Date Cashewnut Payasam ready in ten minutes
A simple payasam naturally sweetened with dates and the flavour from cashews
Ingredients
- 500 ml milk cow's ( I used 3%)
- 8 dates , deseeded and sliced
- 10 - 12 cashews
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp cornflour milk mixed in the cold 1/4cups
- 4 tsps sugar
- Pinch saffron
Garnish -
- cashews raisins ghee broken into bits, few - sauteed in (1tsp )hot
- 4 cashews raisins for a minute on low flame till are golden and are puffed.
Instructions
- Keep the milk to boil in a heavy bottomed pan, and then let it simmer for 5 minutes or so.
- Meanwhile place the dates and cashews in a glass bowl with 1/2 cup water and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes till the dates are tender. Once cooled, grind this to a fine (or coarse, if you like) paste.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the milk and bring it to a boil. Then add the date-cashew paste, sugar and saffron. Let the mix simmer for 3-5 minutes and the payasam is ready.
- I don't usually add cornstarch to desserts, but I wasn't sure if the date paste would curdle the milk, while bringing it to a boil, hence the precaution.
- Garnish with the cashews and raisins toasted in ghee.
- This tastes good both warm and cold.