Payasam

Payasam (sago) is an essential sweet dish at any Tamil celebration or festival, including New Year and weddings. It is usually served in small stainless-steel cups, but the traditional way to serve it is on a banana leaf and topped with crushed pappadum. The best payasam I tasted was Mahalukshmi’s; it was wonderfully thick and creamy, infused with cardamom and topped with cashews and raisins.