A special Malabar drink made during Iftars, using all purpose flour as base…
How has your Ramadan going? Alhamdulillah, so far, it has been kind and productive. Time has been flying super fast and as always, I have been giving cooking the minimum importance during this month and keeping my preperations minimal, unless and until my girls get really cross and demand for a particular recipe. Hehe… I have been listening to a few lectures apart from my regular Quran reading and it has been a little shaking for me. It just made me realize how weak and fragmented my whole imaan has been. When you have a mad life, you tend to ignore areas that need your attention. I am still struggling from my part to make the deen a part of my daily schedule, but InShaAllah, I will get there. We are getting old and life is not even guaranteed… Sometimes, I wonder why we run a lot behind this dunya, when we clearly know how fickle it is. That includes me…
“This worldly life is nothing but an amusement and play, and the Last Abode is the real life indeed. Only if they know!” (Surah Al-Ankabut: 64)
Once upon a time, I was quite active on groups and it was during that time I had come across this drink called “Paalooda”. From what I understand, it is a very Thalassery thing and not made or served in any other part of Malabar. Just like the Mussaara Verakiyathu and the Ooral Kaachiyath, I have liked what I got to taste while making this. The drink is made with soaked all purpose flour and is flavored heavily by shallots. We at Malabar love sneaking in the shallot into everything we can. We use it for tempering in our thari kanji or kadala pidi. It is an acquired taste, and as a child, I loathed it. Now, I love it but my kids hate it. Life takes a full circle. 😀 However, in this drink, the shallots are added as is and cooked till the mixture becomes thickened. You can discard the shallots from it or keep it, the way you would want it. I hadn’t tempered the drink, however I have included it into the recipe in case you would like to do it. I am not sure if you can substitute the all purpose flour with wholewheat flour, but I guess it wouldn’t make much of a difference, except for some nuttiness. Off to this simple recipe…
Palooda / Paalooda ~ Malabar Special Iftar Drink
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour can use aatta as well
- 500 ml milk
- 2 shallots sliced
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 4 tbsp sugar to taste
- A pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup thick coconut milk
FOR TEMPERING
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 10 cashew nuts
- 10-15 raisins
- 2 shallots, sliced optional
Instructions
- Add one cup water to the all purpose flour in a bowl, whisk and allow it to soak for 15 minutes. Discard the water from the top and retain the soaked flour.
- In a large saucepan, warm the milk. Add the sugar and the flour mixture along with the sliced shallots, cardamom and salt and give it a good whisk.
- Cook on low flame, stirring occassionally till the mixture thickens.
- Add the coconut milk and stir. Switch off.
- Fry the cashews, raisins and shallots, if using, in hot ghee till done. Add to the drink and enjoy warm.