If there was one sweet that my children and I will never hesitate to say yes to, it’s undoubtedly the paal pheni. Also known as doodh pheni or nool pheni (because it resembles fine threads), it’s a dish made with flour that is well kneaded and allowed to rest after adding butter or ghee and then kneaded and shaped in layers before being rolled out and deep fried.
If there was one sweet that my children and I will never hesitate to say yes to, it’s undoubtedly the paal pheni. Also known as doodh pheni or nool pheni (because it resembles fine threads), it’s a dish made with flour that is well kneaded and allowed to rest after adding butter or ghee and then kneaded and shaped in layers before being rolled out and deep fried.
We first ate this many a Navarathri ago at my grandmother’s house. This dish is unique because of the subtleties in taste that are primarily due to it’s texture. Eating it in itself is quite a process and a thoroughly enjoyable one at that. The crisp pheni shaped in a circle has to be carefully taken out carefully to keep breakages to a minimum and is best served in a plate which has a shallow dip. It is accompanied by an aromatic nut and saffron infused sweet milk concoction. (we don't like cardamom much!!!)
It is this flavoured milk that elevates the pheni into the ‘decadent dessert’ category and hence is also referred to as paal (milk) pheni. We love the colour and aroma of the milk speckled with the strands of the delicate kungumapoo (saffron). To add to the taste we make a dry powder consisting of roasted almonds and pistachios. This can then be added to the milk to thicken it slightly or used to scatter on top just before eating. After the milk is poured over the thin crispy strands, a spoon is used to ensure a good even dunking.
I sometimes let the strands submerge on their own and don’t really mind if there are a few bits poking out as that gives a delicious contrast in textures between the crisp and the soaked, creamy almost payasam like effect that the rest of the strands turn into. We like to eat it the moment the milk is added before we lose out on the crunchy portions. There is silence when enjoying the pheni, It’s comfort food at it’s highest level of indulgence.
Once a year we would wait for the pheni to make an appearance. My uncle would order a huge quantity from Mysore and it would be distributed amongst us all. One time however we didn’t get to feast on this delicacy. The craving became so intense that we went on a pheni search here in Coimbatore, Karnataka and other states in the North are known for their skills in making different types of pheni. The nool pheni is our most favourite of them all.
Finally after making a myriad calls to sweet makers here, (most people had never even heard of this sweet before), we actually unearthed the elusive pheni at Agarwal sweets at D B road, R S Puram. At first we were rather disappointed because the sight that met us was a crumbled mass of bits with no shape whatsoever. Seeing disappointment writ large on my face, the owner wanted to know what the problem was.
When I hesitantly mentioned that I was looking for the familiar circular pheni discs, he immediately said,”oh that’s no problem,will get some fresh from the factory”. After of a short wait of 15 minutes a tall member of his staff walked in with a sealed tray filled with the familiar round pheni.
When I exclaimed my delight that it was made here,he shook his head and said that they in fact came from a special sweet shop all the way from Bangalore. I couldn’t imagine how it had travelled without breaking for such a long distance but was thankful that it was available.
Of course I had to share some straight away with friends and family, it’s too special a sweet to not share the joy of eating it. Making the milk mixture itself is such a joyful task and one that we did with smiles galore.
But let me warn you, eating one full pheni demands a proper cardio workout either before or after. While we must enjoy life with all it’s treats, it can’t possibly be by neglecting one’s health. The good news is the pheni keeps well in air tight box and it’s also a dish that is easy to share. One pheni can be easily split into halves or thirds and can still be immensely satisfying.
If you have not tried this one of a kind paal pheni yet, you know where to find it. And oh, do ask for the ones that aren’t broken, it just tastes better somehow !
Info
Agarwal Sweet Palace - (0422) 4368534
476,Near Rathna Vinayagar Temple
DB Road,R.S.Puram,
Coimbatore-2