Monday, April 16, 2012

Poori payasam


Tamilians around the world welcomed a new year on the the 13th of April this year. The Hindu calender ushers the new year with the Sun entering Aries in the Zodiac. This is called the sowramana yugadi while some other set of Hindus mark the calender with the lunar movement which is called the chaandramana yugadi. The thamizh month of Chita starts from sometime mid April and most times will fall on the same day as the Malayalam festival of Vishu.
To mark the advent of the new year a feast spread is usually cooked at home. A full course lunch with a sweet dish and some fried stuff features in the menu on this occasion.
In recent times I have cut short the quantity; neither do I cook as many items. However, the sweet dish and the vadai have not gone off the list yet. I made the poori payasam to mark the new year and the mandatory maanga and veppampoo pachchidi. Dishes those are cooked specially on this occasion are to bring out the six forms of taste and this practice symbolically indicates that life is a mix of good and not so good, but we have to accept that as it is and learn to live through the same.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup semolina
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Ghee for deep frying the pooris

1 litre whole milk
100 grams sugar

few strands of saffron dissolved in one table spoon milk
1/2 teaspoon powdered cardamom
One tine pinch of crushed nutmeg

Method:
Mix the semolina with one tablespoon sugar and salt with just enough water to form a slightly stiff dough.
Cover the same with a damp cloth and leave aside for about 20 minutes.
Knead again for a few minutes to make the dough elastic.
Pinch out small size balls and roll out thin discs. Or opt to roll a big circular disc very thin and cut out strips.
 Heat the ghee to almost smoking. Deep fry the rolled out dough until very crisp.

Meanwhile boil the milk in a heavy bottom utensil and simmer on low fire to reduce it to about 3/4ths of the initial volume. Keep the fire low and let the milk be simmering. Add the sugar and allow it to dissolve completely. Finally add the saffron and the powdered condiments to the milk.
As you take the fried poori off the ghee, Drain and quickly dunk it in the simmering milk.




Allow the pooris to soak in the milk for an hour.
Serve at room temperature or chilled or if you desire so, warm the payasam to just above room temperature.
Usually no other garnishing is required.

The texture and taste of this payasam is most certainly worth the effort.

17 comments:

  1. Absolutely love it, very new recipe. Love the idea !!!

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  2. Belated new year wishes Lathaji, Payasam looks delicious.

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  3. looks so yummy, had never heard of this before!

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  4. Happy new year. The puri payasam recipe looks simple.

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  5. hmmm...very different and never heard of this....sounds interesting!
    SYF&HWS - Cook With SPICES" Series

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  6. Looks so yum and love that colorful plate

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  7. Lovely twist to usual payasam, delicious definitely..

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  8. first time here ...lovely blog ...glad to follow you ...very yummy and innovative ..kids will love to have it as poori is their all time fav...visit my blog www.sriyafood.blogspot.com

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  9. Poori and payasam huh... i love both of them separately but have never tried them together - but when 2 good things come together am sure it's even tastier.

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  10. Wish you a belated Happy Near Year Lata. Was away during Vishu. Have never tried poori payasam. Similar to northern Malpua. I love the background to your serving platter; it looks like a beautiful inlaid table?

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    1. Thank you Shri. I thought the same when i watched malpua in a show, in the opposite sense:) That one is a table runner with vettiver woven within. Sprinkle water and it takes care of the fresh smelling air!

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  11. Luv anything called payasam...hansika is also fond of this dessert..luv the presentation..

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  12. Belated new year wishes !! Loved the payasam and loved the runner too:) Looks gorgeous.

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  13. I remember my perima used to make this and she called it "Paal Puri"and she used to garnish the puris soaked in milk with a hint of saffron and pistas and cashews ground with a spoon of sugar. I was only 8-9 years 0ld but I asked her what she made it with and she said rava! OH God it was amazing. I never got round asking her how she made it as she passed away. I remember her every single time. Its probably time that I tried it out soon. Yours looks lovely and very festive. Happy New Year to all of you.

    Shobha

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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.