Aval Payasam | Poha Kheer

• Aval / Poha / Rice flakes – 1 cup
• Jaggery – 3/4 cup
• Milk  – 1.5 cup
• Thick Coconut Milk – 1/4 cup (optional)
  
• Saffron – Few Strands
• Cashew, Raisins – 1 tblsp
• Cardamom Powder – 2 pinch
• Ghee – 1 tblsp

1. Fry cashews, raisins in ghee. Extract coconut milk. In a pan roast Aval with a tsp of ghee and cool down.
2. Grind it in a mixer to a coarse powder, just in pulse mode. Boil milk in a pan and add the Aval to the boiling milk.
3. Cook the Aval in low flame for about 5 to 7 minutes, until it is fully cooked and stir continuously. Side by side dissolve jaggery in water. 4. Melt it and strain through a metal strainer to remove impurities. Add jaggery syrup to the cooked aval and just cook for a while. Don’t  boil for long time.
5. Add cardamom powder, saffron soaked in warm milk, cashew and raisins.
6. Finally add coconut milk just give a quick boil and mix well.
Delicious Aval Payasam / Poha Kheer is ready.

1. Adjust jaggery as per your sweetness.
2. You can skip grinding Aval, Just fry and use.
3. For more flavor, nutmeg powder can also be added to this Aval Payasam.
4. Also Aval can be soaked in warm water for 5 minutes, squeeze the water and add the aval in milk.
5. Don’t boil the payasam for a longer time after adding jaggery, else milk curdles.