Planning for Navaratri | Prasadham | Neivedyam Post!

Once festival season begins in July, biggest festival is Navaratri which we celebrate for 9 days between september and October. To celebrate the festival as easier way, planning ahead and executing plays a major role here.

We love to clean and decorate the house, take out all the dolls and set up neatly. Arranging can be from simple to grand depends upon once convenience. If kids are small its difficult to do everything, so can keep it simple. Many don't have house help here, some ladies do everything alone and takes lots of interest involved in it and months of preparations goes in. Themes are thought and each year some do different theme. We need to prepare almost a month before for doing art work if we are doing at home. They need time to dry, repaint, etc.

When I was in India, the affair was very grand, my in laws and sister in laws house they keep a lot of dolls, the set up will be almost 3/4th the big hall. But unlike here,  I keep it simple.

In India only sundal will be served with vethalai paaku as we will be visiting the whole neighbourhood around 50-60 houses, but in singapore we visit around 8-10 houses and they serve food to all ladies who come, some will come from quiet far. Here each day they visit one friends home all are called together. So everyone visits friends place and spend time. 

Here life is mechanical for some, in the festival season one can visit friends and have a divine darshan, chat and enjoy food.

Now coming to food part, planning.

1. List number of people you will be inviting.

2. Plan a menu, I will be giving down my menu suggestions below.

3. Buy groceries. 

4. Buy gifts, checkout options for ladies and kids. If you are going or while coming from India pickup few items also some extra.

5. Shop online 
6. Taking out dolls and wipe it.

Recipes
click on the names

Sundal

👉Pasi paruppu/ Moong Dal Sundal

👉Karamani Sweet Sundal

👉Patani /Dry peas Sundal

👉Soya Bean Sundal

👉Verkadalai/peanut sundal

👉Kondakalai Sundal

👉Mixed Sundal

👉Karamani Payir Sundal

👉Sweet Corn Sundal

Tiffin/Dinner Ideas

👉Vadai

👉Idli

👉Chutney
👉Sambar
👉Dhokla

👉Lemon Rice
👉Puliyodarai
👉Kesari bath
👉Veg Palav
👉Bisibelebath/Sambar Sadam

Sweets

👉Payasam recipes and Sweet recipes 

Menu for festivals you can check here.

All menu please prepare without onion and garlic.

Wish you all Happy Navaratri!

Saraswathi Iyer

PS - Your feedback is appreciated. Do try recipe from (http://www.sarascorner.net/) take a picture and send it to me through Facebook message or mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com. Will be glad to add in my page Tried & Tasted album on FB or post on my page. Do follow me on Instagram id - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.