Vishu Payasa
Last week was Vishu. This is the astronomical new year festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala, Tulunadu region and Kodagu in Karnataka. I wanted to make a traditional, non-laborious dessert with just a few ingredients. Of course, Gasagase Payasa was my pick. Coincidentally, that day, we got a TON of visitors (all at short notice). Luckily, I was able to share this sweet joy of the new year with many friends. A couple of them asked me for the recipe, so I decided to do this as my weekly newsletter blog post.
My husband and I are from the state of Karnataka. Our ancestors are from towns that are a few hundred miles apart. Yet, my family celebrates Ugadi as our new year (this happened almost a month back), while his family celebrates Vishu as their new year. Vishu festival follows the solar cycle and therefore always falls in the middle of April in the Gregorian calendar. that would be on or about 14 of April every year. Ugadi, on the other hand, follows the lunar cycle, and falls on various dates between March and April. What a wonderful melting pot of cultures and traditions!!
Poppy Seed Pods
Additives in Store Bought Desserts
I recently ate a popular and not inexpensive frozen store-bought Indian dessert. It had citric acid, calcium chloride, potassium sorbate, modified food starch, guar gum, xanthan gum and ‘flavoring’ of a mysterious and undisclosed nature. Seriously, there were more artificial ingredients and preservatives than real foods!! If you were to occasionally indulge in desserts, make sure they have clean, readable ingredients. This payasa satisfies your sweet tooth craving AND feeds you CLEAN food.
Gasagase Payasa
Today’s recipe, Gasagase Payasa, is very traditional and authentic to Karnataka. My mom makes this when I visit her, since I love desserts made from jaggery and coconut milk. The poppy seeds by themselves are tasteless, but some kind of magic happens to the poppy seeds in this payasa. I promise you that the delightful alchemy of poppy seeds, nuts, coconut milk and jaggery, flavored with cardamom is truly going to be a treat for your taste buds. An excellent dessert to enjoy chilled during summer months and warmed up for the chilly winters.
Poppycock? Some Trivia
Did you know that bringing poppy seeds in any form (including on bagels) or trading in them is banned in countries like Singapore, Taiwan, China and United Arab Emirates? Apparently, in one extreme case in the UAE, poppy seeds found on a traveler’s clothes led to imprisonment. Yikes!
Do you remember such a false positive test in popular culture was in the Seinfeld episode “The Shower Head”? Elaine Benes was not allowed to visit Kalahari Bushmen with J. Peterman after testing positive for opium from the consumption of poppy seed muffins? Watch the hilarious clip here.
Are Poppy Seeds the Same as Opium?
For the record, the seeds themselves are not used to make opium. Opium is made from the sap that is coaxed out of the opium poppy’s seed pod. The seed that is housed in the pod contains a lot less of the opiate than the sap. Some of the seed’s opiate is naturally occurring within the seed, but the rest of its opiate content comes from being contaminated by the sap.
Poppy Flowers
Sure, the poppy seeds you buy at the store contain a teeny bit of morphine. To ingest a dose of medically-prescribed morphine, you’d have to potentially eat a ridiculous amount of poppy seeds. That said, don’t be surprised if you find yourself dozing off after having a hot cup of Gasagase Payasa. In fact, this payasa is served as dessert following festivities and it is not uncommon for people to take a nap after. The warm weather in the tropics probably contributes to the drowsiness, and not really the opiate content.
In his play Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare writes “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet“. Poppy Seeds Payasam, Khus Khus Kheer, Gasagase Payasa – call it by any name; I am sure it will be your favorite dessert once you try it!
My Favorite HEALTHY Sweet Tooth Choices
Are you craving for healthy desserts? Look no further!
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Mango Rasayana
- Hesarubele (Split Mung) Payasa/Kheer
- Sweet Pongal (Huggi)
- Creamy Instant Pot Carrot (Gajar) Halwa
- Date Almond Boats
Did you know poppy seeds are an excellent source of manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and thiamin? They help to promote bone development, fight inflammation and aid nutrient absorption. Ayurveda uses jaggery to treat lung infections, sore throat, migraines, and asthma. Jaggery helps in fighting oxidative stress and maintains blood pressure because of its iron content, but as with any sweetener, desserts should be eaten sparingly.
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Gasagase Payasa (Poppy Seed Kheer)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Teaspoons Poppy Seeds - White
- 1 Teaspoon Brown Rice - Raw
- 13 Ounce Coconut Milk - Full Fat. Use BPA free cans
- 4 Tablespoons Jaggery - More if you prefer it sweeter
- 10 Strands Saffron
- 1 Tablespoon Cashew nuts - Break into small pieces
- 1/2 Tablespoon Raisins
- 1 Teaspoon Ghee - Make your own Ghee!
- 6 Pods Cardamom - Seeds only
Instructions
- Soak khus-khus (poppy seeds) and uncooked rice in a little water for an hour. Drain the water out.
- Grind the cardamom seeds, poppy seeds and raw rice to a smooth paste, using half a cup of coconut milk. Empty this into a thick bottomed dish.
- Turn the flame on to low-medium. Add the remaining coconut milk. Add jaggery and stir it in.
- Add saffron strands and cook on medium heat until it reaches one rolling boil, stirring once in a while, to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Add more water, milk or coconut milk to bring payasa to desired consistency.
- Heat ghee in a small pan, and roast cashew nuts and raisins until golden brown. Add this to the payasa.
- Serve payasa either piping hot or chilled....or have one of each!
Notes
- Some people gently roast the rice and poppy seeds before grinding. That's up to you.
- Make sure you use only jaggery for this recipe. Sugar will drastically alter the taste.
