Carrot Payasam

Payasam or kheer is prepared as the end of meal dessert or specially during festivals as an offering to the God. This milk based pudding can be made with anything - rice, broken wheat, vermicelli, mango, rava, sago, carrot, you name it. Carrot kheer is very light and is suitable for a phalahaar fast (No grains are consumed on the day of the fast). 

Carrot payasam 

Ingredients: (serves 2 generously)

2 cups milk

1 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup sugar

4 green cardamoms, crushed fine

Handful Pistachios and almonds

1. Put grated carrots in a pressure cooker with 1/4 cup water and pressure cook on high till the first whistle. Simmer for 5 minutes. Keep aside.
2. Meanwhile bring 2 cups of milk to boil. 
3. When the carrots cool a bit use a hand blender to coarsely puree the cooked carrots. 
4. Add the carrots to the milk and continue to cook on medium heat, stirring often. Make sure the milk doesn't burn at the bottom of the pan. 
5. In about 15-20 minutes the milk will thicken and form a pudding like consistency. Add the sugar (Adjust the quantity as per your taste). Mix and cook again on high this time for a few minutes constantly stirring. Stirring is important here as the heat is high and both sugar and milk can caramelize really fast. 
6. When sugar is fully incorporated, remove from heat and add crushed cardamoms and chopped nuts. 
7. Chill before serving.