Chowari Payasam / Sabudana Kheer / Tapioca Pearl Pudding

It may be known by different names that may make it sound like too complicated or sophisticated, but it is just a very basic payasam or kheer that you can put together in a matter of time. With Vishu around the corner, I thought what best can be served to my blog baby than a yummy payasam. 

Not just for sadyas, it can make a super yummy tea time/after school snack for kids as well as adults too. With just minimal ingredients and most importantly with least efforts...when you can make such a yummy payasam, then why think twice. Just go ahead and make it.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup of sabudana/ chowari/ tapioca pearls
2. 4 cups of whole milk
3. 1/4 cup of sugar or more as required
4. 3/4 cup of water to soak the sabudana
5. 1/2 tsp of cardamom powder
6. Nuts of your choice to garnish

Method

• Wash and rinse sabudana/chowari. Soak it in water for about 1 1/2 hours. It will be get plumped up.
• Into a thick bottom pan, add the whole milk and bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat and let it simmer untill the milk reduces a bit.
• Now add the soaked sabudana/chowari to it, having drained out any excess water from it. Stir and cook it untill the sabudana/chowari gets cooked and turns translucent i.e. roughly around 10-12 minutes.
• Add the sugar and cardamom powder. Stir it in, to dissolve the sugar into the payasam.
• Cook for another couple of minutes and turn off the heat. Garnish with nuts of your choice and serve warm or chilled.

Tips

1. I have used almonds to garnish the payasam/kheer. You could add ghee fried cashews or raisins for some enhanced taste.
2. For additional taste and elegant, add milk soaked saffron to the kheer when you add the cardamom powder to it.