Today is the first day of “aadi”… The 4th month in the Tamil calendar and the start of the “Dakshinayanam”. This day is celebrated with a big spread as neivedhya to the lord as it marks the beginning of the festivals and celebrations for the year. The special neivedyam has, apart from morekuzhambu, vadai, paruppu, a special payasam called the “Aadi Paal”. “Aadi pandigai” is also a very special day for the newly weds where the mappilai is invited to the house by his in laws for “thala aadi” and served the Aadi Paal in a silver tumbler.
The specialty of this payasam is that it is made of coconut milk and jaggery and lightly flavored with cardamom and saffron. A healthy and delicious drink that makes you yearn for more…The preparation is very simple but has to be prepared with care as an oversight can curdle the mixture . I am always careful while preparing both morekuzhambu and Aadi Paal despite making it year after year for 36 years. I sentimentally believe that if both come out very well, then the year ahead would be auspicious and filled with prosperity. Today I am brimming with joy as the “sundakai morekuzhambu”,”Aadi Paal” and the “keerai vadais” were all appreciated by my family and definitely by God too.
INGREDIENTS
- THICK COCONUT MILK – 2 CUPS
- MILK – 1 CUP
- POWDERED JAGGERY – 1 CUP
- CARDAMOM CRUSHED – 3
- SAFFRON – A PINCH
- RICE FLOUR – 1 TSP
METHOD
- Take a heavy bottomed pan. Add the jaggery and 1/4cup of water. Bring it to a boil with constant stirring. Allow the syrup to thicken such that it looks like honey in consistency. Remove from flame and set it aside.
- Make a paste with rice flour. Add it to the milk and boil the milk with constant stirring. The milk will thicken due to the addition of the rice flour. Set it aside till its warm.
- Warm the coconut milk on very low flame. Keep stirring. Remove when slightly warm.
- Add the warm coconut milk and warm milk to the jaggery and mix well. Don’t heat it again. Add the spices and serve warm or cold.
NOTE
- Heating or boiling the milks with jaggery will curdle the mixture.
- Heating the coconut milk will initiate the curdling process and the oil seperation.
