Payasam is one of the most loved dishes of the Onasadya. Kerala has an amazing variety of payasams—from traditional jaggery-based pradhamans to creamy milk payasams. Here is a collection of 20 delicious Onam Payasam recipes, suitable for a Nelsapy festival resource.
1. 🍌 Ada Pradhaman
One of Kerala’s most famous traditional Onam payasams.
Ingredients
- Ada – 1 cup
- Jaggery – 2 cups
- Thin coconut milk – 3 cups
- Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
- Ghee – 3 tbsp
- Coconut pieces – 2 tbsp
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Dry ginger powder – a pinch
- Cashews – optional
- Raisins – optional
Preparation
- Wash and cook the ada until soft.
- Melt jaggery with a little water and strain.
- Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked ada.
- Add thin coconut milk and simmer.
- When it thickens, add thick coconut milk.
- Add cardamom and dry ginger.
- Fry coconut pieces in ghee and add them.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Taste: Rich, caramel-like, coconutty and aromatic.
2. 🥛 Palada Payasam
A creamy milk-based payasam made with rice ada.
Ingredients
- Rice ada – 1 cup
- Full-fat milk – 2 litres
- Sugar – 1½–2 cups
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp
- Cashews – optional
- Raisins – optional
Preparation
- Wash and cook the ada.
- Boil milk in a heavy-bottomed vessel.
- Add the cooked ada.
- Simmer slowly, stirring frequently.
- Add sugar.
- Continue cooking until the milk reduces and becomes creamy.
- Add cardamom.
Tip: Slow cooking gives Palada its characteristic rich flavour and light pinkish colour.
3. 🥥 Parippu Payasam
Also known as Cherupayar Parippu Payasam, this is a classic jaggery-and-coconut-milk dessert.
Ingredients
- Moong dal – 1 cup
- Jaggery – 1½–2 cups
- Thin coconut milk – 3 cups
- Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
- Ghee – 2 tbsp
- Coconut pieces – 2 tbsp
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Dry ginger – a pinch
Preparation
- Dry roast the moong dal lightly.
- Cook until soft.
- Add melted and strained jaggery.
- Add thin coconut milk.
- Simmer for several minutes.
- Add thick coconut milk.
- Add cardamom and dry ginger.
- Finish with fried coconut pieces.
Taste: Nutty, rich and traditionally Kerala.
4. 🍍 Pineapple Payasam
A fruity variation that works beautifully for an Onam feast.
Ingredients
- Ripe pineapple – 2 cups, finely chopped
- Jaggery – 1½ cups
- Thin coconut milk – 2 cups
- Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp
- Coconut pieces – 2 tbsp
Preparation
Cook pineapple until soft, add jaggery and simmer. Add coconut milk and finish with cardamom and fried coconut pieces.
5. 🍈 Chakka Pradhaman
A wonderful traditional payasam made from ripe jackfruit.
Ingredients
- Ripe jackfruit pulp – 2 cups
- Jaggery – 1½ cups
- Thin coconut milk – 2 cups
- Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
- Ghee – 2 tbsp
- Coconut pieces – 2 tbsp
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
Method
Cook the jackfruit pulp until thick. Add jaggery and coconut milk. Simmer gently and finish with thick coconut milk and fried coconut pieces.
6. 🍠 Chena Payasam
Made with elephant-foot yam (chena).
Ingredients
- Cooked chena – 2 cups
- Jaggery – 1½ cups
- Coconut milk – 3 cups
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 2 tbsp
- Coconut pieces – 2 tbsp
Cook the yam with jaggery, add coconut milk and finish with cardamom and roasted coconut pieces.
7. 🍠 Sweet Potato Payasam
A naturally sweet and creamy variation.
Ingredients
- Sweet potato – 2 cups
- Jaggery – 1–1½ cups
- Coconut milk – 3 cups
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp
- Cashews – optional
Cook mashed sweet potato with jaggery and coconut milk. Finish with cardamom.
8. 🌾 Wheat Payasam
A hearty traditional-style dessert.
Ingredients
- Broken wheat – 1 cup
- Jaggery – 1½ cups
- Thin coconut milk – 3 cups
- Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 2 tbsp
Cook the wheat until soft, add jaggery and coconut milk, then simmer until thick.
9. 🌾 Gothambu Pradhaman
This is a traditional broken-wheat and jaggery pradhaman.
For extra flavour, add:
- Fried coconut pieces
- Cardamom
- Dry ginger
- A little cumin powder
The combination of wheat, coconut and jaggery gives it a deep traditional flavour.
10. 🍚 Rice Payasam
One of the simplest varieties.
