Can a person with diabetes have Payasam for Onam?

            --Dr. Noble Zachariah M.D.

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Onam is a popular festival of Malayalees irrespective of religion and nationality and is celebrated in most of the countries around the globe by the Malayalee Diaspora. The celebration culminates with the sumptuous ‘Onasadya’, the traditional feast with more than 20 vegetarian dishes served on plantain leaf. The dessert for the feast is Payasam which is the sweet delicacy and there are several variants with different ingredients.

It is estimated that one in five Indians in Kuwait has diabetes.

Can people with diabetes enjoy the traditional Onasadya?

The carbohydrates in the food is the main source of blood sugar. Glycemic Index(GI) is a measure of the ability of the food carbohydrate to raise the blood sugar , compared to that by glucose. Food with high GI raises blood sugar more than equal amount of low GI food.

Let us look into the GI of the dishes of Onasadya to decide how each one of them may affect the blood sugar level.

Most people with diabetes feast on the rice and the curries but are afraid to drink the payasam.

 Payasam made of ‘pottukadala’ has a lower Glycemic Index than the other payasams made of rice, wheat or other pulses.

Cooking Time - 15 mins
Serves - 4
Ingredients
Pottukadala (broken small chana dal)- 1/2 cup
Milk - 3 cups
Water - 1 cup
Jaggery- 1/2 cup or to taste
Ghee - 1 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Saffron - few strands

Garnishing
Ghee - 1 tsp
Raisins and nuts - 3 tsp

Method

1) Heat a pan and add 1 tsp of ghee and once the ghee melts add the pottukadala and roast it in small flame till it slightly browns and the raw smell is gone.
2) Now add 1 cup of water little by little, make a paste with hand blender

3) Now add 1 more cup of milk and saffron strands and simmer for 7-8 mins, stirring in between frequently using the hand blender till it is well cooked.
4) Add jaggery, cardamom powder and once it melts switch off.
5) Add the remaining milk and garnish with ghee roasted cashews and raisins and serve hot or cold.