Ten minute theratti paal (yes, ten minutes)

Ingredients:

8 cups whole milk powder
2 cups fresh cream
2 cups raw sugar
2 cups brown sugar
pinch saffron

Mix milk powder and cream in a microwavable dish and microwave for 5 mts. Remove, then stir well, and microwave for a further 2 mts, stirring after the first minute. Then, add sugar, mix well and microwave for a further 2 minutes again removing it to stir half way through.
Then, if consistency of the mixture is thick and if it begins to come away from the sides of the dish, stir once more and then add elaichi and saffron and let cool.

If you are not happy with the consistency, then microwave for a minute more, than add the elaichi and saffron.

And if you like your theratti paal fairer, then substitute white sugar instead of brown, but add 3 cups of it. And do be careful to keep removing the mixture from the microwave and stirring it more often if it is warranted - the mixture can easily go dark brown or black due to excess heating if you don't.

Serves 5 or 20 depending on how much everybody likes theratti paal at home.

Making this dish for Krishna jayanthi brought back so many memories of Patti, sitting next to the wood fires (when I was really young) and then later on, near the gas stove, patiently stirring the milk for hours together. Of course, this quickie recipe is only a pale imitation of that original. If I waited to sample more of the original, I'd probably have to wait a lifetime!

So, there you go. A quick traditional, caloriful treat. Enjoy!

PS: I wish I could put up the photos, but this lot of my theratti paal was consumed instantaneously, before even the idea of putting up the recipe online came to me.