Thirunalveli halwa daa Trichy malakota (Swarna) akka senja daaa... Senjuttom illa!!!!
The origin of halwa dates back to 1882, when it was sold by walk...on streets. Jagan singh jee was the father of halwa making. After his "walk the halwa" days he opened a small shop in Therunelveli. It was established by a Rajput family about a century ago and still it is run by their descendants ..says the google. The Rajputs are warriors by Darma.... but here in Thirunalveli, they are making halwa. In any case Rajputs have won their battle!! Victory is said to have attained when the opponent surrenders. The people who ate it completely surrendered ... That's their Karma!!
The halwa shop, opposite to the historic Nellaiappar temple is now taken care by one Bijli Singh jee after his father Krishna Singh jee. They were all born and brought up in a place called chokampatti in Thirunalveli. The shop is a small 'dimly lit' place, that opens at 5 pm and closes as the halwa gets over.....say in an hour!!! Hence the name "iruttu kadai" meaning dark shop.
While many companies/MNCs are spending lakhs and crores in their advertisements, this shop doesn't carry even a sign or name board !!
The queue starts to form an hour before the shop opens.
The uniqueness in taste could be mainly attributed to "Thamirabarani" sweet waters and to the fact that the wheat is hand pounded. Thamarabarani water is high on copper content. This adds to the sweetness.
Halwa is usually made from crushed juice taken out from well-soaked fresh wheat grains. The taste changes even if it is not soaked well or not boiled properly. Iruttu kadai is one that carefully looks after both.. The most important thing about this halwa is the way it is stirred .
Many halwa shops use machines to crush and stir wheat juice but iruttu kadai always opts manual stirring ,though it's tedious!!
No nuts are added in the halwa. Some say karupatti is used instead of caramelized sugar.
The purest form of ghee added and the way it is served hot , traditionally in plantain leaf adds to the dainty taste.
Now over to my story... I don't involve myself in anything tidious, I like to keep it simple. Extra washing, extra stirring, extra food, extra sweet, extra sweet talking ...... I can't and I won't. I like to keep it all too simple and straight. My kitchen is always neat and clean, and the best way is not to cook unnecessarily. But this halwa was a challenge. Our theatre group recently visited Valliyur near Thirunalveli, for staging our play. We had requested a friend's better half to get us this exotic halwa in half kgs packing for a group of 25 + ladies. But to our bad luck he returned with the bad news that it all got over. I had to personally take at least 6 packets home. One for my workplace, one for my daughter's in laws, 1 for my yoga group.... we eat well and do yoga. Non dieting yoginis we are..... then vatsan's friends... The list is longer than 6 packets.
We were quite upset and annoyed by the fact that we were not getting our share of Thirunalveli. In that sad mood started a research on this shop. People started saying many of the above mentioned facts. Some unknown facts were also shared. The owner of the shop stays in the shop for just an hour or more.. rest of the time he is at home at the service of her highness Mrs.iruttu kadai. One of us even thought of kidnapping him to Chennai.
That day I decided if someone can make halwa and grow so rich and most wanted why can't I try to make the halwa itself. May be useful after my retirement.
I made the halwa two days ago ...but my write-up was so javvu ..... Had to redo many times before posting.
"Halwa kudukkaradu" actually meaning giving halwa.....but also means making a fool. Some extra info for your GK. Kon Jane... Kon banegha karodpathi? Amitabh can ask about anything under the sun.
Not sharing the recipe....order halwa and eat. Don't always try to create exotic food. Create history.
The origin of halwa dates back to 1882, when it was sold by walk...on streets. Jagan singh jee was the father of halwa making. After his "walk the halwa" days he opened a small shop in Therunelveli. It was established by a Rajput family about a century ago and still it is run by their descendants ..says the google. The Rajputs are warriors by Darma.... but here in Thirunalveli, they are making halwa. In any case Rajputs have won their battle!! Victory is said to have attained when the opponent surrenders. The people who ate it completely surrendered ... That's their Karma!!
The halwa shop, opposite to the historic Nellaiappar temple is now taken care by one Bijli Singh jee after his father Krishna Singh jee. They were all born and brought up in a place called chokampatti in Thirunalveli. The shop is a small 'dimly lit' place, that opens at 5 pm and closes as the halwa gets over.....say in an hour!!! Hence the name "iruttu kadai" meaning dark shop.
While many companies/MNCs are spending lakhs and crores in their advertisements, this shop doesn't carry even a sign or name board !!
The queue starts to form an hour before the shop opens.
The uniqueness in taste could be mainly attributed to "Thamirabarani" sweet waters and to the fact that the wheat is hand pounded. Thamarabarani water is high on copper content. This adds to the sweetness.
Halwa is usually made from crushed juice taken out from well-soaked fresh wheat grains. The taste changes even if it is not soaked well or not boiled properly. Iruttu kadai is one that carefully looks after both.. The most important thing about this halwa is the way it is stirred .
Many halwa shops use machines to crush and stir wheat juice but iruttu kadai always opts manual stirring ,though it's tedious!!
No nuts are added in the halwa. Some say karupatti is used instead of caramelized sugar.
The purest form of ghee added and the way it is served hot , traditionally in plantain leaf adds to the dainty taste.
Now over to my story... I don't involve myself in anything tidious, I like to keep it simple. Extra washing, extra stirring, extra food, extra sweet, extra sweet talking ...... I can't and I won't. I like to keep it all too simple and straight. My kitchen is always neat and clean, and the best way is not to cook unnecessarily. But this halwa was a challenge. Our theatre group recently visited Valliyur near Thirunalveli, for staging our play. We had requested a friend's better half to get us this exotic halwa in half kgs packing for a group of 25 + ladies. But to our bad luck he returned with the bad news that it all got over. I had to personally take at least 6 packets home. One for my workplace, one for my daughter's in laws, 1 for my yoga group.... we eat well and do yoga. Non dieting yoginis we are..... then vatsan's friends... The list is longer than 6 packets.
We were quite upset and annoyed by the fact that we were not getting our share of Thirunalveli. In that sad mood started a research on this shop. People started saying many of the above mentioned facts. Some unknown facts were also shared. The owner of the shop stays in the shop for just an hour or more.. rest of the time he is at home at the service of her highness Mrs.iruttu kadai. One of us even thought of kidnapping him to Chennai.
That day I decided if someone can make halwa and grow so rich and most wanted why can't I try to make the halwa itself. May be useful after my retirement.
I made the halwa two days ago ...but my write-up was so javvu ..... Had to redo many times before posting.
"Halwa kudukkaradu" actually meaning giving halwa.....but also means making a fool. Some extra info for your GK. Kon Jane... Kon banegha karodpathi? Amitabh can ask about anything under the sun.
Not sharing the recipe....order halwa and eat. Don't always try to create exotic food. Create history.
Enjoyed the post ♥️
ReplyDeleteThank you so much.
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