Thinai Payasam, Foxtail Millet Payasam Recipe

Thinai Payasam, Foxtail Millet Payasam. A very healthy recipe made with jaggery, cardamom and coconut milk. With step by step pictures. Thinai Recipes.

Thinai or Foxtail millet is one of the oldest and widely used millet throughout Asia for centuries. There is an old saying in Tamil. வினை விதைத்தவன் வினை அறுப்பான், தினை வினைத்தவன் தினை அறுப்பான். This is the English equivalent of “As you sow, so shall you reap”. Foxtail millet is one of the oldest millet to have been recorded since the sangam period. Foxtail millet is supposed to have been served to Lord Muruga. Thinai Payasam is a staple in many homes during festival time. Here is how to do Thinai Payasam.

First lets dry roast the thinai / foxtail millet on a low flame till its fragrant and smells nutty. Set aside.

We will cook the thinai / foxtail millet along with moong dal in the pressure cooker. I have used half a cup of foxtail millet, four tablespoon moong dal and two cups of water. Cook for 3 whistles on a medium flame. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to be released naturally. Set aside.

Take a pan and add in the jaggery and a cup of water. Bring it to a boil and let the mixture boil until the jaggery is completely melted. Remove from heat and strain the jaggery mixture on a small colander to get rid of sand and any impurities. Add it to the cooked millet mixture.

Add in half a cup of second pressed coconut milk and simmer the mixture for a couple of minutes. Then add in half a cup of fresh pressed coconut milk, cardamom powder and a pinch of salt. Simmer for a minute. Do not simmer for a long time after adding the coconut milk. Remove from heat and set aside.

NOTE: Here is how to do Home made coconut milk from scratch.  See Notes to know how to substitute canned coconut milk.

Heat ghee in a pan and roast cashew-nuts and raisins. When the nuts are roasted, add it to the payasam.

Serve the payasam warm.

Thinai Payasam, Foxtail Millet Payasam Recipe

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Thinai Payasam, Foxtail Millet Payasam. A very healthy recipe made with jaggery, cardamom and coconut milk.

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Yield: 5 servings 1x

Ingredients

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• 1/2 cup thinai arisi / foxtail millet
• 4 tablespoon split yellow moong dal
• 3/4 cup roughly powdered jaggery
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• a pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup first pressed coconut milk
• 1/2 cup second pressed coconut milk
• 2 teaspoon ghee
• 10 cashewnuts
• 10 raisins

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Instructions

1. Dry roast the thinai / foxtail millet on a low flame till its fragrant and smells nutty. Set aside.
2. Cook the millets and dal with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Cook for 3 whistles on a medium flame. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to be released naturally. Set aside.
3. Take a pan and add in the jaggery and a cup of water. Bring it to a boil and let the mixture boil until the jaggery is completely melted. Remove from heat and strain the jaggery mixture on a small colander to get rid of sand and any impurities. Add it to the cooked millet mixture.
4. Add in half a cup of second pressed coconut milk and simmer the mixture for a couple of minutes. Then add in half a cup of fresh pressed coconut milk, cardamom powder and a pinch of salt. Simmer for a minute. Do not simmer for a long time after adding the coconut milk. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Heat ghee in a pan and roast cashew-nuts and raisins. When the nuts are roasted, add it to the payasam.
6. Serve the payasam warm.

Notes

If using canned coconut milk, use 3/4 cup canned coconut milk mixed with 1/4 cup of water.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu