This post is about “badam payasam” which is a favourite at home not just with my own kids, but also with their friends. This delicious and healthy payasam is our entry to Preety’s Kitchen for “Cooking for kids” with Milk and Milk Products.
Sarala Athaiyya, who is going to judge the Cooking for Kids with Love event on our blog, says that she would like to pay a culinary tribute to her GOOD FRIEND, Philosopher & Guide – Smt. MALATHI Chendur. The tribute recipe is Badam Payasam. Pratibha and myself are thrilled because there are many things remaining to be said in “Cooking at Home with Pedatha”, and this is a good opportunity to do so.
The week after we had taken the recipe of Badam Payasam from Pedatha, Sarala Athaiyya sent a pitcher of badam payasam to our office since that’s close to her place. As always, it was delicious. What seemed special about it was that it had an even consistency without any thick residue at the bottom, there was hardly any need to stir the payasam before pouring it into individual cups. So I called her and asked her the secret. When she shared it with me, I said that we would like to mention her name next to the recipe in the book. She simply said, “Don’t be silly Jigyasa. It is a very small thing.”
Anyways, I am so glad to mention in this space that steps 1 & 3 in the recipe below are the special touch given by Sarala Athaiyya. The recipe is special because we both first learnt it from Pedatha, and then enhanced it by the special tip by Sarala Athaiyya, who is now paying a tribute through this same recipe to another culinary master, Smt. Malathi Chendur.
Malathi Chendur & Sarala Surya Rao
SARALA ATHAIYYA SAYS:
“I deem it a pleasant & proud privilege to say a few words about Smt Malathi Chendur whom I know personally over five decades. She and her husband, both are considered & respected as senior journalists – Malathi as a novelist & Sri Chendur as editor of Jagathi monthly. Inspite of all her achievements & laurels, Malathi is a very simple person and humane.
As a NOVELIST she won many awards such as CENTRAL SAHITYA ACADEMY award, Bharatha Bhaasha Parishad award (Kolkata) & Telugu University award, to name a few. Malathi has the unique distinction of translating into Telugu, literary works (from Tamil) of Sivasankari, Jayakanthan, N A Parthasarathy, Pulamai Pitthan, Sujatha and Kalaignar Karunanidhi (CM, Tamilnadu).
Malathi became popular with her PRAMADAVANAM column in the Andhra Prabha weekly, a leading telugu magazine. She has been writing this column for more than 5 decades now.
Mrs. Malathi Chendur - at the launch of "Cooking at Home with Pedatha"
One of my favourite source books for Andhra cooking is Malathi’s FIRST cookery book (Vantalu & Pindi Vantalu) published in 1953. It is a comprehensive resource book and is in its 36th edition now.
The above are only a few of her achievements which are in recognition of what she is today. Like thousands of her admirers I admire her cooking as well as her writings.
Some years back Malathi sent me Velakkai pachadi (wood apple chutney) which tasted just like the one my mother used to make. However, in this post, I am going to pay a tribute to Malathi through the popular recipe, Badam Payasam. I am reminded of a funny incident that happened some time back. I sent her BADAM KHEER (prepared by me). She liked it so much…she telephoned and asked for my recipe. I was surprised as it is HER recipe which I followed. When I told her that, we had a hearty laugh together.
A Columnist, journalist, Novelist, a good cook , and above all these, SIMPLE, unassuming, humane – that is my good friend and a rare person, Malathi Chendur.
EXOTIC ALMOND DESSERT – Bādām Pāyasam from “Cooking at Home with Pedatha”
A simple yet popular dessert, this is a dish made by almost every state of India, with minor differences in recipe:
Almonds 20-25
Milk 1 litre
Sugar ¾ cup
Saffron a pinch
Cooking camphor a very small pinch
Cardamom powder a pinch
Pistachios for decorating, slivered
1. Blanch, peel and grind the almonds into a coarse paste. Mix into half the quantity of milk (unboiled) and set aside.
2. Pour the remaining milk in a thick bottomed vessel and bring to a boil. Add the sugar and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
3. Gently pour in the milk with the almond paste, stirring continuously until it comes to a boil.
4. Mix the camphor and saffron in 1 tbsp of warm milk and rub until the milk turns orange. Pour into the pāyasam just before taking off the flame.
