Pala Munjalu

Arrowroot powder is know as Paala Gaddalu in Telugu and Tikora or Paniphal in Hindi is a starch extracted from the rootstock of the plant named Maranta Arundinacea.
The starch extracted from Arrowroot plants contains many health benefits. It is an easily digestible starch compare to other starches. It aids digestion and used to treat bowel problems. Arrowroot is used as a alternate for breast milk for infants and the jelly extracted from it used as cereal food for infants. It's also very useful while recovering from an illness. Arrowroot is used to treat chronic bladder and internal irritation. It has the tendency to cool the body, so it is widely used in some Indian states during summer. Here's a very healthy and delicious sweet prepared from this wonderful starch which is very ideal to beat the scorching heat of this summer. This sweet is know as "Pala Munjalu" in Andhra due to it's resemblance to pulp extracted from the Toddy palm fruit (Thati Munjalu). 

Ingredients

Pala gaddalu (Arrowroot starch) : 1 cup
Milk : 2 cups
Cardamom powder : 1 tea spoon
Sugar : 1 cup
Coconut pieces : few



Method

Soak the Arrowroot starch in water for 30 minutes

Drain the excess water and mix the starch into thick paste by adding little water.
Take a vessel add milk, cardamom powder, sugar and boil on medium flame,
When milk starts boiling add starch paste and make a smooth thick paste by stirring continuously on low flame.
Within one or two minutes it will turn into thick paste, switch off the flame and let it cool for one minute
Take a clean damp cloth and spread the starch paste in desired shapes with a serving spoon.
After 20 minutes transfer them to a tray or plate with the help of a spoon and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving

Garnish with coconut pieces and serve chilled.