Paalooda - Malabar Special Iftar Drink

Its the 10th of May and time for our MFB Challenge,a challenge that sometimes forces me to blog :) As the minutes to hours ,days to months and years are all just flying and so is this lovely challenge from one 10th to the next.This time the theme was ''Ramadan Food''    which was just apt for the month.
Paalooda is a semi thick sweet drink served warm during Ramadan.Just like Thari Kaachiyathu or Nombu Kanji even this is served as a warm Iftar drink.In North Malabar this is sometimes served as a welcome drink on special occasions enriched with Cashew nuts,Condensed milk and garnished with Cashew nuts,shallots and raisins fried in ghee.

Here I have not fried and added the shallots but instead added Onion chunks into the drink and later discarded it ,which gave it just a mild flavor and no biting onions in between.The idea of adding onion like this was given to me by my co sister.Now on to the recipe: 
Ingredients 
Milk (full fat)  1/2 l
Sugar  1/4 cup
All Purpose Flour/Maida 2 tbsp
Water    1/2 + 1/4 

Cashew nuts 15 nos.
Onion  1/2 of one medium (cut into 2 quarter pieces)
Cardamom  2-3
Cinnamon  a small piece(optional)
Salt  a pinch
To Garnish
Ghee 1 spoon
Cashew nuts  a few  
Raisins a few(optional)

Method of preparation 
-In a small bowl add the flour and 1/4 cup water and make a smooth paste without any lumps.
-Soak the Cashew nuts in 1/2 cup hot water and when cooled grind into a smooth paste and keep this aside.
-Now in a heavy bottom pan,pour the milk along with the flour paste mix well and keep on medium flame.
-Add the Cashew paste,sugar,salt,Onion,Cardamom and Cinnamon.Keep stirring till it boils and slightly thickens(be careful not to burn the bottom).Switch off the flame.
-Now heat a pan,add ghee and fry the cashew nuts and raisins and pour this over the Milk mixture.
-While serving discard the Onion pieces and serve warm.

  

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