Vishu 2023: Traditional sweet dishes to include in Vishu Sadya

Vishu 2023: It’s that time of the year when Malayalis across the country make preparations to bring in their New Year by decorating their homes with beautiful pookalam designs and cooking sumptuous Vishu Sadya – the traditional meal that is served on banana leaves with no less than 20-30 dishes and relished by all the family members. The harvest festival, celebrated in Kerala, marks the first day of the Malayali month of Medam. This year Vishu is being celebrated on April 15, 2023. (Also read: Baisakhi, Bohag Bihu, Vishu and Puthandu 2023: All about spring harvest festivals celebrated in India)

Vishu Kani is the highlight of the festival and is prepared a day before the festival with auspicious things like raw rice, flowers, coins, seasonal fruits, clothes etc. On the day of the festival, family members wake up in the morning with closed eyes only to look at Vishu Kani to invite good luck and prosperity.

After the custom of Vishu Kani, verses from Ramayana are read and afterwards, crackers are burst by all as part of Vishu Paddakam. Thereafter Vishu Sadya is savoured by all.

Here are some of the sweet recipes suggested by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa, that you can include in your Vishu Sadya:

1. Almond Rose Rabri

Ingredients

Almonds (without skin) – 200 gm

Milk – 1 litre

Sugar Free – 3 tbsp

Pistachio, chopped – 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder – 1 tsp

Khoya – 50 gm

Rose water – 2 tbsp

Saffron Few strands

Method:

– Heat a pan, cook milk till reduced to half. Reduce the heat.

– Crush and add saffron strands to milk, and let it cook for 5 minutes over low heat.

– Now add almonds, khoya and sugar-free to it. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes.

– Add pistachio, cardamom powder, and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes.

– Remove from heat and add rose water to it. Mix well and let it cool slightly.

– Garnish with chopped pistachio, nuts, berries or dried rose petals. Enjoy!

2. Badam Pineapple Payasam

Ingredient

Rice – 200 gm

Milk – 500 ml

Green cardamom powder – 2 no.

Sugar – 70 gm

Pineapple, chopped – 60 gm

Almonds, chopped – 50 gm

Saffron – 3-4 Threads

Method:

– Bring the milk to a boil first on a low to medium heat. Stir continuously to avoid burning of the milk.

– After the milk has come to a boil, continue to simmer till the rice grains are cooked completely and softened.

– Continue cooking, till the rice grains are completely softened. After the rice grains are cooked, you can even mash them while stirring with a spoon.

– Once the rice grains are well cooked, add sugar, cardamom powder, chopped pineapple and chopped almonds. Stir so that the sugar and other added ingredients are dissolved.

– Simmer for further 8 to 10 minutes till the milk has reduced and the payasam has thickened.

– Serve payasam garnished with pineapple sauce, chopped almonds and saffron thread or as per your liking, enjoy hot or cold.

3. Coconut Kiwi Barfi

Ingredients

For Kiwi Sauce:

Ripened Kiwis (peeled, crushed or finely chopped and sliced) – 5 nos

Sugar – 1/3 cup

For Barfi:

Freshly grated coconut – 3 cups

Chenna – 1 cup

Full cream milk – 1 ½ cup

Milk powder – 1 ½ cup

Cardamom powder – 1 tsp

Sugar – 1 cup

Method:

– In a heavy bottom pan, combine kiwi and sugar. Cook till it reaches the thick sauce consistency. – Take it off the stove and keep it aside.

– In another pan, combine grated coconut, full cream milk, milk powder, saffron and chenna; cook till it starts thickening, stir intermittently to avoid burning.

– Add cooked kiwi, cardamom powder and sugar. Cook till thickens and leaves the pan to form soft dough. Take it off the heat.

– Spread it on a greased thali, tray or cake tin. Allow it to cool completely till set. Refrigerate, cut in diamond or shape of your choice, serve and enjoy!

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