Macaroni Payasa | Macaroni Kheer (with Jaggery)

• Prep Time: 5 Mins
• Cook Time: 30 - 35 Mins
• Servings: 3 - 4

Ingredients:

• Macaroni - 1 cup
• Water - 2.5 cups
• Milk - 3.5 cups
• Jaggery - 3/4 cup
• Water (to melt jaggery) - 1/4 cup
• Raisins - 10 - 12
• Cashews - 8 
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Saffron / Kesari - a pinch
• Cardamom/ elaichi powder - 1/2 tsp

Preparation:

1. Add macaroni to a steel vessel or kadai along with 2.5 cups of water.
2. Boil the macaroni for 7 - 10 minutes till it becomes soft (take a macaroni piece on a plate and it should be possible to cut with a spoon).
3. Drain off the water from macaroni. Keep aside.
4. Take kesari in a bowl and soak it with 1 tbsp warm milk.
5. Add ghee to a kadai and add raisins, broken cashews and roast until they turn golden brown. Take out the roasted dryfruits from kadai and keep aside.
6. Add milk, cooked macaroni and the kesari milk to the same kadai. Cook for 15 - 20 mins and keep stirring in between till the mixture becomes thick. 
7. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Turn OFF the stove and keep the payasa aside.
8. Add jaggery and 1/4 cup of water in a vessel. Boil for 5 minutes till jaggery melts or slightly sticky.
9. Strain the jaggery mixture and add it to macaroni payasa. Mix well. 
10. Turn ON the stove and cook for 3 minutes in low flame. Transfer to a serving bowl.
11. Garnish with roasted dryfruits.
12. Delicious Macaroni payasa is ready to savor hot or cold (cool down completely and keep it in fridge for 1 or 2  hours).                            Enjoyy!!!

Note:

1. If you are adding sugar instead of jaggery then can add directly after 10 minutes of boiling milk with macaroni.