Dear friends, Wishing you all a very HAPPY VISHU. Hope all of you had a wonderful vishukani and got a good amount of Vishu Kaineetam. We have arranged the kani with limited items (whatever available here).The important one in the Vishukani is the Kanikonna (Golden Shower - the special yellow flower). Here we used the yellow flower instead of the kanikonna.
This Vishu is really important for us. Because this is our little one's first Vishu. So we arranged a nice vishukani for him.On the vishu day, mom & dad used to wake us up in the morning and showed the kani and gave the kaineetam etc etc..But this time it was our duty to wake our little one up and show him the Kani and to give him the kaineetam. Great things in life.Always thankful to God for such nice moments.
Yesterday itself amma called and told us that we should show him the kani in the morning iteslf. So what we did was after setup the kani, we bought him to the poojaroom before 5am (Usually he wakes up and stands in the crib and then cries for food at around 5 am in the morning. That is his style) and then woke him up ..he saw the kani and slept again..We have to give him the vishukaineetam too.
The best thing i like about the vishu is the vishukaineetam. In my childhood, we(me and my brother) used to get atleast Rs.100/- as kaineetam from parents and relatives. That was our bonus to our usual pocket-money during that time. So after vishu, I became so rich and the new bank for rest of the year. If mom or dad need money for anything, they used to borrow it from me(Especially in month end. :) ). My brother didn't make any rule (because by the end of Vishu season, he would have already spent his money). but I set certain rules. If it's not returning before 5 days, I would add Rs.5/- per day to the total and I could earn at least Rs.20-25/- by that way. Everyday I would remind them that you guys borrowed money from me. They used to say all bank have interest rate, but none of them ask for this much rate and they didn't have public announcement system like this. Only our daughter's bank has all these kind of special features. I always enjoyed those things. Really miss those moments:))
We like all kind of these traditional festivals. But nowadys it's fading out from our life because of the busy life style. Sure the new generations really miss all these wonderful festivals and the way we enjoyed each of them.
Usually on the Vishu day, we prepare our kerala-style feast. But I prepared the simple feast: parippu pappadam sambar inji mango pickles aviyal thoran and Palada. The "Palada" (Rice Ada kheer) is Lord Krishna's favorite payasam (Kheer). Our favorite one too. I got rice ada from the Indian grocery. Usually we can find only the instant palada mix. I don't like it, but luckly this time we got the plain rice ada pack. Whenever I saw these kind of demanded items I used to buy 4-5 packets.
I am going to share with you this palada recipe. It's really easy to prepare but make sure that ada is fully cooked and be careful while boiling the milk. if the heat is too high it will burn the milk and the payasam taste bad.
Lots of stories right ok let me explain how to prepare the delicious palada.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cost of the ada: 1.99usd/pack
Ingredients
Ada 1 pack
Sugar 1 cupMilk 1/2 gallon
For seasoning
Cashewnuts 10 nos
Raisins 10 nos
Cardamom 3 nos
Ghee 2tbsp
Condensed milk1/4portion
Rose water 3 tbsp
Preparation
- Step1:Boil 2 cups of water.add the ada into it and cook until the Ada is well cooked.strain the water and wash the Ada in cold water for 1-2times.
- Step2:Boil milk in the thick bottom vessel (in Kerala we use "uruli" - thick bottom bronze vessel). Add the cooked Ada in to the milk and cook until the milk thickens
- Step3:Mix sugar with 1 cup of water and add it into the payasam. stir continously. Make sure that sugar completely dissolves in the water before adding it in to the payasam.
- Step4:At the same time heat ghee in another pan add cashews. Once it gets light brown color add the raisins fry for sometime.Keep it aside.
- Step5:Cook the payasam in medium heat until it get light brown color.Change the heat level to low then add the condensed milk mix well .stir continously for 2 more minute.
- Step6:Crush the cardamom and add it in to the Ada. Add the cashew- raisin mix
- Step7:Switch of the heat and add the rose milk.mix well.
- Cook the Ada until it is completely cooked.check it by taking a cooked Ada crush it using your fingers.you can crush the cooked Ada easily otherwise it will be sticky
- Do not boil the palada after adding the condensed milk.
- Rose water is optional.it gives a very nice flavor
