Oats Coconut Milk Pudding(Pradhaman)...No Eggs Needed.

Pradhaman in all its creamy and coconutty flavors reflects the exotic coastal state of Kerala in South India.The pudding makes the sweet side of the Sadya(big feast) served on banana leaf.Usually made with rice flakes,the whole oats seem to work just fine as the substitute for it.This delectable dessert is the creation of Madhuram at Eggless cooking,the blog with amazing eggless baking ideas,is also featured this month for Tried and Tasted event,the hostess of the month is Poornima of Tasty treats.

Recipe adapted from Madhuram's Eggless Cooking

Ingredients
1/2 cup Whole rolled oats
*1/4 cup Jaggery ,grated[available in most Asian stores)
1 cup Water
1 cup(about 4 ounce) Lite Coconut Milk
Roasted nuts and dried fruits for garnish

*If Jaggery is hard to find use 2 tablespoon brown or white sugar,or 3 teaspoon Agave nectar.

Method
In a heavy bottom sauce pan add the jaggery ,oats and water.Bring to a slow boil and cook until oats are softened.Reduce the heat and add the coconut milk,let simmer for 4-5 minutes until thick and creamy.Serve warm ,garnish with roasted nuts and dried fruits.



Food Facts
Jaggery - Healthier Substitute for Refined Sugar

Jaggery is common in South Asian desserts and Candies.Produced by boiling raw sugar cane or palm juice,jaggery does not under go additional processing hence is richer in natural nutrients.Jaggery also has several health benefits according to the traditional Indian medicine of Ayurveda including respiratory illness and maintaining blood pressure.

Dodol.

A beloved delicacy in the scenic Islands of South East Asia(Malaysia, Indonesia,Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka) and also Goa(in India),the Dodol is hard to miss on festive occasions like Eid and Christmas.Its made from incredibly simple ingredients,coconut milk ,sugar and rice flour.The method is fairly simple ,but requires muscle power for the constant stirring to achieve a luscious smooth mixture when cooled gets a sticky candy\fudge like texture.I found this droolworthy dodol recipe at Asha's Foodies Hope,a blog with huge collection of delicious recipes from regional cuisines of India and other global cuisines.
Use only thick coconut milk for best results and I used ordinary rice flour instead of glutinous rice flour( which I can't find in stores here),could be the reason my dodol wasn't very sticky like the Original dodol.Pandan leaves are a popular flavoring in this dessert,wish I could them here,I had to be content with some cocoa powder instead.

Recipe :Dodol
Ingredients
2 cups preservative-free coconut milk
*1/3 cup Jaggery(chopped) or brown sugar or white sugar[or use half Agave nectar and half sugar]
2 tablespoon dry grated coconut
3/4 cup rice flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder(optional)
Pandan leaves for fragrance (optional)
1/4 cup roasted nuts

*sugar quantity has been reduced from the original recipe.add a little more if needed.

Method
Heat the milk on medium heat in a non-stick pan or heavy bottom Aluminum or Iron pan.
Season with pinch of salt,mix sugar or jaggery ,stir until dissolves,now add the dry coconut.
Start adding the flour,little at a time while stirring constantly to prevent lumps.Keep stirring until the mixture is nice and thick ,and flour is cooked through.About 10-12 minutes.Transfer in a greased(with coconut oil ) dish ,sprinkle with nuts and any remaining dry coconut,let cool and set for at least 3-4 hours(I kept it in fridge), before slicing and serving.Can be stored in refrigerator for up to a week.

Asha's delectable recipe is marked as Tried and tasted ,the host of the month is Ashwini's Spicy Cuisine .

I'm also sharing this with Let go nuts :Coconuts food event.

Nutrition

Though this is a high calorie dessert ,its very nutritious with goodness of coconut milk.The fat from coconut milk is far healthier than other kinds of saturated fats like butter.Coconut milk is very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Iron ,calcium ,magnesium and Manganese.Learn more about its health benefits in my post.