Peel the skin and clean the padavalanga/snake groud. Chop them into fine small pieces. In a bowl add little water and chopped padavalanga/snake gourd pieces; clean and squeeze all the water from snake gourd-padavalanga little at time; transfer it to a bowl and set it aside. Heat heavy bottomed vessel or uruli (Kerala style shallow kadai used for making payasam) on a medium heat; add 2 tbsp of ghee. Add chopped snake gourd-padavalanga,fry till it changes color to light golden brown. Transfer the roasted padavalanga-snake gourd pieces to another bowl and set it aside.

Wash the same pan/kadai or Uruli and add 3 tbsp ghee; when it melts. Add 1 cup of water and allow to rolling boil,now add 6 cups/11/2 liter milk and add little ¼ cup sugar. Constantly stir until the payasam thickens and reduced to half the volume. (Note : When the water evaporates there is a tendency for this mixture to adhere to the bottom of the vessel/uruli, so keep stirring continuously).

When the milk thickens to ¾ and its color changes to pale pink that is the time to add roasted snake gourd-padavalanga and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and then slowly add remaining sugar little by little and allow to thicken for 4-6 minutes.Yummy Padavalanga Pal Payasam is ready. Serve hot or chilled…Enjoy!

Optional – Heat the ghee in a pan and fry cashew nut and raisins. Add this to the payasam.