Mountbatten Mani Iyer’s Vegetable Payasam

• Finely chopped carrots – 1/2 cup
• Finely chopped potato – 1/2 cup
• Finely chopped cauliflower – 1/2 cup
• Finely chopped beans – 1/2 cup
• Milk – 2 ltrs
• Almond paste – 1/2 cup
• Water – 1 cup
• Sugar – 1/2 – 1 cup (to taste)
• Roasted mixed nuts – 1/2 cup
• Saffron – 1 pinch
• Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
• Ghee – 2 tsp for garnish

1. In a pan (preferably a heavy bottomed vessel), add equal parts water and milk and bring to a boil.
2. Add chopped carrot to the boiling mixture as it takes  longer to cook
3. After a few minutes add the chopped potatoes and boil. To check if they’ve cooked, take some on the spatula and press vegetables. (It should not be mushy)
4. At this stage, add the beans and let it boil and later add the cauliflower. Strain and set aside.
5. On another stove add 500 mls of milk to a heavy bottomed vessel and let it boil (this is to reduce the milk in half its size)
6. Once the quantity reduces, add the remaining 1.5 ltrs and let it boil. To this add crushed saffron, and continue to boil
7. Make sure you incorporate the cream sticking on the sides of the pan while boiling the milk
8. Add the cooked vegetables (that you set aside) to this boiling milk
9. Add the almond puree and stir continuously (if you do not stir, almond puree tends to settle at the bottom of the pan and get burnt)
10. Add the cardamom powder and sugar (to your liking) and stir
11. Switch off stove and garnish with roasted mixed nuts
12. This tastes best when served hot as you can still get the crunch of the vegetables and the roasted mixed nuts.

TIP:

• The method of adding equal parts of water and milk to boil the vegetables is to ensure the milk does not get burnt and stick to the bottom
• Also, adding a small silver coin to the milk while boiling it will prevent the milk from overflowing.

Photo courtesy – A good friend and a fabulous cook Mrs. Hazeena Seyad of Saute, fry n bake after trying and testing this recipe. She’s got some fabulous recipes on her blog. Check it out. Saute,fry n bake