Part 4/8:
A Culinary Exploration Beyond Borders
Payasam is not merely an Indian dessert; rice pudding is celebrated globally. Ancient Roman dishes utilized unsweetened rice pudding to cure digestive issues, while Byzantine emperors enjoyed a sweetened, spiced version with cherries — a dish they deemed "food of angels."
The roots of rice pudding can be traced to ancient Persia, with records suggesting variations existed as early as 500 BC. However, it was the Mughal influence in the 16th century that popularized different rice pudding styles, such as phirni, enriching the culinary landscape of India.