Paruppu Kanji- Neivedhyam for Shivarathiri

Paruppu Kanji is a nutritious porridge with moong dal and milk.This is a good neivedhyam too.This is normally made during Shivarathiri.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients:

Moong dal   -   1 cup
Jaggery        -   3/4 to 1 cup ( according to your taste)
Milk             -   3 cups
Elachi/ cardamom pwd  - 1/2 tsp
Water       -   2 cups

Method:

1. Dry roast the moong dal till it turns golden brown witha nice aroma.
2. Wash the roasted moong dal.
3. Pressure cook the dal with 2 cups of water.(After it is cooked,mash the dal)
4. In a kadai, add the crushed jaggery and 1 cup of water.
5. Heat the mixture till all the jaggery gets melted.
6. Immediately switch off the flame and strain the dirt with a strainer.
7. In the same kadai, add the jaggery solution and cooked dal.
8. Allow it to boil.
9. Once it boils, add the milk and cook for 5 min.
10. Garnish with cardamom powder.

Serve hot.

Thiruvathirai Kavathu kootu / poduthuval

Thiruvathirai kali and kootu

This kootu is the main side dish for Thiruvathirai kali.The main ingredient of this kootu is " Kavathu". This is a root vegetable which can be found only in Kerala. In other places it is very difficult to get this vegetable.

As I go to Peruvemba (our ancestral village in Kerala) during Christmas every year, I try to get kavathu and koorka (chinese potato) from there. But this time I forgot to get Kavathu.

Here is the recipe of kootu made with a combination of five vegetables.( SERVES 4)

Ingredients
---------------

Koorka

• Koorka        - 100 grams
• Raw banana - 1 big
• Pumpkin      -  200 grams
• Broad beans - 200 grams
• Yam             - 200 grams
• Green chillies - 4 to 5
• Shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
• Coconut oil            - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds       - 1 tsp
• split urad dal         - 1/2 tsp
• curry leaves          - few
• salt                        - to taste
• turmeric powder - a pinch

Method:

------------

• If you are using Koorka, wash them in running water (under tap) to remove the mud completely.
• Pressure cook on a low flame for 10 min .
• Once taken out from the cooker, rinse in cold water again and peel off its skin.( just press with your thumb)Chop the big ones into small pieces .
• Chop all the other vegetables into small cubes( 2cm x 2 cm approximately)
• With a pinch of turmeric powder, pressure cook all the vegetables together for 15 min on a low flame.(Add water just enough to immerse the vegetables)
• Grind green chillies and coconut coarsely.( Just 1 or 2 pulses will do)
• Slightly mash the cooked vegetables along with koorka so that they merge together.
• Add salt, ground coconut- chilli to the cooked veggies.
• Mix well and allow it to boil.( add water if required to adjust the consistency if it is too thick)
• Temper with mustard seeds,urad dal and curry leaves in coconut oil and add to the kootu.

Serve hot with Thiruvathirai kali.Refer to festival section for the kali recipe.

Thiruvathirai kali

Thiruvathira is the name of a star in Hindu religion and the festival,"Thiruvathira"  is celebrated in the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in India. It falls on the full moon day of the month of Dhanu (Dec or Jan) .It is believed that on this day, the Goddess Parvathy finally met her spouse Lord Shiva after her long penance.

Religious details aside, Thiruvathira also reminds me of the yummy Kali and Kootu :). Kali is  a sweet dish made with rice that is accompanied with Kootu made from a mixture of vegetables. This is the first time I made this dish and I am proud of how it turned out.Here is the recipe.

This recipe serves 2.

KALI

Ingredients:

--------------

• Raw rice (Pacha arisi)                                    -  3/4 cup
• Jaggery ( powdered)                                      -  3/4 cup ( Powdered rice : powdered jaggery =1:1)
• Water                                                            -  1.5 cups ( double the jaggery)
• Elachi                                                            - 3
• Ghee                                                             - 1 tbsp
• Split moong dal (pasi parupu)                        - 1 tbsp
• Shredded coconut                                         - 1/2 cup 

Method:

----------

roasted rice powder and pounded jaggery

• Wash rice and drain the excess water completely.
• Spread the washed rice on a towel for 6 to 8 hours to dry.(you can do this on the previous night of thiruvathira)
• Wash and soak the moong dal in water for 10 min.
• Dry roast the rice till it turns into light brown colour. Set aside to cool.
• Grind the roasted rice into a fine coarse powder.(slightly finer than rawa)
• You can pound the jaggery and take the required measure.

• Add measured cups of water in a kadai and add the jaggery.

• Mix well so that the jaggery is completely melted.
• Strain the solution to remove the dirt.
• Heat the cleansed jaggery solution in the same kadai, stirring continuously.
• When it starts boiling, add the powdered rice, moong dal and mix well without lumps.( on a low flame)
• Once it starts to thicken , switch off the flame.

