rediff.com: Diwali sweets: Palakkad, Kerala

Palakkad, Kerala

Mysore Paak

Ingredients
1 cup gram flour or besan
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup ghee

Method
First boil the sugar with water to form a syrup. When the sugar syrup is of two thread consistency when you touch it with your thumb and forefinger add in the besan. Go on stirring the besan so lumps do not form. When it is mixed well with the syrup add little ghee to it. Stir well, keep adding ghee as and when the mixture thickens on low heat. When all the ghee has beens added and the mixture leaves the sides of the pan take off heat. Pour this mixture onto a greased tray and sprinkle little sugar on top. Once it cools down you can cut it in the desired shape and can serve it.

Maa Laddu or Daliya Laddu

Ingredients
2 cups cracked wheat or dalia/chutney dal
3 cups powdered sugar
2 cups ghee
Seasoning
Cashew nuts
Raisins
Method
Heat the daliya in a pan till it becomes crisp. Do not over heat. Powder daliya into fine powder. Mix it with powdered sugar and keep aside. Take little ghee, add cashew nut and raisins till it turns golden colour. Add to the mixture of daliya powder.
Take half the quantity of the mixture in another bowl. Heat the balance ghee till it is hot. Add the hot ghee into mixture and mix it well. Form laddus with handfuls of the mixture and keep aside. Do the same with the remaining mixture.
Store the laddus in air tight containers.

Pokkavadaam

Ingredients
1 cup gram or besan flour
1 tbsp butter
2 cups rice flour
2 tsp asafetida or hing powder
2 tsp chilly powder
Salt
Oil for deep frying
Method
Sieve the gram flour and rice flour separately. Remove any lumps if found. Mix chilly powder, hing powder, and butter into this mixture. Add water and make dough like chapatti dough.
Make small balls from the dough and place into a murku machine with a ribbon blade and move it over the heated oil from side to centre in circular motion. Flip the Pokkavadaam over and cook well till bubbles stop.
Remove from heat. Store this in air-tight containers. This is also known as ribbon Pokkavadaam.

Ukkarai

Ingredients
1/2 kg channa dal
1/2 kg jaggery
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp green cardamom or elaichi powder
Method
Soak channa dal in water for some time. Steam it in pressure cooker for 4 or 5 whistles. Once cooked mash cooked chana dal till powdery with a clean ladle. Do not use water at all.

Previous | Next