Papaya Payasam/Papaya Kheer

Papaya is rich in vitamin C and it can be eaten raw or ripe. I have read somewhere that papaya seeds are edible and can be used as substitute for spice in curries.In Kerala ,we make papaya thoran,papaya pickle and never tried payasam with papaya. For this vishu, I am going to share a sweet and yummy papaya payasam.

Ingredients

1. Papaya/Omakka (ripe/cut into small cubes) – 1/2kg/2 cups
2. Sago/chowari (soak in water) – 5 tbsp
3. Jaggery (grated) – 1 cup
4. Coconut Milk(2nd extracted Milk) – 11/2 cups
5. coconut milk(1st extracted) – 1 cup
6. Cardamom Powder – 1tsp
7. Sugar – 4 tbsp or add according to your sweet taste.
8. Milk Powder – 3 tbsp
9. Cashews – 8
10. Raisins – 10
11. Ghee – 5 tbsp
12. Papaya pieces – to Garnish

Preparation

1. Wash and peel off the outer skin of papaya.Discard the black seeds.chop papaya into small pieces.In a blender,Grind into a fine paste.
2. Boil 1/2 cup water in a pan and melt jaggery till watery. then strain the impurities and keep aside.
3. Soak sago in water for sometime.Boil 1/2 cup water and let sago turns translucent.
4. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a  thick bottomed pan.Usually in Kerala we use Uruli for making payasams.
5. Add papaya paste to it and saute till dry.Add jaggery water and sago to it and stir well.Instead of sago you can add Rice Ada.
6. Once it starts to separate from pan, add 2nd extracted coconut milk .Add 1 tbsp of ghee to it and stir slowly.
7. Add 4tbsp of sugar to it.
8. Once it starts to boil,add milk powder mixed with little milk to it and mix well.Add1 more tbsp ghee to it.
9. Once it starts to thicken, add first extracted milk to it and mix well.
10. Add cardamom powder to it.Remove from fire. Don’t let the first extracted coconut milk to boil.
11. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan.Fry cashews and raisins and add it to payasam.
12. Garnish with Papaya pieces.
13. Serve hot or Chilled.