Foxtail Millet Payasam / Thinai Payasam Recipe with stepwise pics and a short YouTube video. If you like my video, please SUBSCRIBE to my youtube channel. This is a super healthy, nutrient-packed kheer made with millets, that too without any white sugar or loads of ghee, so low calorific too. Also, if prepared in a very small quantity also, it yields a lot, so adjust the quantity accordingly. Thinai in Tamil, Foxtail millet in English has the longest history of cultivation and it is the first crop cultivated by humans. In south India, it is still a staple diet among the people from the Sangam Period itself. It is referred to very often in old Tamil texts and commonly associated with Lord Murugan and his consort Valli. So this is definitely an apt recipe to offer as Naivediyam to the Lord Murugan for this Deepam festival. If interested check my Thinai Ladoo Recipe and 50+ Karthigai Deepam Recipes here (which includes all the Appam varieties).
Check my other Kheer / Payasam Recipes like
1. Arisi Thengai Payasam / Rice Coconut Kheer
2. Aval Payasam / Poha Kheer
3. Arisi Paruppu Payasam / Rice Dal Kheer
4. Javvarisi Payasam / Sago Kheer
5. Paal Payasam / Milk Kheer
6. Carrot Kheer
Thinai Payasam with Milk
Thinai Payasam Recipe | Foxtail Millet Payasam
Equipment
- Stovetop
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250 ML, 1 tsp = 5 ML
- ½ Cup Foxtail Millet / தினை
- 2 tbsp Moong Dal / பாசிப்பருப்பு
- 3½ Cup Water / தண்ணீர்
- 1 Cup Jaggery / வெல்லம்
- 1 Cup Milk / பால்
- 10 Cashew / முந்திரி
- 4 Cardamom / ஏலக்காய்
- 1 Mustard Sized Edible Camphor / பச்சை கற்பூரம்
- 3 tsp Ghee / நெய் Link for Homemade Ghee
Instructions
- Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan, then add the cashews and cardamom pods. Roast till golden colour and keep aside. Also, measure and keep the milk ready.
- Then, measure the millet and moong dal.
- Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan and then add the millet. Roast till the millets changes to light golden color and nice aroma wafts.
- Transfer the millets to a bowl.
- Heat 1 tsp of ghee in the same pan and then add the moong dal. Roast it slightly to golden color.
- Transfer the moong dal to the same bowl.
- Now, pour 3 cups of water.
- Pressure cook it for 2 or 3 whistles.
- To a pan, add the jaggery and then pour 1/2 cup of water.
- Heat in medium flame, till the jaggery completely dissolves and turns slightly thick. I used pure organic jaggery, so didn't filter it. If you find impurities in the jaggery, filter and then add to the cooked millet.
- Transfer the cooked millet to a pan. Then, add the thickened jaggery and cook on low flame for 3 minutes
- Lower the flame completely, then pour the chilled milk and mix well. Don't do it in high flame or add hot milk, else it gets curdled.
- Add the fried cashews, cardamom pods, and edible camphor.
- Cook for another 2 minutes, this payasam thickens by time, so switch off the flame accordingly.Try this Thinai Payasam Recipe for this Karthigai Deepam festival.
Video
Notes
Tips for Foxtail Millet Payasam
- Roast the millet and moong dal in low flame, till nice aroma wafts. Ensure not to burn it, else the Thinai Payasam Recipe smells bad.
- The addition of moong dal is optional, but it lends a creamy texture to the kheer.
- Adjust jaggery as per sweetness required. If there are impurities in the jaggery, filter and then use it.
- The color of the payasam varies according to the type of jaggery used.
- Lower the flame and then add the milk, else there is a chance to get curdled, as the payasam has jaggery in it.
- For a delicious taste, 1/2 cup of coconut milk can be added at last. Even milk can be replaced with coconut milk.
- For more flavor, 3 to 4 cloves and a piece of mace can be roasted in ghee and added to the payasam.
- For a nice crunchy taste, little bite-sized coconut pieces can be fried in ghee and added to the kheer.
- This Foxtail Millet Payasam thickens with time, so adjust with warm milk before serving.
Foxtail Millet Payasam Recipe
Method for Thinai Payasam Recipe
1. Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan, then add the cashews and cardamom pods. Roast till golden colour and keep aside. Also, measure and keep the milk ready.
2. Then, measure the millet and moong dal.
3. Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan and then add the millet. Roast till the millets changes to light golden color and nice aroma wafts.
4. Transfer the millets to a bowl.
5. Heat 1 tsp of ghee in the same pan and then add the moong dal. Roast it slightly to golden color.
6. Transfer the moong dal to the same bowl.
7. Now, pour 3 cups of water.
8. Pressure cook it for 2 or 3 whistles.
9. To a pan, add the jaggery and then pour 1/2 cup of water.
10. Heat in medium flame, till the jaggery completely dissolves and turns slightly thick. I used pure organic jaggery, so didn’t filter it. If you find impurities in the jaggery, filter and then add to the cooked millet.
11. Transfer the cooked millet to a pan. Then, add the thickened jaggery and cook on low flame for 3 minutes
12. Lower the flame completely, then pour the chilled milk and mix well. Don’t do it in high flame or add hot milk, else it gets curdled.
13. Add the fried cashews, cardamom pods, and edible camphor.
14. Cook for another 2 minutes, this payasam thickens by time, so switch off the flame accordingly.
Try this Thinai Payasam Recipe for this Karthigai Deepam festival.
Thinai Payasam Recipe
Welcome to my blog www.asmallbite.com. Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you’re enjoying my recipes to make the taste forever. I am Priya Santhamohan, writer and photographer (with hubby’s help) of this blog. 
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