Ingredients
- Rice – ½ cup
- Milk – 1½ litres
- Sugar – 1½ cups
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp
Cook rice in milk over low heat until creamy. Add sugar and cardamom.
Best for: Children and people who prefer a mild, creamy payasam.
11. 🥭 Mango Payasam
A seasonal fruity variation.
Ingredients
- Ripe mango pulp – 2 cups
- Jaggery – 1 cup
- Coconut milk – 3 cups
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Coconut pieces – 2 tbsp
Cook mango pulp with jaggery, add coconut milk and finish with cardamom.
Tip: Add the mango pulp after the mixture has cooled slightly to preserve its fresh flavour.
12. 🍈 Banana Payasam
A simple and economical Onam dessert.
Ingredients
- Ripe Kerala bananas – 4
- Jaggery – 1½ cups
- Coconut milk – 3 cups
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp
Mash or puree the bananas, cook with jaggery and add coconut milk.
13. 🥕 Carrot Payasam
A modern colourful addition to an Onam dessert table.
Ingredients
- Grated carrot – 2 cups
- Milk – 1 litre
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp
- Cashews – optional
Cook carrots in ghee, add milk and simmer until tender. Add sugar and cardamom.
14. 🎃 Pumpkin Payasam
A creamy seasonal variation.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin – 2 cups
- Jaggery – 1½ cups
- Coconut milk – 3 cups
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Dry ginger – pinch
- Coconut pieces – 2 tbsp
Cook pumpkin until soft, mash it, add jaggery and coconut milk and simmer gently.
15. 🌿 Sago / Sabudana Payasam
Popular across India and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
- Sabudana – 1 cup
- Milk – 1 litre
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Cashews – 2 tbsp
- Raisins – 1 tbsp
Soak and cook the sago, add milk and sugar, then finish with cardamom and roasted nuts.
16. 🥥 Coconut Payasam
A simple coconut-rich dessert.
Ingredients
- Fresh grated coconut – 1 cup
- Jaggery – 1½ cups
- Thin coconut milk – 2 cups
- Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
Cook the coconut with jaggery and thin coconut milk, then add thick coconut milk at the end.
17. 🌱 Green Gram Payasam
Similar to traditional parippu payasam but prepared with whole green gram (cherupayar).
Ingredients
- Green gram – 1 cup
- Jaggery – 1½ cups
- Coconut milk – 3 cups
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Dry ginger – pinch
- Fried coconut pieces – 2 tbsp
Cook the green gram until soft and follow the traditional jaggery-and-coconut-milk method.
18. 🍠 Tapioca Payasam
A Kerala-style variation using kappa (tapioca).
Ingredients
- Tapioca – 2 cups
- Jaggery – 1½ cups
- Coconut milk – 3 cups
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
- Dry ginger – pinch
- Coconut pieces – 2 tbsp
Cook tapioca thoroughly, combine with jaggery and coconut milk and simmer gently.
19. 🌰 Nuts & Dates Payasam
A modern festive payasam.
Ingredients
- Dates – 1 cup
- Cashews – ½ cup
- Almonds – ¼ cup
- Milk – 1 litre
- Jaggery or sugar – as required
- Cardamom – ½ tsp
Blend some of the dates and nuts, cook with milk and finish with chopped dates and nuts.
20. 🍫 Chocolate Payasam
Not traditional, but popular with children and suitable for a modern Onam celebration.
Ingredients
- Milk – 1 litre
- Rice or ada – ½ cup
- Sugar – ¾ cup
- Cocoa powder – 2 tbsp
- Chocolate – 100 g
- Cardamom – optional
- Cashews – optional
Cook the rice/ada in milk, add sugar and cocoa, then melt in the chocolate.
Note: This is a modern adaptation rather than a traditional Kerala Onam payasam.
🏆 10 Best Traditional Payasams for Onasadya
If you want a genuinely traditional Kerala Onam menu, these are excellent choices:
- 🥇 Ada Pradhaman
- 🥈 Parippu Payasam
- 🥉 Palada Payasam
- Chakka Pradhaman
- Gothambu Pradhaman
- Pazham Pradhaman
- Cherupayar Payasam
- Coconut Payasam
- Pineapple Payasam
- Banana Payasam
🍚 A Three-Payasam Onasadya
For a special Onam feast, you could serve:
1. Ada Pradhaman – traditional jaggery & coconut milk
2. Palada Payasam – rich, creamy milk-based
3. Parippu Payasam – lentil, jaggery & coconut milk
This gives guests three distinctly different flavours without making the dessert course repetitive.
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