Varalakshmi Nombu/ Vratham

Courtery - google

One of my reader had asked me to post about this festival here.
After Aadi maasam all festivals will start. Varalakshmi Nombu /Vratham / Vrat is a festival  observed in India. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped on this day. Ladies decorate the kalasam with silver idol of lakshmi (Called Mukawada in Kannada) with a coconut , new saree, kolams(rangoli) and jewels. They fill the pot with rice, dal, money and beatle leaves. The pooja is performed in the morning. The procedures are slightly different in all states. This festival is observed by married women if only the ancestors were following. Otherwise they do not do nombu and just do Lakshmi pooja. Like before marraige in mom's place they will celebrate but at in laws place they don't follow it and vice versa. 9 yards saree is worn on any special occasions by Tamil Brahmins or Iyer.

Lord Ganesh pooja is performed first then followed by Goddess Lakshmi.

You can start decorating the house today itself with Madi. So early morning its easy to perform the pooja.

Evening kumkum with fruits, sweets and bangles are offered to the neighbours.

We don't celebrate this but my sister-inlaws house they do. So to blog I took some information from her. Thanks akka.

Coming to Recipes

Many varieties of dishes are prepared on this day.
(Click on the name for recipes)

Ullandu Kozhakatai - scroll down for recipe
Pooranam Kozhakatai - scroll down for recipe
Payasam
Paruppu Vadai
Vella Appam
Sundal
Panagam
Kalanda Sadam
White Rice
Sambar
Rasam
Poriyal
Pachadi

On all festivals cooking is done without Onion and Garlic. To know about any other festival click here.

I am giving recipe for

Pooranam Kozhakattai(Sweet Steamed Dumplings)

Ingredients
Rice flour - 2 cups
Water - As required
Oil - 1 tspn
Fresh Grated Coconut - 2 cups
Powdered Jaggery - 1 cup(As per choice of yours)
Salt a pinch

Preparation method
Filling
In a Kadai, heat the jaggery with little water. Once its dissolved and becoming thick, add grated coconut and mix well.
Once it becomes thick off the stove. Let it cool.

Dumpling
In a wide bowl, boil little water with a tspn of oil and a pinch of salt.
Then reduce flame and slowly add rice flour stir continuously until it thick.
Now once the dough is cooked for 5mins. Allow it to cool a bit and with oily hand make a soft dough out of it.
Take a big lemon size and spread like you do for puris. Stuff a tspn or more in the center and close it with water. So its almost crescent shape.

Do same with the rest of them and Steam for 10-15mins in Steamer or Idli cooker.

Ullandu Kozhakattai

Follow same procedure stated above for the dough.

Filling
Ullandu/Urad Dal - 3/4 cup
Kadala Paruppu/Channa Dal - 1/2 cup
Red Chilli - 2 nos(As per your taste)

Grind this to fine paste in blender or mixie.

Then in a Kadai, add oil, mustard, hing, curry leaves, dry red chillis saute for a minute.
Now add the grounded mixture, salt and mix well. Cook till the raw smell leaves. If required add little oil.

Now when done fill the dumplings and steam it in Idli cooker for 10-12 mins.

Offer Neivedyam to God and enjoy it.

Click here for detailed Kozhakattai recipe.

The next festival for us is on Aug 24th Avani Avittam click here for details.

Happy Varamahalakshmi Festival to all those celebrating.

Aadi 18/Aadi Perukku Recipes!

This is a month of Aadi maasam is 4th month in Tamill Calendar. Its also called Ashada Maasa in Karnataka. Mostly for Kannadigas it will finish earlier then Tamilians. This month is inauspicious for most of us. In this month, many will not perform auspicious events. But nowadays you can see Aadi offer in many shops for clothes and gold.

Today is Aadi 18, we prepare mixed rice like Tamarind rice, Lemon Rice, Pongal and Coconut Rice. Pooja is performed and offered to god as prasadam. 

