Wishing all my readers a very Happy Vishu!

A few weeks ago while driving back from my home town Kannur, My family and I, stopped at a hotel in Coorg for breakfast. Waiting for our breakfast, I began to explore the small shop attached to the hotel, selling all the local, handmade, & organically sourced produce. My eyes fell upon this pack of bamboo rice. I was intrigued by this as I had heard many fascinating dishes that could be made with Bamboo rice and it’s health benefits. Here’s my trial of Bamboo rice payasam, also known a Mulayari payasam, a Vishu special.

While making this payasam, figured that it is very easy to prepare and tastes best when cooked using fresh coconut milk and jaggery syrup. The method is very similar to that of making wheat payasam or parippu pradhaman.

Recipe

Serves 8

Soaking time 8-10 hours

Cooking time 30 mins

Ingredients

• Bamboo rice 1 cup
• Jaggery 1 cup
• Coconut milk (thick/1st extract) 1 cup
• Coconut milk (thin/2 extract) 2 cups
• Dry ginger powder/chukke/Saunth 1 teaspoon
• Cardamom/elaichi powder 1 teaspoon
• Sea salt a pinch
• Ghee/clarified butter 2 table spoon
• Coconut slices, cut small for garnish (1 table spoon)
• Cashew nuts and raisins for garnish (1 table spoon)

• The pre-packed bamboo rice needs to be thoroughly cleaned as there may be tiny particles of dirt or mud.
• Once cleaned, wash and soak the bamboo rice in water for over 8-10 hours or overnight.
• Pressure cook the bamboo rice with the 2nd extract or the thin coconut milk for 10 minutes after the 1st pressure is released.
• Boil the jaggery with 1 cup water to form a thin syrup. Sieve it and keep aside.
• Open the pressure cooker, when cooled. Transfer the cooked bamboo rice to a thick bottom sauce pan.
• Add the jaggery syrup and a pinch of salt to the cooked bamboo rice and let it simmer on very low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring once a while.
• Add the thick coconut milk (1st extract), dry ginger powder, cardamom powder and bring it to a boil. Stir well. Do not over boil this as it may curdle. Take it off the heat and keep aside. The payasam is nearly ready.
• Take a small pan for tempering, add little ghee, when hot add the coconut slices and let it cook till golden brown, pour it over the cooked payasam.
• Pour a little ghee to the tempering pan, when warm, add the cashew nuts, fry them till golden brown, pour it over the cooked payasam.
• Pour the remaining ghee to the tempering pan, when warm, add the raisins, when all swell up, turn off the heat and pour them over the cooked payasam. Give it a good stir and the Bamboo payasam is ready to serve.
• Enjoy the payasam warm or cold. Tastes even better the next day, straight out of the refrigerator.