aside.
• In the same kadai and add poha and fry for 2-3 mins until it turns slight brown in color.
• Add the boiled and reduced milk,condensed milk,soaked saffron and sugar and let it boil for 4-5 mins until poha is cooked soft.If needed boil for little more time.
• Add cardamom powder and mix well.
• The payasam becomes thick once it is cooled down,so remove it from the stove when you get desired consistency.

Serve it warm/cold or at room temperature.
Notes:

1. You can avoid condensed milk in the recipe and increase the quantity of sugar by another 2-3 tbsp sugar.The addition of condensed milk makes the kheer rich and tasty.I strongly recommend to add this for this kheer.
   
2. Jaggery can also be used instead of sugar in the recipe.
3. Use thick variety poha for this kheer,the thinner variety will becomes mushy and does not taste that good.If you do not get thicker variety you can still proceed with thin poha,take care not to boil it too much.
   
4. The kheer gets thickened with time,so remove it according to your desired consistency.
5. The amount of sweetness depends on personal taste,feel free to add more or less according to your requirements.
6. You can make this recipe vegan by replacing milk with 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk.In that case no need to reduce the milk ,add coconut milk once poha is fried and follow the remaining process same.Use jaggery if you are coconut milk.