• Transfer the contents into a vessel and steam it in a pressure cooker for 10 min.
• Add the steamed kali into the kadai with ghee, cardamom and shredded coconut.
• On a low flame, saute for 2 to 3 seconds.

Serve hot with kavathu kootu.Refer to the festival section for the kavathu kootu recipe.

karamani Sweet prasadam

This recipe serves 2 .

Ingredients:

=========

• Karamani - 100 grams
• Jaggery - 80 grams ( can be more as per one's taste)
• ghee - 2 tsp
• cardamon powder - 1/4 tsp
• grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Method:

======

• Saute the karamani in a pan on a medium flame till it turns light brown in colour.
• Wash well and pressure cook with 3 cups of water.
• The karamani should be cooked very well.Strain the excess water.
• Boil 2 tumblers of water in a pan and add jaggery.
• Stir well till it melts.Strain the jaggery solution and remove the dirt.
• Add the solution back to the pan and keep stirring on a medium flame till you get a single -thread consistency.
• Add the cooked karamani ,mix well till it blends well.Do not make it very thick as the sundal thickens with time.
• Add grated coconut ,cardamom powder and stir for a min.
• Garnish with ghee.

Serve hot.

Chakara pongal

This recipe serves four

Ingredients:

=========

• Rice - 100 grams
• Split moong dal - 50 grams
• Jaggery - 100 to 120 grams(based on one's taste)
• Milk - 1 cup
• Elachi powder - 3 tsp
• Pachai karpooram/edible camphor - a pinch(powdered)
• Ghee - 50 grams(adjust according to taste)
• cashews and raisins - 2 tsp each

Method:

======

• Dry roast moong dal till golden brown.
• Wash the roasted dal and rice well.
• Dilute milk with water .Add 3 cups of diluted milk for every cup of rice and every cup of dal)
• Pressure cook rice and roasted dal together in diluted milk.(one whistle on a high flame and switch off after 15 min)
• Mash the cooked mixture.
• Pound the jaggery with a pestle.Boil water and add the powdered jaggery.
• Stir well and when it melts,switch off the flame.
• Strain the dirt from the jaggery solution .Add the strained solution in a kadai.
• Add the mashed rice-dal mixture to it.Mix well and cook on a medium flame till it thickens little bit.
• Add ghee and mix well.
• Sprinkle elachi powder,edible camphor and switch off the flame.(Do not thicken it very much as the pongal thickens with time)
• Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a tadka pan.Add cashews and roast till golden brown.Add raisins and when it puffs up ,pour it over chakara pongal.
• Mix well and serve hot.

Puliodarai/Puliogare

This recipe serves 3.

Ingredients:

==========

• Rice(sona masuri/basmati) - 1 cup
• Gingelly oil - 4 teaspoon

Method:

======

• Soak rice for 15 min.Drain the excess water.
• Add 2 tsp oil of oil in a kadai and saute the drained rice till water evaporates completely.
• Boil water(rice : water=1:2) and add the rice to it with 1 tsp of oil.
• Cook covered.
• Set aside to cool and pour 1 tsp of oil .The grains should be separate.

For the tamarind paste

=================

• Thick Tamarind juice - extracted from a ball of diameter 3 cm
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Chana dal - 1 1/2 tsp
• Groundnuts - 1 handful
• Red chillies - 3 ,broken into halves
• turmeric powder - a pinch
• jaggery - 1 tsp, powdered
• salt - 1 tsp(can be altered according to sourness of tamarind)
• oil - 3 to 4 tsp

Method:

======

• Add oil in a kadai.Add mustard seeds.
• When it splutters,add chana dal,groundnuts,red chillies,hing and saute till golden brown.
• Add tamarind juice extract,jaggery,salt,turmeric powder.
• Stir well and cook on a medium flame till it thickens into a paste.
• You can store it in an air tight container in refrigerator.

For the powder

===========

• Dhania/coriander seeds - 2 tsp
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Pepper - 10 to 15 peppercorns(depending on one's taste)
• Red chillies - 8 to 10
• Til / sesame seeds - 2 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Dry coconut,shredded - 3 tsp(optional...If you wish to store the powder,avoid coconut)
• Chana dal - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp
• Hing - 1/2 tsp

Method:

=======

• Heat 1 tsp oil in a kadai.
• Add urad dal,chana dal,fenugreek seeds,coriander seeds and saute till golden brown.
• Add peppercorns,til,jeera and saute till it bursts.
• Add red chillies,hing,dry coconut and fry for another 3 min till all the ingredients get roasted.
• Set aside to cool.And grind into a coarse powder in a mixer.

