Ari paal payasam is a traditional dessert recipe for an onam sadhya in kerala, where it is served and relished from the flat banana leaf instead of cups. It is made with raw red rice or matta raw rice (broken) which is cooked in milk and sugar. I have given this simple delicious rice pudding a small twist by adding dried bay leaf. Bay leaf has a sweet, spicy scent, reminiscent of nutmeg which when simmered along with milk and rice, gives the rice a slightly woodsy, herbal fragrance. Finally, i like to garnish my milk and rice pudding with the nuts warmed in ghee as they give a very nice taste to the ari paal payasam but this is optional, as traditionally paal payasam is not served with any fragrance or garnish and is flavored by the creamy milk and rice pudding only.
