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Paal Payasam
An Indian milk pudding of sorts, the
Paal
Payasam
in my home is normally made
on the second or third day of Deepavali.
A concoction of milk, sugar and rice with
the occasional bursts of cashews and
raisins,
Paal Payasam
is usually served
immediately after a meal – sometimes on
the same plate or banana leaf. It serves
to balance out the tingling sensations of
spices that your tongue palate might have
encountered during the main meal. Often
used as a ransom for children to finish
their food, I believe the
Paal Payasam
is
the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow
for adults and children alike.
Neiyi Urundai
The
Neiyi Urundai
or the ghee ball is
probably one of those sweets that melt
in your mouth and not in your hands. A
layer of powdery coating is given to the
ghee ball and it serves as a great disguise
for this sweet as it literally holds a ball
of ghee beneath it. Unlike
Laddu
, these
precious balls are not easily found in your
neighbouring Indian restaurants.
Neiyi
Urundai
is quite the Deepavali special, so
if you see one this Deepavali, make sure
you try it. Chances are, you might not see
another until next year!
Coconut Candy
Search for the origins of Coconut Candy on
the Internet and it will give you answers
like Vietnam and Puerto Rico. It is a
wonder though, why it is so closely related
to the Indian culture and festivities. I
simply like to deem it the Malaysian
Deepavali sweet. Possibly the easiest of its
counterparts to make, the Coconut Candy
transcends borders and tastes. Oftenmade
in a variety of different colours, it is espe-
cially a favourite amongst the little ones.
Gulab Jamun a.k.a.
Gulabi
This is another home specialty
as I think my mother whips
up the best of these milky
delights. As scrumptious as
they are to relish, they are an
agony to prepare! I remember
compelling my mother to make
them early one Deepavali and
getting myself into a sticky situ-
ation of having to help roll the
flour into tiny spheres – they
are just impossible to perfect
without getting a crease or
two on them! Deep fried and
dropped in a pot of cardamom
spiced syrup immediately,
Gulab Jamun
can be served as
it is or even chilled.
So where ever you are this
Deepavali, remember to excite
those taste buds with some of
these sweets or even the many
other goodies that the festival
of lights brings.