The iconic Mappila songs of the Malabar are not just love paeans which praise the impeccable beauty of the poet's lady love. The art form, which is poetically and musically rich, also celebrates the famed kitchen wars of the Malabar region. It hails the immortal dishes which have conquered the hearts and the taste buds of the food lovers for centuries.
Most of the Mappila songs are written in a beautiful language which includes Arabic, Urdu, and Malayalam. The most recent example of it is the Mappila song 'Appangal Embadum Ottakku Chuttammayi' which was penned by some mysterious poet and later gained incredible fame when it got featured as a film song. Similarly, paal vazhakka is a sweet dish which found its way to the food lovers' hearts through the meaningful lines of a popular Mappila song.
Paal vazhakka is a dessert which looks and tastes a lot like payasam and is usually served for iftar parties. Ghee, milk, and ripe bananas are generously added to it to make it rich and delicious.
Ingredients
100 gms sago pearls
3 large bananas (ripe)
1 cup milk
Ghee as required
Sugar as required
Cardamoms, cashews, and raisins to garnish
Preparation
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker
Add the sago pearls and roast well
Pour some water into it and cook
The sago pearls would be cooked when the pressure gives off 2 -3 whistles
Add chopped bananas and sugar as required
Add milk
Cook until the bananas are cooked
Garnish generously with cardamoms, cashews, and raisins fried in ghee.
