DATES AND OATS PAYASAM/KHEER/PUDDING

Dates and Oats payasam/kheer is an Indian milk pudding with the goodness of nutritious dates, healthy oats, almonds and hint of cardamom in every slurpy sip! Added jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) gives it an earthy sweet flavor!

1/2 cup rolled oats

¼ cup jaggery

2 cups milk (preferably whole milk) plus some more for blending

5 to 6 dates for blending

½ teaspoon cardamom powder

1 teaspoon ghee/clarified butter (or oil if vegan)

10 almonds for blending

10 almonds for garnishing

4 to 5 additional dates for garnishing

Soak whole almonds in hot water for about 15 to 20 minutes or give one boil to the water and let the almonds steep in it for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, peel the almonds.

Chop about half of them (around 10).

Deseed dates and keep about 5 for garnishing.

Place the rest of the peeled almonds (about 10) and 5 to 6 pitted dates in a blender jar and make a fine paste with a little milk.

In a saucepan, roast the oats on medium high heat, stirring continuously till you get a nutty aroma; about 2 to 3 minutes.

Tip in the milk and the ground almonds-date paste (rinse the jar with additional milk) into the pan and bring to a boil on medium high heat.

Keep stirring to avoid milk getting burnt at the bottom of the pan.

Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and add the jaggery. Give it a good stir.

Do a taste test and if needed, add more jaggery according to your taste.

When jaggery has completely melted into the kheer, add the cardamom powder, stir and remove from heat.

In a small saucepan, heat ghee and roast the chopped almonds till light golden brown.

Stir into the cooked payasam.

Serve this delightful dates and oats payasam piping hot, warm or cold with additional nuts and chopped dates sprinkled on top.

Kheer/payasam thickens as it cools, so feel free to add more milk when needed.

Enjoy!!!!

Instead of oats, you can use rice or broken wheat/bulgur instead.

Rice will need more time to cook.

Feel free to add any variety of nuts in this payasam.

If you do not have jaggery, use brown sugar or plain sugar.

For a vegan option, use coconut milk and oil.