It also has some important days like

Aadi Amavasai,(9th Aug) - No moon day.
Aadi Pooram (12th Aug) - This day is for Andal Goddess.
Aadi Perukku( 3rd Aug) - This day is 18th day of Aadi dedicated to Kaveri River and falls.
Aadi Karthigai(4th Aug) - This day is dedicated to Lord Murugan. Kavadi is taken on this day in temples.
Aadi Velli (Fridays) - All Fridays in this month is considered auspicious and ladies exchange kumkum and sweets. Sweets are prepared and offered to God with prayers.

This month also has Varalakshmi Vratham.

Now over to the Recipes.

I prepared Kalanda Sadam - Puli Sadam/Puliyogare, Thenga Sadam/Coconut Rice, Elamichai Sadam/ Lemon Rice and Sweet Pongal/Jaggery Rice.

My Recipe for Coconut Rice. This is one of my hubby's favourite rice.

Ingredients
Steamed Rice - 2 cups(as required)
Fresh Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Green chilli - 2nos (chopped)
Oil - 2 tspns(Coconut oil or any cooking oil)
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Hing/Asafotida - a pinch
Urad dal/Channa Dal - 1 tspn
Cashews - chopped
Curry leaves - few chopped
Salt

Preparation Method
In a Kadai, heat oil add mustard and wait till it splutters. Then add hing, dals and saute till its brown. Add green chilles and curry leaves.
Now add cashews and roast it brown.
Add grated coconut and fry till brown.
Then add salt and rice mix well.

Serve hot with fried papadams and vadams.

Recipe for Puli Sadam/Puliyogare.

Ingredients
Puliyogare dry mix - 3 tspns(My mom made the powder)
Steamed Rice - 2 cups
Gingely Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Curry leaves - few
Ural Dal/Channa Dal - 1 tspn
Salt

Preparation Method
In a Kadai, heat oil add mustard and wait till it splutters. Then add hing, dals and saute till its brown. Add curry leaves and saute til it splutters. Now add the Puliyogare powder and off the stove. Serve hot with fried papadams and vadams.
Add salt and rice mix well.
Once cooled add rice and mix well.

You can see another version of this Coconut rice here. Lemon Rice and Pongal here.

These recipes are perfect for lunch box.

Vellam/Sweet Appam for Father's Day!!!

Appam is sweet dish. Its very soft inside and crunchy outside. My Dad likes sweet this is also one of his favourite sweets. Sweet Appams are prepared along with vadai on KaarthigaiDeepam day also to know more about this click here. It can be prepared on any other day too.

My Dad is in India so could not be with him but he has tasted many of my recipes while here. So I am sure these are his favourites, so sending to the event. I thank him for always being by my side. He has given maximum support and taught me many sweet recipes as he is an expert in Sweet Making. Thank you Dad:-)

Ingredients
Raw Rice or Normal Rice - 1 cup
Vellam/Jaggery - 1 cup(powdered)(If you it to be more sweet you can add little extra)
Elachi powder - a pinch
Oil for deep frying.

Method

Wash and soak rice for about 6 hours or more in water.

Then grind rice with jaggery to fine paste(Like dosa batter)

Leave it for 2 to 3 hours. Then while making appams add elachi powder and mix well.

Heat an Appa Karal or Kuzhi paniyaram chetthi with oil.

Slowly pour them and deep fry both sides till brown. If you dont have proper stick you can remove them by fork or tikka sticks too. Remove them on a tissue.

Tasty sweet appams are ready to eat.

Variations : You can also add Jackfruit paste to this and it will taste yummy.

This is going straight to  I love my Dad Event for Father's Day by Jay.  Am also sending Kesari Bath to the event.

Ramanavami Panagam, Neer Mor and Kosambari!

Ramanavami falls today thats 31st March 2012. Ramanavami is celebrated on the occasion of birthday of Lord Rama. It falls on the 9th day of Shukla Paksha.

