Cracked Wheat Banana Payasam / Godhambu Pazham Pradhaman

Ingredients

Cracked Wheat – 1 1/4 cups

Ripe Kerala Bananas – 2 cut into small pieces

Ghee – 1 1/2 tsp + 2 tsp

Jaggery – 500 gm

Water – 4 cups + 1/2 cup

Thin coconut milk – 2 cups + 2 cups

Thick coconut milk – 1 cup

Dry ginger powder/ chukku podi – 1 tsp

Cardamom – 10 powdered

Sesame seeds – 1 tsp

Coconut pieces – 1/4 cup

Cashew nuts – 2 tbsp

Golden raisins/ kismis – 2 tbsp

Method

Pressure cook cracked wheat along with 4 cups of water, on a low flame for 7 minutes, after the first whistle.  Use a 5 or 8 litre cooker.  Melt the jaggery along with 1/2 cup of water.  Strain it and keep aside.  Heat 1 1/2 tsp of ghee in a non-stick pan and add the banana pieces.  Fry it on a medium flame for 5 minutes.  By this time it would have become mashed and turned light brown in color.  Add the mashed bananas and the melted jaggery to the cooked cracked wheat.  Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in between.  Add 2 cups of thin coconut milk and mix well.  Simmer for another 10 minutes more.  Add another 2cups of thin coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add dry ginger powder and cardamom powder.  Finally add the thick coconut milk.  Switch off the flame before it starts to boil.  Heat 2 tsp ghee in a non-stick pan and add the sesame seeds, followed by the coconut pieces.  When the coconut pieces are light brown, add the cashew nuts.  When they turn light brown, add the golden raisins and switch off the flame.  Pour this over the payasam and mix well.  Enjoy delicious ‘Godhambu Pazham Pradhaman’ or ‘Cracked Wheat Banana Payasam’ with your loved ones !