The rich history of Indian food reflects the interplay of spirituality, culture, and tradition. One remarkable aspect of this culinary heritage is the art of crafting delicacies offered to deities in temples across the country. These temple foods, known as ‘Prasadam,’ are not just a source of nourishment but a sacred connection between the divine and the humans. Puri, the holy city of Odisha, is renowned for its ancient Jagannath Temple, where temple cuisine takes centre stage. Lord Jagannath's Prasad, an offering of food to the deity, is a celebration of flavours and devotion. Among the treasure trove of sacred recipes, one lost gem stands out – Sara Papudi, or Malai Puri.
Temple food is prepared with great care and some recipes even call for artistic skills, and Sara Papudi is a wonderful example of this. It's a melt in mouth treat, made with whole milk and prepared only for special occasions. The thick cream used to make this decadent dessert is called ‘Sara’ in the Odia language. When compared to other desserts typically created with malai (cream), Sara Papudi stands out due to its exceptional richness, juicy texture, and nuanced flavours. It's so rich that eating more than a few slices at once could be heavy.
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Papudi isn't just any dessert; it's one of the revered 56 bhogs (offerings) presented to Lord Jagannath. The preparation of Papudi is an elaborate affair, performed in a rich and glorious manner to honor the Lord of the Universe. Thick milk is painstakingly simmered over a low flame until it transforms into a thin sheet of cream. These succulent, round sheets of creamy delight is then carefully collected into a Patra (a plate or bowl made of leaves to serve food). A touch of sugar gives this beautiful masterpiece a lovely, sweet finish.
As the secret of making the exquisitely rich Sara Papudi has been forgotten, the dessert is now only sold in a handful of sweet shops in the Dolamandap Sahi area of Puri.
Recipe
Ingredients:
3 litre full-fat Milk
Sugar to sprinkle
Method: For 15 minutes, boil the milk on high heat. Turn down the heat. Let the milk cook slowly over low heat for about 20 minutes.This will create a thick layer on the surface. Allow the cream to set, now carefully with help of a spatula lift this layer of cream and place it on the khali patra. Spread some sugar or jagerry on top, let it dry for a second, roll it up, and cut it into pieces. Your Sara paudi is ready to be enjoyed.