I made this dish for our festival Vishu, which we celebrated last Sunday. This is one of traditional sweet pudding. Now I am almost out of traditional recipes of sweet pudding which we make it in Kerala, South India. Yes with 8 years of blogging and posting two pudding each year let with only two varieties after this Pazham pradhaman/ Plantain sweet pudding.
We use plantains in all forms. When it is green we make them into chips, they are better than potato chips. When it is ripe we turn them into dessert. I also made Rellenitos de platano /Plantains stuffed with black beans,. Plantain cashew bread, Thai Style Banana fritters/ Kluay Kaek Roti Gulay/Thai Banana Roti/ Thai banana pancake and Baked Sweet Plantains/ Al horno Maduros.
For this pradhaman, you need follow a few steps, first cook ripe plantains, then remove the skin and veins along with seeds and cook again with jaggery (Indian raw sugar) which is milder version of molasses and coconut milk. And in the end, it is spiced with cardamom. If you like molasses, then you will love it. My daughter who is not that fan of jaggery pudding loved it and asked me to make it more.
Just like pineapple, ripe plantain develops a little tang when it is cooked. I have seen several recipes of Pazham pradhaman/ Plantain sweet pudding. Some says 1:1 ratio of plantain and jaggery. For me that sounds too much sugar, so used 1: ½ ratio, it was perfect.
I think our love for plantain starts from a very young age, yes dried green plantain puree is one of the first food given to infants. Plantains are rich in fiber. At the local grocery store they have plantains, so after every grocery shop visit, I come home with both green and ripe plantains in my bag. You can understand my love for this fruit.
If you looking for a change to dessert recipe then give this on a try, I am sure you will enjoy it.
Pazham pradhaman/ Plantain sweet pudding
Ingredients
- 801 g of ripe plantain about 4 big one
- 250 g jaggery
- ¾ cup canned coconut milk
- ¼ cup sabudana /tapioca pearls
- ¼ cup coconut pieces
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ghee
- 5 crushed cardamom
- 2 ½ cup water + extra for cooking sabudana/ tapioca pearls and plantain
Instructions
- Cut plantains into 3-inch cubes and boil for about 10 minutes and set aside.
- Once the plantains are cool enough to touch remove the central vein with black spots and puree it into thick paste.
- In another small bowl add sabudana / Tapioca pearls and add water to cover it and cook. Change water 3 -4 times and continue to boil until it become translucent.
- Melt jaggery in a small pot with ¼ cup water.
- In a heavy bottom pan, add plantain puree and strained jaggery water and mix well. When it starts thickens add 1 teaspoon of ghee and mix once again.
- To this add 3rd coconut milk (if using canned coconut milk, add ¼ cup coconut milk+ 11/2 cup water to make 3rd coconut milk) and continue to cook until everything thickens bit.
- Then add 2nd coconut milk (Add ¼ coconut milk + ¾ cup water) and sabudana/ Tapioca pearls. When it again thickens add first coconut milk (¼ cup coconut milk) and cardamom and switch of flame.
- In a small skillet heat 1 tablespoon ghee and add ¼ cup coconut pieces and fry them until it is golden brown in color.
- Then remove from the fire and add it to prepared pazham pradhaman.Enjoy
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This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Marisa Franca says
I see plantains at the grocery store but haven't found a recipe I want to make with them. Well, your pudding is certainly that recipe. I can't wait to make it -- we enjoy using coconut milk and always have it in our pantry. I have everything else that's needed! Thank you for sharing.
Catherine says
What a great idea for plantains...this looks and sounds delightful!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
This is such a classic and traditional recipe and I would love to try it. I love coconut milk payasam and jaggery payasam and this is something I would love. I am getting some ripe plantain next time when I go shopping.
Karyl Henry says
I usually eat my plantains fried, but I would be willing to boil them like this to get this luxurious dessert! Looks really delicious
Priya Srinivasan says
Such a rich dessert Swathi! Looks so divine! I have made pradhaman before but not with plantain ! I m sure I will try this pretty soon!
Gloria says
I have never cooked with plantain. I do see them once in a while in the grocery store. I do remember eating them when I visited St. Lucia. I think I need to experiment in the kitchen and give this delicious recipe a try soon. Love the flavour combination.
Pavani says
That is such an interesting pudding made with ripe plantain. This dish is totally new to me, never thought ripe plantain can be used to make an Indian style dessert. It looks creamy and absolutely delicious.
Veena Azmanov says
I have not had this dish in a long long time. I use to have a south Indian flatmate in Singapore and she had made this for us the first time. Was so delicious. Love how you simplified it. I must try this soon. Looks yum.
Lauren says
I love anything with coconut milk in it! This looks so flavorful and delicious!