Palada

Palada

A very popular traditional dessert in Kerala. This is a must have during social events like marriages, festivals etc ... and tops the desserts list in Onam Menu. This is not a quick fix dessert but a slow and time consuming one and needs a lot of patience. But as the old adage goes “ the extremely satisfying end result justifies the means’’. During olden days, the ada itself was prepared at homes and was a few day’s effort. Now ready to cook ada’s are available in different size and shapes – from branded to unbranded ones. Also famous is the jaggery variety of ada payasam popularly known as ada prathaman– which uses coconut milk and jaggery instead of milk and sugar.

Makes: 4 -6 dessert cups
Time required: 1 hour + 20 minutes

You will need

60 g rice ada
2 cups (400 ml) water
1 litre milk (do not dilute with water)
165 g sugar (165 - 180 g or 3/4 th measure in a standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz)

Method

Boil water in a wide bowl and cook rice ada for 15 minutes on a low to medium heat or until done and soft. Once done, drain the water and wash ada in cold water while separating the petals, to remove the starch from the surface of ada which will otherwise make it sticky and lumpy.

Mix boiled ada with milk and cook on a medium heat for half an hour. Stir continuously (carefully, to prevent adas from breaking into smaller pieces). Always maintain low to medium heat.

Add 160 g -175 g sugar and cook again a low to medium heat for half an hour. Stir gently.One can notice a reduction in quantity / change in the color / thickens. Serve as a dessert.