Carrot-Cashew Payasam

Beautiful colour and flavor of seasonal carrots…..Overloaded with the richness of cashew nuts ….This December prepare this vibrant and creamy… full of flavors… payasam prepared with carrots, cashew nuts and milk… … garnished with nuts and edible and dried rose petals. Sugar free it is… Inherent sweetness of red carrots.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 04

Ingredients and Quantity:

Carrot (grated) – 1 1/4^th cup

Full-fat milk- 1.5 litres

Cashew nuts, broken- 1/4^th  cup

Warm milk for soaking cashew nuts- ½ cup.

Green Cardamoms (Crushed)- 1/4^th tsp

Ghee- 01 tbsp.

For the garnish:

Cashew nuts, sliced / chopped, fried- ½ tbsp.

Pistachio nuts, chopped / slivered- ½ tbsp.

Almonds, sliced and lightly toasted- ½ tbsp.

Rose petals, edible and dried- 01 tsp.

Method:

Soak cashew nuts in warm milk for ½ an hour.

Heat ghee fry grated carrots in it for 5 minutes.

Grind the soaked cashew nuts and carrots into a coarse paste. Keep aside.

Boil milk in a heavy bottomed non-stick pan. Keep stirring till the milk reduces to half the quantity.

Add the carrot and cashew coarsely ground paste to the milk.  Mix well and ensure no lumps are formed; you may whisk it or stir it.

Add the crushed cardamoms. Mix well.

Serve hot / warm /chilled garnished with fried cashew nuts, chopped pistachio nuts, sliced and lightly toasted almond slices and rose petals.

Chef Tips:

You may add organic honey / strained organic jaggery syrup , if desired once the Payasam is prepared and completely cooled down.