The Onam feast ends with a series of dessert called Paysams- a sweet dish made of milk, sugar, jaggery, and other traditional Indian savories, eaten either straight or mixed with ripe small plantain. During this year Onam, We enjoyed making Mathanga( Pumpkin) Pradahaman from the first harvested pumpkin from our garden. Especially the texture and the taste is different from other traditional Payasams. Hope you will also try this new recipe.
Ingredients
Pumpkin – 300 gms
Jaggery – 150 gm
Chowari/Sabudhana – 1/2 cup
Ghee – 3 TBSP
Coconut Pieces – 3 TBSP
Cashew Nuts & Raisins – 2 TBSP each
Ginger Powder – 1/2 TSP
Cumin Powder – 1/2 TSP
Cardamom Powder – 1 TSP
Coconut Milk-1st Extract – 1/2 Cup
Coconut Milk-2nd Extract – 1 1/2 Cup
Instructions
Remove the skin of the pumpkin and cut it into cube size pieces. Cook it in the pressure cooker for 5-10 min, until it is nice and soft.
Soak the Chowari/Sabushana in the water for 20 min. Add 1 cup of water and cook it till becomes soft and glassy. Rinse under cold water and keep it aside.
Melt jaggery with 1 cup of water. Strain and keep it aside.
Heat 2 TBSP ghee in a wide pan and add cooked pumpkin. Cook it on low flame for 10 mins, till it becomes tender.
Add melted jaggery to the cooked pumpkin and mix it well. Add 1/2 TSP on Cardamom powder to the mixture. Continue to cook until the mixture is almost dried and thick.
Add 2nd extract(thin) of coconut milk, bring to boil. Simmer and cook till it’s reduced in quantity and it becomes thick in consistency.
Add cooked Chowari/ Sabudhana and mix it well.
Add 1st extract(thick) of coconut milk and mix well. Continue to cook on low flame for 5 min and add 1/2 TSP Ginger Powder, 1/2 TSP Cumin Powder, and 1/2 TSP Cardamom Powder. Turn off the flame.
Heat 1 TBSP Ghee in a small frying pan and add the chopped Coconut pieces, fry till it becomes golden in color. Fry the Cashews and Raisins.
Garnish the payasam with fried Coconut pieces, Cashews, and Raisins. Serve hot and Enjoy!
