Unda Payasam. A Traditional Kerala Sweet Dish.

Childhood memories are probably the fondest and naturally there’s a concern when some of the reasons for such memories disappear over time.

One such thing facing extinction is the ‘unda payasam’ a typical Kerala dish. It’s a true Kerala dessert as a key component is the ‘ethakka’ the Kerala banana.

I used to like Unda Payasam, equal to or more than the ‘Ada Pradhaman’ the numero uno of all payasams.

That’s why I thought of making it when I got some ethakka. Of course, I am drawing from memory and taste as to how it would have been made.

Ingredients: 1. Kerala banana ( ethakka) 2 medium size, 2. Rice powder 1 cup, 3. grated coconut 1/2 cup, 4. Coconut Milk (thick) 1 cup, 5. Jaggery 1/2 cup, 6. Ghee 1 tablespoon, 7. Cardamom seed powder 1/2 teaspoon, 8. Salt.

Mix rice powder with grated coconut and some salt and add hot water to make into a smooth paste.

Unda

Take 3/4th of the dough and make into small balls. Make small balls as it will slightly expand on cooking. Place them in a steamer and steam for about 15 minutes.

Ethakka

Cut the Kerala banana into small pieces. Heat the ghee in a pan and roast the banana in it. Roasting for a few minutes is sufficient.

Payasam

Take the rest of the dough in a hard bottom vessel. Pour about 4 cups of water and place on the burner. Add grated or powdered jaggery according to the sweetness required. Allow the mixture to come to boil.

Add cardamom powder and mix well. Add the steamed undas and roasted ethakka and allow the jaggery to get absorbed in them too.

When the payasam assumes a slightly thick constituency, add the coconut milk. Reduce the flame and allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

Unda Payasam is ready. The sweet and slightly sour ethakka is giving the payasam a unique and delicious taste. Also the rice undas make it a rare pleasant feeling.

Mighty pleased at recreating the fond memory and in reviving this traditional dish. Simply yummy and absolutely satisfying.

Totally Natural! A Sweet Dish Sans Cooking. Kitchen Free!

Payasam of different varieties are popular in Kerala, especially in Onam season.

In these times of health consciousness; fresh, unprocessed and enriching dishes are welcomed. Here’s something simple, fresh and yummy.

This payasam doesn’t even need cooking. Mash up two robusta bananas and add one and a half cups of coconut milk. Mix well with jaggery as required and a spoon of cardamom seed powder. Add a pinch of salt to balance the taste. Fresh payasam is ready. If you like hot payasam, just heat or boil.

In that case, why not add marble sized rice powder balls, (made of rice powder and little grated coconut and salt and made into small balls and steamed). Roasted broken nuts and coconut pieces will add to taste. Using steamed ‘ethakka’ (Kerala banana) will make it even better. Allow chunks of it in the mix.

Do try the ‘no cooking’ fresh payasam. (Credit- recipe seen in daily news consolidation ‘daily hunt’).

Steamed Mango Payasam

This is a traditional dish that I came across at a relations house.

Ripe mangoes are steamed and the skin removed. It is then boiled in coconut milk and jaggery. The second milk (added with some water after the first milk has been extracted) is used for this stage of cooking.

The picture shows the mix getting boiled in medium fire.

A friend gave us some exclusive Marayur Jaggery and the same is used here for the dish.

When done with the boiling into a payasam (kheer or firni) consistency, the first coconut milk previously extracted and kept is added and allowed to simmer for two minutes in slow fire.

The boiled mango payasam is ready for serving.

Ideally the small local variety of mango would make the dish better. Just that I got only the bigger ones.

It’s a pleasure to eat the cooked mango from it’s seed, and I don’t hesitate to use hand to do complete justice.

Stored in the refrigerator, it can be enjoyed for sometime. How long! well, I don’t think it ever lasted that long as it’s too good to keep.

This is very traditional and rare dish and I love it. Try it please.