Chowari payasam or Sabudana kheer with detailed photos
Chowari payasam or sabudana kheer is a delicious milk based dessert from Kerala. It is really easy to make and tasty to eat. You can make this payasam at any occasions like marriages, birthdays, festivals etc. I posted this recipe during one onam season and now I am updating it with a little more information.
What is chowary or sabudana?
Chowary or sabudana is the spherical shaped tiny balls made from starchy tapioca roots. It is called tapioca pearls in English. In India, these starch rich small pearls are used to make many desserts, snacks and khichadi. It is also used as a fasting food among some Indian community as these cute little transparent balls are filled with carbohydrate and acts as a fast energy booster during the fasting days.
How chowary or sabudana is produced?
Chowary or sabudana production is a lengthy process. Matured good quality tapioca roots (kappa) are selected from the field. It is then cleaned, chopped and grind using machineries. Further the flour will be processed with lots of water to remove its stain, dried and converted to cute little peals. All the steps are done in big factories using special machineries.
Other Names of Tapioca pearls
Malayalam - Chowwary or Chowari
Tamil - Javvarisi
Kannada - Sabakki
Bengali - Sabu
Gujarathi - Sabudana
Oriya - Sagu
Hindi - Sabudana
Marathi - Sabudana
Use of Sabudana or chowary
Sabudana is usually used as a thickening agent and incorporated in many desserts, snacks, etc. In Kerala, use of chowwary or sabudana is limited to some sweet preparations like payasam. We use to add this cute pearls while making semiya payasam. But outside Kerala, you can find a variety of snacks, kichadies, salads etc.
About chowari payasm or sabudhana kheer.
Sabudana kheer or chowwari payasam is a milk based dessert. The soaked tapioca pearls are cooked in milk till soft and translucent. Further cooked with sugar, milk and condensed milk. Cardamom powder and ghee are used to flavor the payasam. Finally, it is decorated with ghee fried cashews and raisins.
Tips to make chowari payasam or sabudhana kheer
- The tapioca pearls ( chowari / sabudhana) cook much faster when soaked in water. So soak in sufficient water before use.
- I used both sugar and condensed milk in this recipe. Condensed milk is itself sweet, do a taste test while you add condensed milk, and adjust the quantities.
- The payasam thickens as it sits, if it thickens, mix some warm milk before serving and also never boil the payasam after adding raisins as there is a chance of curdling the milk due to the sour taste of raisins. Why should we take chances? Better not to do this.
Chowari pasayam is a very delicious Kerala sweet, try and enjoy with your family.
Chowari Payasam | Sabudana kheer | Sago Payasam with condensed milk | Sabakki paysa | Sago Pudding Recipe
Sweetened and flavored tapioca pearls
Preparation time: 1 hour | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup tapioca pearls | chowari | sabudhana | sago
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 1 liter hot milk
- 3/4 tin condensed milk
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 to 4 cardamom, crushed
To garnish
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 10 to 15 cashews
- 10 to 15 raisins
How to Make Chowari payasam or sabudana kheer with step by step photos
- Take 1 cup tapioca pearls in a pan.
- Add 2 cups of water and keep aside for one hour.
- The chowari will absorb all the water and will increase its size and will turn soft.
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a thick-bottomed pan.
- When hot, add soaked tapioca pearls and mix well.
- Add 2 cups of milk, and cook for three to four minutes with continuous stirring. The pearls will cook and thickens faster and there is a high chance to stick on the bottom. So start stirring immediately when the mixture boils. Stir in one direction only, otherwise the milk will curdle.
- Once the tapioca pearls turned soft, we can add sugar and stir well and wait till the sugar melts.
- Stir continuously till you reach a consistency as shown in the picture. As I said in kadala parippu payasam, the mixture should coat the spoon thickly or while stirring, the mixture should move towards the side in such a way that the bottom should be clearly seen.
- Add remaining milk, mix well and cook on low flame till the milk reduces to half. Since the payasam will thicken as it sits, do not reduce more.
- Add 3/4 tin (between 1/2 to 3/4 tin) condensed milk and mix well. The quantity of condensed milk used depends on the amount of sugar used. So do a taste test before adding condensed milk.
- Add crushed cardamom or cardamom powder and mix well. Switch off the stove once started boiling.
- Fry cashews and raisins separately in ghee. Pour on top of payasam and mix well.
- Serve hot or cold, enjoy....
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