On this day prayers are done and visit to Lord Rama temple. Observe fast/upavasam. Special pooja is performed at home and temples offering Panagam/Panaka, Neer Mor/Buttermilk and Kosambari as prasadams to Lord. Ladies will exchange kumkum with the prasadams with neighbours.

In Tamilnadu only Panagam is prepared. In Karnataka Panaka, Neer Mor and Kosambari is prepared.

Heres the simple and easy recipes for this.

Panagam/Panaka is a sweet drink prepared with Vellam/Jaggery.

Take 1 cup mashed or powdered vellam/jaggery in 4 glasses of water.
Add 1/2 tspn elachi powder/cardamom powder and 1/2 tspns sukku powder/dry ginger powder.

Mix well and keep it aside till all the vellam/jaggery is dissolved. Serve chilled or as it is.

Note - If case you feel Jaggery is less you can add later and mix after offering to Lord.

Variation - You can add ripen mash melon/Kirnipazham. It will be very refreshing.

For Neer Mor/Buttermilk

Take 1 cup thick curds/plain yogurt add 3 cups water, chopped coriander leaves, salt, chopped ginger mix well and Serve.


For Kosambari Recipe click here.

Happy Ramanavami.

Happy Ugadi!!!

Dear Readers,

Wish you all a very Happy Ugadi Festival. Lets this new year bring you lots of happiness, success, good health and wealth.

For Ugadi Festival Recipes click here.

My Pongal Celebrations and Ellu Sadam/Sesame Rice Recipe!!!

Hope you all are having a long weekend for Pongal. Heres my Pongal celebrations photos.. I had decorated with Rangoli then did all traditional puja.

I also prepared Kanum Pongal with Kalanda Sadam(Coloured Rice) today.

Dishes were

Puliyogare (Tamarind Rice)
Thenga Sadam(Coconut Rice)
Ellu Sadam(Sesame Rice)
Elamichai Sadam(Lemon Rice)
Rice Payasam

Heres the recipe for Ellu Sadam/Sesame Rice.

Courtesy - Mother in law

Ingredients
Ellu(White Til/Sesame Seeds) - 100gms
Urad dal - 50gms
Dry Red Chilli - 4 nos(As per taste)
Hing/Asafotida - a pinch
Salt

For Seasoning
Gingely oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Urad dal - 1/4 tspn

Preparation Method
Dry Roast Ellu till its light brown.
Then add 1/2 tspn oil in a kadai, roast urad dal, dry red chilli, Hing till brown.
Allow it to cool.
In a small mixie grind urad dal, salt, and dry red chilli in whipper to a fine powder.
Then add ellu(sesame seeds) and grind twice to a coarse powder.
Prepare rice and allow it to cool.
Then Season it with oil n mustard. Then mix this powder and Serve.

Happy Weekend.

This recipe is going off to Cooking with Seeds by Priya and APS Rice by Anitha.

Happy Pongal and Sankranthi Shubashayagalu!!!

I wish all my readers a very Happy Pongal. Pongaloo Pongal......

Bogi Pongal is on 13th January 2010.
Pongal is on 14th January 2010. Auspicious time for keeping Pongapanai is between 7.30am to 10.00am(IST) later Amavasya follows.
Kanum/Mattu Pongal is on 15th January 2010.

Its also Solar Eclipse on 15th Jan 2010 from 11am to 3.30pm(IST).

To read more about the festival and for Chakkare Pongal recipe click here. and for dishes prepared on Pongal.

Will come back with my Pongal celebrations.

Karthigai/Thiruvannamalai Deepam Appam Pori Recipe!

Karthigai Deepam falls on 1st of December 2009 and is observed by Hindus all over the world and mainly in Tamilnadu, India . Lamps are lit daily for 30 days beginning a grand day on the 1st day. Crackers are burst mostly reserved after Deepavali. People visit Lord Murugan (Son of Lord Shiva) temples and offer pooja. They also visit Vishnu temples and observe Vishnu Deepam is tomorrow celebrated by Iyengars. Day 3 thats day after tomorrow is Kuppa Karthigai were lamp is lit everywhere mainly at entrance of the house.

