Sorekai Payasa aka Bottle gourd Payasa or Opo Payasa

Sorekai Payasa aka  Opo Payasa

Sorekai, available during summer time comes handy to make payasa. It is quick to make, low in calories and makes an elegant desert.

Cook time: 20 minutes.

Nutrition: 1 Cup serving  =  160 calories (low in fat).

Ingredients:       (  1 cup x 10 servings )
 
Peeled and chopped Sorekai –     4 cups (400 g)
Long grain rice -                          1/2 cup (100 g)
Grated coconut-                           1 cup
Milk -                                           1cup
Sugar –                                         1 ¼ cup
Cardamom powered                     ½ ts
Vanilla essence                             1 ts

Ghee (clarified butter)-                2 ts.

Method: 

1.  Soak ½ cup rice for about 4 hours and drain the water. 

2.  Blend the rice with coconut, in water (1/2 cup) to make a smooth paste. 

 3. Peel the sorekai, remove the seeds, cut into small pieces and cook in 4 cups of water until done.        (10 minutes approximately)

 4. Add the coconut-rice mixture to the hot sorekai pot with stirring. Use additional ½ cup water to         transfer the coconut-rice blend

5.  Continue cooking for 5 minutes to thicken the gravy 

6.  Add one and a quarter cup of sugar, one cup of milk and continue cooking couple of more minutes.

  

7.  Add cardamom, Ghee and vanilla essence and stir.

8.  Turn off the heating, cover the lid, and serve still hot.

 Note:  One can add, Cashew, raisin, sliced almonds and also saffron while cooking.