For puliodarai:

==========

• Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a kadai.
• Add mustard seeds.When it splutters,add curry leaves.
• On a low flame,add cooked rice to it .Add 2 to 3 tsp of paste.
• Mix well with a flat spatula.Do not mash the rice.
• Add 3 tsp of powder too.Mix well.
• Adjust the quantity of paste,powder,salt according to taste.

Serve hot with curd and potato chips.

Unndili kara kozhakkattai

Vrat on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi is considered to be one of most auspicious fast (vrat) for the devotees of lord Ganesh. People believe that the vrat can give them wisdom, mind power and success.

Many people observe the fast (vrat) on Ganesh Chaturthi. Ladies prepare sweets,kozhakkatai(Modak) and special laddoos in their home and offer to lord Ganesh before they eat. Lets see how to make this simple kozhakkatai which will be liked by the kids especially.This can also be made if you have rice dough left over after preparing the traditional sweet kozhakattai.

Ingredients:

========

• Rice flour - 1 cup (for the dough)
• Salt - to taste
• Water - 2.5 cups
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Idly molagapodi - 4 tsp
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp
• mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• asafoetida powder - a pinch
• curry leaves - a sprig
• Rice flour - 2 tsp

Method:

======

• Heat 1/2 tsp of ghee in a kadai. (preferably non-stick)
• Add 2 cups of water and salt to it and allow it to boil.
• Meanwhile,make a paste of rice flour with half cup of water without any lumps.
• Let the consistency be like an idly batter.
• When the water boils,reduce the flame ,add the paste slowly and keep stirring without a break.
• It will turn into a dough in few seconds.Switch off the flame and set aside to cool.

• When it has reached room temperature,add the molagapodi/Idly podi and knead well using your hand.
• Apply little ghee in your palms and start rolling the dough into small balls each of diameter,1 cm.
• Keep the balls in an idly plate and steam for 10 to 15 min.
• Add coc0nut oil in a kadai with mustard,asafoetida and curry leaves.
• When mustard splutters,add the cooked rice balls.Sprinkle little rice flour and keep sauting for 5 min till it gets roasted slightly.

Serve hot with chai.Can also be used as a quick neivedyam(for which the podi has to be fresh).

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Nei Appam

Janmashtami is one of the most widely celebrated festivals of India. With different customs and traditions, the occasion of Janmashtami is celebrated. One of the important religious aspects of the festival of Janmashtami is the Janmashtami fast that is kept by the devotees on Janmashtami. The meaning of fasting means to move near the supreme and the all mighty and to overcome helplessness. On the festival of Janmashtami also devotees keep fast and seek blessings of the Lord.

Nirjal Janmashtami Fast The religious followers of Lord Krishna celebrate the festival of Janmashtami by keeping nirjal fast, meaning fasting without having even a single drop of water. They believe that by keeping this type of fast they will come closer to God. Other devotees who can't follow such a strict fast keep fruit fast having only milk and fruits during the fast. Devotees observe strict discipline while fasting. They refrain from having cereals and salt on the day of the festival. They also feel keeping such fast is the only thing that they can offer God. Fasting is accompanied by singing of devotional songs and mantra chanting. Janmashtami Fast Dishes There are different types of dishes made on the occasion of Janmashtami for those who keep a fast. Since Lord Krishna is very fond of milk and butter products, different types of dishes made from the same are prepared like kheer, pedhas or other sweets. Devotees break their fast at midnight after the birth of Lord Krishna by offering prasad to the Lord. The different dishes that can be made as prasadams are in the Neivedyam section. To start with ,lets see how to make Nei appam.This recipe is for 15 medium sized appams. Ingredients: ========== Rice(Raw rice / puzhungal arisi) - 100 grams Ripe banana - 1 big or 2 small Jaggery(crushed)- 100grams Elachi/cardamom powder - 1 tsp Dry dinger powder - 1/2 tsp Dry coconut/Kopra - 2 tsp, cut into fine pieces Ghee - for making the appam Method: ====== Wash and soak the rice for 2 hours. Drain the excess water. Crush the jaggery roughly using a pestle and mortar. Chop the banana into small slices. Grind the soaked rice with enough water into a very smooth paste. Add the powdered jaggery and banana slices .Grind again till it blends well. The consistency of the batter should be slightly flowing.Do not make it too watery.Adjust the quantity of water as required while grinding. Add elachi powder,dry ginger powder and chopped dry coconut .Mix well. Add little ghee in each hole of the kuzhi paniyaram vessel .When its hot,pour a laddle of batter into each hole. When it gets cooked,flip it to the other side. Take out the appams when its cooked on both side and drain the excess ghee using a tissue paper. Let it cool down to room temperature.Enjoy the yummy appams . Since banana is added,finish it off in two days since it may not last more than 2 to 3 days. Note: For more softer appams,try making with atta/wheat and jaggery in the ratio 1:1 with 1 tsp of rice flour and 1/2 tsp of elachi powder.