Seventh Heaven with Pazha Payasam
“Is it a badangir (almond kheer) with fruits? Is it a fruit custard? Is it a fruit salad? What is it?”, are the questions often asked when this dish is served at weddings in Chettinad. The answer is that it is all of that, and more... This week we bring to you one of my favourite desserts, right from the kitchens of the prized settu samayakkarars (professional wedding cooks) – Pazha Payasam. To finish off a traditional wedding feast with an icy cold cup of this rich kheer of fruit cocktail enriched with almonds – ah, seventh heaven indeed! And who would’ve guessed it is so simple to make?!
I’ve said before that the Muthiah household was not very fond of Indian sweets. The philosophy was that while chocolates, the darker the better, kept the doctor away, desserts were only meant for parties. And if there was an Indian sweet in the making in Ayah’s kitchen, it meant there most likely was a religious celebration in the offing. So, come wedding season, the pandhi visaarikkira annans (servers) probably considered us rather strange when we politely returned the sweets, the host’s pride, that were carefully set out on the banana leaves. But there is always an exception to any rule and that is pazha payasam. We happily gulped down the icy, cold dessert, fishing out our favourite fruit, the elusive bright red cherries. And then we were ready for more…
I’m not sure of the origins of this recipe, but I’ve not seen it served anywhere other than at a Chettiar home. I believe the original recipe was made with fresh fruits in season like bananas, apples, oranges and pomegranates, but somewhere along the way, the recipe was made more exotic by substituting the fresh fruits with a canned fruit cocktail – the firm sweetness of the syrup sweetened fruits a refreshing contrast to the velvety smooth, creaminess of the payasam. Fusion at its best, likely something the butlers of yesteryear would have been proud to include in their “cuisine”.
A special note from the rather irate better half, a connoisseur of the payasam and all things sweet. This is a personal preference from someone who is rather selective of his fruits — scour the ingredients list to ensure that the can doesn’t have even a whiff of papayas, which he hates with an absolute passion. Unfortunately, one uneducated grocery shopper (aka myself), forgot this rule and bought a can of tropical fruits which had not one, but two types of papayas! I don’t know what the poor fruit had done to deserve such disdain, but the darling man spent the rest of the evening fishing out every single piece from the test batch. And then there was me, with my special love for cherries, cursing the local brands that seem to stinge on the fruit that lent an enticing pop of colour to the dish. What a task it was to extract the lonesome few for the photograph! Note to self, and something that I’d forgotten that I often do if there is a large party in the offing and cost is not a factor – get a few small cans of selected fruits (peaches, pineapples and, of course, cherries pass the muster) and use them instead of the standard fruit cocktail.
On that note, we bring to you the deliciously creamy Pazha Payasam. And when you ask for seconds, don’t forget to roll your tongue around the ‘L’, in the way true South Indians do, when you say Pala Payasam.
Notes:
1. Use any large can of mixed fruits. However, if you're being selective, select your choice of canned fruits and use 1 1/2 cups of fruit and about 1 cup of the syrup from any of the cans.
2. While this recipe calls for canned fruits, you can substitute with fresh fruits, like the original recipe. Use about 1 1/2 cups of mixed fruits. If you do this, you will need to substitute the syrup with 1 cup water and also add additional 1 tablespoon of sugar for sweetness.
3. As we are experimenting with a keto diet, I had almond meal on hand and so used that to make the payasam. If you don't have almond meal, use whole almonds, but they will need to be soaked for a minimum of 8 hours before grinding.
4. There are a few ingredients that are not readily available pantry staples:
- Custard powder - this is the first time I have made this recipe with custard powder, and the verdict is that it is perfectly okay to omit if not available.
- Saffron - I like the light colour it imparts to the payasam, and the taste. However, the taste is not for all. Not to worry, this is also another ingredient that can be omitted.
- Chironji nuts (saara paruppu) - this is rather hard to find overseas, so I have omitted it. If using, light roast this in a teaspoon of ghee and add to the payasam just before serving. It adds a nice crunch and an almondy flavour.
5. The level of sweetness and consistency of the payasam are personal preferences. Feel free to increase or reduce as per your taste.
6. This recipe makes 10-12 portions. While the quantities can be halved, you will probably struggle to grind lesser than 1/4 cup of almonds. However, if you do want to make a small quantity, still grind 1/4 cup of almonds, but freeze what you do not use.
Ingredients:
~ 20 almonds, soaked overnight or ¼ cup (~40 gm) almond meal
1 pinch of saffron
4 cups (~1 litre) milk
1 large can (500 gm) of cocktail fruits (in light syrup)
1 cup (~250 ml) water
½ cup (~100 gm) sugar
Optional:
1 tablespoon custard powder
1 tablespoon chironji nuts (saara paruppu) toasted in a teaspoon of ghee
Method:
1. If using whole almonds, soak them overnight or for at least 8 hours. Once soaked, remove the skin and chop / slice them up. Mix the chopped almonds / almond meal with ¼ cup of milk and grind to a fine paste, the finer the better.
~ 20 almonds, soaked overnight or ¼ cup (~40 gm) almond meal
¼ cup milk
2. Warm 2 tablespoons of milk and soak the saffron strands in the milk.
1 pinch of saffron
2 tablespoons milk
3. Drain the fruits and set aside. Reserve all the syrup from the can.
1 large can (500 gm) of cocktail fruits (in light syrup)
4. In a large pot, mix the almond paste and remaining milk and water bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and keep simmering until it reduces to ¾ the amount. About 10 minutes. Keep stirring to ensure it doesn’t burn.
3 ¾ cups (~1 litre) milk
1 large can (500 gm) of cocktail fruits (in light syrup)
1 cup (~250 ml) water
5. If using custard powder, mix with 2 tablespoons of the syrup and add to the payasam at this stage. Keep stirring to ensure it doesn’t form lumps or burn. The custard powder gives additional thickness and flavour - if you don’t have it, you can omit it, the payasam won’t be as thick, but will still taste good.
Optional:
1 tablespoon custard powder
6. Add the sugar and the remaining syrup from the can of fruits and keep simmering for another 5 minutes till the sugar dissolves.
1 large can (500 gm) of cocktail fruits (in light syrup)
½ cup (~100 gm) sugar
7. Add the saffron strands soaked in milk and mix in.
8. At this stage, if the payasam is too thick, add a little more water to thin it down. Taste and add more sugar if required – the payasam will be served cold, so the sweetness will reduce with the chilling. Turn off the flame.
9. Finally, add the fruits and mix in. Let it cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours.
10. When you are ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator. The payasam will likely have thickened up – if it has, add some cold water or ice cubes to dilute it. If you want to increase the sweetness at this stage, dissolve some sugar in warm water (simple syrup) and mix in the payasam. Serve cold.
Serves: 12
Apprentice Rating: Medium, only because it involves grinding the almonds to a fine paste
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