Kadala Pradaman, an Onam affair...

Onam is the largest festival of Kerala, the southern state of India, which is celebrated by every Malayalee regardless of religion, caste or culture. It marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali who ruled Kerala a long time ago. Onam falls in the Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug/Sept). During this festive day, the ladies drape themselves in settu mundu/saree and gents in kasavu mundu. The celebrations starts with laying down the pookalam (floral carpet) followed by lavish feast sadhya with almost 20 different dishes which is served on the plantain leaf. Celebrating Onam also includes many games. This is also a time when all the family get-together and celebrate.

Its been a long time since I celebrated Onam with my family. Being away from Kerala, this is something you miss out. But the celebration is no less here in US. I think its celebrated in much larger scale than back home. Every year we have many Onam celebrations, with our relatives and friends. This year we have 4 different Onam celebrations, 2 are done and 2 more to go.

One of the celebrations was organized by NJ Malayalees. This is a group formed by few close friends and every year they come together to celebrate Onam. We were also invited to this celebration. The programs included pookalam, sadhya, tiruvathira (traditional dance), songs, skit and games. The sadhya was potluck, each member had to choose a dish. Sadhya was excellent and each dish was delicious. My share in the sadhya was the dessert, Kadala Pradaman (chana dal pudding / payasam). Here is the recipe.

Kadala Pradaman

Making a pradaman in US is much easier when compared to back home. My mom is a payasam specialist and she uses the fresh coconut milk to prepare. The tedious part would be grating the coconuts and squeezing the milk out. But here I use the ready made coconut milk, which makes it much easier. If you are looking forward to try this recipe, my advice is to use the canned coconut milk rather than the powder.

This recipe will serve about 25 nos. I made double this count.

Ingredients:

Chana Dal -  2.5 cups
Jaggery - 500 grams (approx 1 pack)
Coconut milk - 3 cans
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 4 - 5 nos
Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup
Raisins - 1/2 cup
Coconuts cut into small pieces - 1/2 cup

- Pressure cook the chana dal with enough water. Cook it till just 1 whistle and keep it until the pressure is all gone. It should be just cooked well to the right consistency, do not smash it. If there is excess water, drain all the water and keep it aside.
- In a vessel take the jaggery and fill it 3/4th water. Keep the vessel in heat and let the jaggery melt. Don't let the syrup boil, take it off the heat once the jaggery has melted completely. Strain the syrup into another bowl and keep it aside.
- In a pan add 2 tbspn ghee and fry the cashew nuts, raisins and coconut pieces separately. Keep it aside.
-Heat 4 tbspn ghee in a heavy bottom pan/pot. Add the cooked chana dal and stir it until its dry and has mixed well with the ghee.
- To this add the jaggery syrup, 1/2 cup at a time. Each time the syrup is added keep stirring continuously. Keep the heat in medium so that the chana is not burnt. This should become a thick consistency. You can limit the syrup depending on how sweet you need the pradaman to be.
- Mix one and half can of coconut milk with equal amount of water. Add this to the chana-jaggery mixture still on heat. Keep stirring.
- Crush the cardamoms and add this to the mixture. Add fried cashew nuts and raisins.
- Once it boils, lower the heat and add the remaining thick coconut milk. Make sure that no water is added at this time. Mix well. Leave it on heat for 2-3 mins.

The pradaman is ready to be served. It tastes great when served on the plantain leaf with banana. I did have mine in the same way. Now the secret to a better tasting pradaman depends on how long you stir the jaggery- chana mixture. I did mine for almost an hour and that definitely made my pradaman yummy. Back home my mom's assistant is my dad for stirring the pradaman since that is the most tedious job.

I hope you guys try this one. Be back soon with more cakes and recipes...

ENJOY!!!

** Kerala Episode **

Reporting from Kerala. Well this doesn't mean that I am still there in India.  We are back from a month's vacation. It was great meeting up with relatives and old friends refreshing our memories of the wonderful time we had back then. Many of them have changed, some are married, others all set to enter into parenthood, the others have  little cuties around them. Things have changed, yet meeting them all in their new achievement was great. Something that's not expressible.

 The best part of the trip was the food. Tasty treats from our mothers. We had given a list of dishes that we wanted to have to our moms even before the travel.We have definitely added some pounds. I think am in a perfect circle now. Trying hard to shed some, but no luck.

So this episode is a part of the wonderful dinner that my mom had prepared for us. She made it from the list we had given her. Well it was specifically for Briji, since he wanted to have prawns and crab so badly.
I am just posting a part of her recipes, ie Iddiappam (Rice Noodles), Konchu Theeyal (Prawns Curry) and Crab Curry (Dry). The Crab Curry would be on a different posting.

Idiyappam (Steamed Rice Noodles)

Idiyappam is a south Indian dish made out of rice flour. Back home mommies make it the hard way, soaking the rice overnight, then drying it and grinding to get the flour. Now this is an easy method, you get the rice flour ready made from any Indian stores. So try this out.

Ingredients


- Rice Flour - 1 cup
- Boiling water - 2.5 cups
- Salt to taste
- Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
- Oil - 1 tsp

For the preparation of Idiappams you will need a idiappam press, which is also widely available in the Indian stores and idli mold.

Method


1. Boil 2.5 cups of water and keep it aside for 5-10 mins to cool.
2. Meanwhile mix rice flour and salt well.
3. Add the boiled water to the rice flour mixture and knead it with a spoon since its hot. Once the dough is soft, use hand to knead well.
4. Take a small quantity and fill the idiappam press. Prepare the idli mold by rubbing the oil. Press a layer of the rice dough into the idli mold in circular motion. Add 1 tbsp of grated coconut in between the layers. Two layers should be good.
5. Complete the same process until the dough finishes.
6. Steam in a vessel or pressure cooker (without the weight) for about 10 mins until its completely cooked.
Serve hot.

Idiappam can be served with chicken curry, egg roast, stew or even chutney. My mom served it with shrimp curry (konchu theeyal).

Prawns Curry (Konchu Theeyal)

Ingredients

1. Prawns (small) - 500 grms
2. Shallots (kunjulli) - 10
3. Drumstick - 1
4. Green Chillis -4
5. Coconut Shredded - 6 tbsp
6. Tamarind - 1 lemon sized
7. Chilli powder - 1.5 tbsp
8. Coriander powder -1.5 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder -1/2 tbsp
10. Mustard - 1 tbsp
11. Curry leaves - 1 bunch
12. Salt (to taste)
13. Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1. In a pan, fry shredded coconut, chilli powder and coriander powder until the coconut turns light brown. Keep it aside to cool. Grind this mixture with water and tamarind to a fine paste.
2. In a claypot, add oil and splutter mustard seeds.
3. Cut shallots into half and add them to the mustard seeds. Saute them well. Add the green chillis to this
4. To this add the shrimp, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Cook the prawns covered in low flame for 15 mins.
5. Add the paste of shredded coconut, curry leaves and cut drumsticks. Cook for another 15 mins. Serve hot.

*Please add the chill powder according to your spice level. This recipes is really spicy one.

Hope you enjoy this dish. Thanks mom.

Enjoy!!!!