5. Add the cardamom powder and decorate with pistachio slivers. Serve hot or chilled.
POSTED BY JIGYASA & MRS. SARALA SURYA RAO
My mother had a bound book of pramadaavanam pages from Andhraprabha. Smt.Malati chandur’s Vantalu- Pindivantalu is my bible for cooking.Hats off to her.Thank you very much for this post.
Beautiful and traditional dessert. Looks delicious!
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I hope Bādām Pāyasam is an exotic and deliciouse desert if we try it and learn Pedatha’s cooking experience. Cooking camphor gives great flavor and I too add it for Payasam too.
I came across your site through a link from ‘Mahanandi’, and this article about Malathi Chandur brought back so many memories to me. My mother bought an 1979/80 edition of this book, when my brother and I were kids and just beginning to read Telugu then. I remember my brother and myself sitting in our tiny kitchen and trying to read out the recipes to my mother while she cooked. Many years later, when I moved to US, I brought the dog-eared book with me, more as a memory than anything else, with my mom’s signature and our tick marks on exotic sounding dishes and childish scribblings!
Dear Jaya, so touched to read this post. What you say about Malathi Chendur’s book is so true. Sure that book with your mom’s notes must be a real treasure. Glad to meet you in this space.
Thank you and same here! Your blog is a pleasure..
My mom is 81 years old, fond of Mrs.Malathi Chandur and she kept 2 bound books of what Mrs.Chandur wrote since the beginning of Pramadavanam. I would like to make her dream of meeting Mrs. Chandur. Can any one tell me how can I contact Mrs.Chandur. Thanks
Dear Rama,
Thank you for your heartwarming comment on our blog. It is our pleasure & a blessing for us to be able to connect your mother with Mrs. Chendur. We have informed her about your request through her friend Mrs. Sarla Surya Rao (jigyasa’s aunt). She said she’d be very happy to speak with your mother. She lives in Chennai, Tamilnadu.
Wish you all the best always. Our pranams to your dear mother. We do hope she has a nice & happy conversation with Mrs. Chendur.
Warm regards,
Jigyasa & Pratibha
Dear Jigyasa garu,
Thank you so much for your quick reply. Since I was a child I knew that Mrs. Chandur is my mom’s idol. My mom had a photo of Mrs. Chandur (may be a photo from the 1960′s that was published in Andhra Prabha weekly).
I live in Canada with my family since last 15 years and my mom came recently to visit us. She has just finished her 81 years on July 3rd. I didn’t give a gift to her as we all went to Banff on a trip those two days. My mom is very caring and giving person and she sacrificed all her life for us in the family (me 54 years, my elder sister 56 years, and eldest brother 58 years) and for her grand children. When I visited Guntur last year, I bought the books written by Mrs. Chandur, to make her happy.
I have this desire since a long time to make my mom’s dream come true (to talk and meet her) but I didn’t know where to start and how to reach Mrs. Chandur. I was searching on websites for her contact info and I saw the blog page yesterday. I am so thrilled to see your email with her contact info. My mom is a giving and caring person, never asking anything in return. Now I can give her something which really will make her happy and which she will remember forever.
Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Rama Kola
Dear Rama,
Thank you for your warm words. We share in your excitement over your mom speaking to Mrs Chendur. We can imagine how wonderful that would be.
We had the opportunity to meet Mrs Chendur in Jan 2006 at the launch of our cookbook when we invited her as a special guest speaker. We still remember her simplicity and sweetness.
Kindly let us know how your mom felt.
With warm regards
Jigyasa & Pratibha
I had a plesant surprise to see Malati Chandur a cult figure for Andhra women in my child hood ie since 1948 (I am ignorant of her depth of penetration in Telangana and seema),still in news and being adored.She is exceptional.
Ashok
Thank you for the comment on Mrs Malati’s post. She is indeed an incredible person and we are indeed happy to post a tribute for her by Mrs Sarala on our blog.
Warm regards, Jigyasa & Pratibha
Since my medical school days I was a fan of this great lady”Malathi ChandurIn those days I regularly used to read Pramadavanam coulmn”
in Andhra Prabha “magzine.She is an encyclopedia of knowledge with
photographic memory.Her telugu is so beautiful and pristine.She was an inspiration to thousands of women and men who are sunk in sadness.She gave hope to the distressed.Many advanced their career.(I know of few becoming IAS officers).Telugu land is blessed to have persons like Malathi chandur,Sai Baba etc (although she did not believe in Babas) who are a source of inspiration to thousands of people.
Gaddum veerender Reddy.MD.