Thinai Paal Payasam | Foxtail Millet Milk Kheer | Millet Milk Pudding

Today I am here with Thinai Paal Payasam. This payasam is made with Thinai Arisi (Foxtail millet Rice) instead of raw rice unlike the usual paal payasam. I have been experimenting a lot with millets in the recent days but most of them haven't made to the blog yet, except for Thinai Ven Pongal which I posted few months back. This Thinai payasam is very easy to make and is quite delicious. Thinai Rice cooks faster so I prepared this payasam in a pan.

Thinai Paal Payasam Recipe

This is a South Indian style pudding made with Foxtail Millet Rice (Thinai Rice). This thinai payasam is very easy to make and is delicious.

Recipe Developed, Cooked and clicked by : Divya Prakash
Published : January 6, 2016
Prep time : 10 mins  Cook time : 30 mins  Total time : 40 mins
Yield : 2-3 servings

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Ingredients :

• Thinai Arisi/ Foxtail Millet Rice : 1/4 cup
• Water : 2 cups
• Milk : 2 cups
• Sugar : 1/2 cup
• Cardamom : 3 nos.
• Saffron strands : a pinch (optional)
• Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
• Cashews : few
• Raisins : few

Instructions :

1. Slightly roast thinai rice in low flame and keep it aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, add 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Then add roasted thinai and turn the heat to medium low and cook for about 7-8 minutes till thinai is cooked.
3. To this, add milk and sugar mix well and continue to cook in low flame till it thickens as per required consistency.
4. In the mean time, fry cashews and raisins in ghee and keep it aside and also peel the skin of the cardamom and powder the cardamom seeds with a tablespoon of sugar and keep it ready.
5. Once the thinai milk mixture starts to thicken, then add powdered cardamom, mix well then add fried cashews and raisins along with ghee and mix well. Finally add a pinch of saffron mix well and turn off the heat.
6. Payasam is ready to be served. It can be served both warm and also cold.

Notes :

• I cooked thinai in pan. But you can cook it in pressure cooker and then start the payasam making process too. For 1/4 cup of Thinai add 3/4 cup of water and pressure cook for one whistle. Then let the pressure release, you can use use it for making kheer.
• This payasam tends to thicken. While serving, you may have to dilute with milk if needed.
• Instead of Sugar, Jaggery can also be used.