Aval payasam - Aval payasam using rock candy (kalakandu or misri) - Poha kheer

Aval or Poha or rice flakes is said to be Lord Krishna's favorite. 

Aval payasam is usually made using sugar or jaggery. I usually prefer jaggery, as it has iron content and it is healthier than sugar. 

Here I have made another version of aval payasam using rock candy or misri, which gives a rich sweetness. It is big kalandu in Tamil.  

In Hindu tradition, misri is offered to the lord and distributed as Prasad. So I have used misri.

Ingredients :

Aval - 1/4 small cup

Rock candy - 1/4 cup

(crushed into small pcs)

Boiled Milk -  2 cups

Cardamom powder - a pinch

Almonds - 5 or 6 (cut into small pcs)

Ghee - 1.5 tsp 

Preparation :

Wash aval 2 or 3 times and drain the water using a strainer. Keep it aside for a few minutes, until it becomes soft.

Now in a pan add milk and then add aval.  Stir well and let it boil for sometime. Then add rock candy. Keep on stirring. When it becomes thick, add cardamom powder and at that stage remove it from the stove. 

Heat ghee in a pan. Add almonds and roast them. Add this to the payasam.

Very very tasty aval payasam is ready for neivedhyam.