Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Thirattuppal

This is my 50th post friends. It is amazing that I have been doing this; in my teens would run away from -Cooking!!! My younger sister is an enthusiastic cook and is ever ready to present her skills. The only times I would be helping in the kitchen is when paatti makes Halwa and Mysorepaak. I don't remember when the transition from eating enthusiast to cooking enthusiast came by. Anyway, I have, in my opinion come a long, long way.
It was my husband's suggestion that I save the sweet for this post.


Thirattuppaal, is the sweet dish that features as one of the mainly made 'seer bakshanam' in a hindu brahmin custom, be it wedding, seemantham, first birthday or upanayanam. In fact, during the wedding, it is featured more than once. I don't know if I can restrict it to Tamilnadu, but can generalise to South India as this is the very same paal khova that most households do during festivals.
This is however, high in fat as it has, as major ingredients, the full cream milk and sugar .
To achieve 1/4 litre of Thirattuppaal you will need 2 litres of full cream milk and about 1/2 cup sugar. Since the milk supplies enough fat, it will not be necessary to add ghee, but cardamom powder is added for the flavour.
You will need a heavy bottomed deep and broad pan. You may use the base of the pressure cooker. It will be better if it has a sandwiched bottom, though not the copper bottom. I recommend that the ladle also has a long handle.
Keep this pan on fire and put the milk. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Keep stirring off and on. Remove the milk that sticks to the sides and put it back into the boiling mass.
Allow to boil until the milk thickens and has reduced to about 1/3 of the volume.
At this stage the milk will be more like a paste.The curdled texture will come soon.
Now add the sugar and stir. The sugar will initially melt and then thicken blending with the milk. Remove from heat when you can stir with the ladle and the milk leaves the sides of the pan at that instant but spreads back.
Add 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder and mix well.
The thirattuppaal will thicken as it cools.



The thirattuppal/ paal khova is done.
The cooking time may be around an hour and a half. However, the microwave version is faster. Personally I like this method because it felt slightly dry when done using microwave.
In my family it is the first sweet that is prepared during Deepavali. I have carried on that tradition until now.

I am sending this to Shanthi's STATE SPECIALS event.

16 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your 50th post..Keep going..I just love thirattipaal..Pls pass that bowl to me

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  2. Congrats on your 50th post. Wish to have one bowl for my family.

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  3. Lata, your recipes are tempting me toooo much!!

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  4. Please accept the award. Its in my Blog.

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  5. Omg i love this pls lata send me some na... really mouthwatering dear. Congrats on ur 50th post.. keep going

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  6. Congrats on your 50th post... perfect post with a sweet delight.. thirattupaal looks yummy ... feel like having some now :)

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  7. congratulations ma!!! :) keep the blogging going! thirattipal look awesomeee!

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  8. Congrats on your 50th post. Thirattupal looks lovely.

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  9. Lata Therattu paal looks yummy..Though the process is time consuming,the taste is worth all the effort..BTw congrats on u'r award!!

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  10. First time here, such a beautiful blog you have here, Yes, as I am Iyengar we do this too.., you have explained it so well, My hubby loves it, it's been long time since i made this, i must do this in one of the festivals!!, your photos are good too...

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  11. Thank you Shanthi, Ann,Pavithra, Padma, Niki, Muskhan and Sadhana,Ramya, Jayasri and Sailaja.I am happy that you like thirattuppal too.

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  12. Wow.. 50 posts already? Awesome! Keep up the great work and the thirattupaal looks so creamy and delicious - love milk based sweets.

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  13. Hello Lata,

    Congratulations on your 50`th post. I am so happy for you. Also wanted to thank you a TON for the Kreative Blogger Award... You just made my day!!!

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  14. Thirarrupal looks perfect lata..!

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Hello,
Welcome and thank you for taking time to drop by.
I appreciate your valuable comments and tips.
I sincerely hope to improve with them.
Hope we shall interact often.
Thanks once again,
Lata Raja.