Kavuni Arisi Payasam

Name: Kavuni Arisi Payasam
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Chettinad
Ingredients: 150 g kavuni arisi (black rice); 600 ml Water; 150 g Jaggery; 300 ml thick coconut milk; 300 ml thin coconut milk; 3 g cardamom powder; 20 g cashew nuts; 15 ml Ghee

A striking deep-purple sweet porridge made from heirloom black rice grown around Chettinad, once a rare festive dessert that had nearly disappeared from common kitchens.

🇮🇳India· Tamil Nadu

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 90 min
Total: 110 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 260 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

Equipment

•Heavy pot

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 260 kcal
fat: 9 g
carbs: 42 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 260 kcal

Instructions

1
Drain the soaked black rice. Cook it in a heavy pot with water for 40-45 minutes until soft and mushy, adding water if needed.
2
When the rice is tender and deep purple, add the thin coconut milk. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
3
Melt jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) separately with a little water. Strain out impurities and pour it into the simmering rice.
4
Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally. Keep cooking until the mixture becomes as thick as porridge.
5
Stir in the thick coconut milk and cardamom powder. Simmer gently for 5 minutes without boiling hard.
6
Heat ghee (clarified butter) in a small pan and fry the cashews until golden. Stir them into the payasam (sweet pudding).
7
Let it rest for a few minutes so the flavours settle before serving.
8
Serve warm or chilled as a sweet festive dessert.

Chef's tips

Soak the black rice overnight because it is firmer than white rice and needs extra time to soften. Always add thick coconut milk at the end and avoid boiling hard so it does not split.