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Palada payasam (Kerala rice-flake milk pudding)
Thin rice flakes slow-cooked in milk and sugar until pale pink and creamy
No Onam sadya in Kerala feels finished without palada, ladled onto the banana leaf near the end of the feast, often after a darker jaggery payasam. Thin flakes of rice (ada) are cooked for a long time in milk and sugar, and as the milk reduces the sugar caramelises very slightly, turning the whole pot a soft blush pink. The result is creamy and gently chewy, with a taste like warm toffee milk. It is served warm or at room temperature, sometimes mopped up with a crisp pappadam crushed into it, the way Keralites eat it at weddings. It is naturally egg-free: the starch from the rice flakes and the slow reduction of the milk thicken it, with no custard at all. Use ready-made rice ada from an Indian shop. Chef's tip: the pink colour only comes with patience; keep the heat low and steady and keep stirring, because rushing it on a high flame scorches the milk and turns it brown and bitter.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz rice ada (thin rice flakes)
- 3 ¼ cups boiling waterfor soaking
- 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk
- 7 oz sugar
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Pour 3 ¼ cups boiling water over 3 ½ oz rice ada (thin rice flakes) in a bowl, cover and soak for 20 minutes, until the flakes are soft and opaque.
20 minStep 2: Drain the ada and rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear, so the flakes don't stick together. Drain well.
Step 3: Bring 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk to the boil in a large heavy pan over a medium heat, stirring the base.
10 minStep 4: Add the ada and 7 oz sugar, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every couple of minutes and scraping the sides.
20 minStep 5: Keep cooking over a low heat for another 30–40 minutes, stirring often, until the milk has reduced by about a third, turned pale pink and coats the back of a spoon.
35 minStep 6: Stir in 1 tbsp ghee and ½ tsp ground cardamom and cook for 2 minutes more. The payasam thickens a lot as it cools, so take it off while it still flows easily.
2 minStep 7: Rest for 10 minutes and serve warm, or thin with a splash of hot milk if it gets too thick.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does palada payasam (Kerala rice-flake milk pudding) take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of full-fat milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Onam & Vishu