Thirupagam is a south Indian delicacy prepared with gram flour, cashew powder, ghee and sugar as main ingredients. It is popular in Thirunelveli district in Tamilnadu.
This sweet can be prepared on special occasions and festivals like Deepavali or as prasadam on auspicious days like Kandha sashti.
Check out my Badam halwa and 7 cup burfi in this website.
This recipe reference: Virundhombal.
Video
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make thirupagam recipe. See the recipe card below for full list and exact measurements.
- Gram flour - Kadalai mavu in tamil and Besan in Hindi, Split chickpea flour. I used coarse laddu besan variety.
- Cashews - Main ingredient and gives richness to the recipe.
- Ghee - This adds flavor to the dish.
- Saffron - Mild yet so distinct flavor in the recipe.
- Edible camphor - Main flavoring agent in this recipe.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by step photos
Let's see how to make thirupagam sweet.
1. Powder cashews first and keep aside. Make sure to grind in couple of go. Make sure to stop once it is powdered fine. If you grind for more time, it will become sticky/ lumpy.
- In a heavy bottomed non-stick pan preferably, take gram flour. Add sugar to it.
2. Mix well using a whisk to get rid of any lumps. You use sieved gram flour too.
3. After that, add milk and mix well without lumps.
4. Then in goes saffron soaked in milk.
5. Combine everything together.
6. Start heating in medium heat and keep mixing.
7. Continue cooking until the mixture start to thicken. It takes a while, so be patient and stir for 5 plus minutes. Add ghee one or two tablespoons at a time.
8. Mix furthermore to incorporate, then add the next spoons of ghee, repeat to finish almost all. Reserve a little to add later.
9. At the stage it starts to thicken, add cashew powder. Take care to mix well without lumps.
10. Once the mixture thickens furthermore and you see whitish frothy bubbles form, it is time to switch off the heat.
11. Finally add edible camphor and mix well. As it cools, it will thicken. Do not overcook thirupagam.
12. Switch off the stove. Transfer to a bowl. It will not be oozing with ghee, but as it cools the texture becomes so good.
This is after cooling down! Look at the texture.
Perfect as prasadams to offer to God and celebrate any special occasions.
Variations
You can use more cashews, for this recipe upto ½ cup cashew can be used.
For colour, you can add a tiny pinch of turmeric. The edible camphor, milk and saffron will not let the turmeric's strong flavor affect the sweet. Other than that, the sweet is a traditional one, so I have not tried or thought about any variations or substitutions.
Storage
It stays good in room temperature comfortable for couple of days. You can also refrigerate and then reheat before serving.
Top tip
While powdering cashews, make sure not to grind too long as it will make it sticky. Just do it in one or two go.
Use non-stick vessel for easier handling. Especially if you are beginner. Heavy bottomed utensil will work too.
Do not wait for the sweet to ooze out oil or thicken too much. Though it may look sticky, later when you eat, it just melts in your mouth.
FAQ
To my understanding, Thirupagam's name comes from Thiri meaning three - 3 main ingredients - Cashew, ghee and gram flour. Pagam means portion.
To my understanding, Thirupagam's name comes from Thiri meaning three - 3 main ingredients - Cashew, ghee and gram flour. Pagam means portion.
Recipe card
Thirupagam Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup Kadalai mavu Gram flour / Besan
- ½ cup Milk
- ½ cup Ghee May not need all
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Cashews Measure heaped
- 1 pinch saffron 10 strands
- 1 Edible camphor Mustard size
Instructions
- Powder cashews first and keep aside. Make sure to grind in couple of go. Make sure to stop once it is powdered fine. If you grind for more time, it will become sticky/ lumpy.
- In a heavy bottomed non-stick pan preferably, take gram flour. Add sugar to it.
- Mix well using a whisk to get rid of any lumps. You use sieved gram flour too.
- After that, add milk and mix well without lumps.
- Then in goes saffron soaked in milk.
- Combine everything together.
- Start heating in medium heat and keep mixing.
- Continue cooking until the mixture start to thicken. It takes a while, so be patient and stir for 5 plus minutes. Add ghee one or two tablespoons at a time.
- Mix furthermore to incorporate, then add the next spoons of ghee, repeat to finish almost all. Reserve a little to add later.
- At the stage it starts to thicken, add cashew powder. Take care to mix well without lumps.
- Once the mixture thickens furthermore and you see whitish frothy bubbles form, it is time to switch off the heat.
- Finally add edible camphor and mix well. As it cools, it will thicken. Do not overcook thirupagam.
- Switch off the stove. Transfer to a bowl. It will not be oozing with ghee, but as it cools the texture becomes so good. Thirupagam ready!
Video
Notes
- Do not wait for the sweet to ooze out oil or thicken too much. Though it may look sticky, later when you eat, it just melts in your mouth.
Shruthi says
Hi, at what stage should we add sugar. I thinks it’s not mentioned in the recipe card. Pls confirm. Thank u
Raks Anand says
Hi Shruthi, it's in the step 2, please check.