Thousands of people visit Thiruvannamalai temple to see the Deepam(Lamp) lit in temple which is in Tamilnadu and offer prayers for the well being of families.

House is decorated with decorative lamps and prasadams are offered to god. Pooja is performed in the evening with Pori, Appam and Adai as Neivedyam.

Traditional Festive Food without onion and garlic is prepared includes special Vella Aval Pori Urundai(Sweet Beaten Puffed Rice Balls), Nel Pori Urundai(Puffed Rice Balls made from Paddy), Appam and Adai.

I am giving recipes for Vella Aval Pori Urundai(Sweet Beaten Puffed Rice Balls) and Nel Pori Urundai(Puffed Rice Balls made from Paddy)

I would like to thank my Father and Mother in law for their help in making these.

Vella Aval Pori Urundai and Nel Pori Urundai

Ingredients
Pori - 400 gms
Vellam(Jaggery) - 3 cups(1.5 paavu)
Fresh Coconut - 1 cup(cut into tiny pieces)
Fried Groundnut(Varutha Verkadalai) - 1/2 cup(Optional)
Sukku Podi(Dry ginger powder) - 1/2 tspn
Elakkai Podi(Cardamom powder) - a pinch

Preparation Method

Clean and Seive Pori.

In a kadai, add vellam and sprinkle little water and start dissolving. Once its dissolved filter it since mud particles will be there in vellam.

Then again pour the liquid in the kadai and start boiling it until its 1 string consistency. Keep stirring in low medium flame.(You can also check this by taking little water in a cup and pour a spoon of Jaggery paste (Vella Paggu). If you can make a small ball out of it then its correct consistency (padam)

Now add Dry Ginger Powder, Coconut Pieces, Elaichi (Cardemum) Powder and Groundnut and mix well. Reduce the flame.

Disolving of Jaggery Checking of Padam

In a wide vessel take the pori and slowly add this hot vella paggu. Caution since Paagu is very hot, dont mix with hand. Take a laddle and mix fully once its slightly cool. Start making balls and keep aside.

Repeat the same process for leftover pori too.

This is the same procedure for Nel Pori Urundai also.

Checkout my recipe for 
Adai.
Appam /Nei Appam
Banana Appam
Salt Appam (without onion)

Note - If you cannot make balls take little rice flour(Arasi Maav) apply to your hands and make balls. Sometimes after doing this too you cannot make balls its because of mistake in the Vella Paggu so have as it is....

Happy Karthigai!!!

Happy Onam!!!

Onam festival is celebrated in Kerala, India by all Malayalees.... Special and traditional food is prepared with varieties

Wishing all my friends a very Happy Onam

Happy Vinayaga(Ganesh) Chathurthi!!!

Wishing you all a very Happy Vinayagar (Ganesh) Chathurthi. This festival is very popular in India. Lord Ganesh is elephant faced Hindu God. In Karnataka its celebrated with Goddess Gowri mother of Lord Ganesh. Idol of Gowri on the previous day and puja is performed. They also do mangala Gowri vratham on every tuesday before this festival and invite ladies for kumkum. Its called Gowri-Ganesha Habba (Festival) in Karnataka.

Clay idol or coloured idol is kept at home and puja is performed offering prasadams like Kara Kozhakattai/Modakam(Urad dal and spices covered with Rice flour),Vella Kozhakattai(Jaggery and coconut stuffing covered with Rice flour), Sundal(Dish prepared with white or black skinned chickpea), fruits and flowers with decorations. The idol is immersed in water at the end of the day after performing the puja with curd rice and sundal.

Its celebrated very grand in Maharashtra, India. Idol is kept for a 1day or 5days or 11 days daily puja is performed by the Hindu Pandits and prasadams is distributed. Sometimes they will celebrate any day in the whole month too...

In Bangalore I have seen Big idols of Lord Ganesh is kept on streets competitions are conducted music orchestra is also performed. Children take Akshata(Rice mixed with turmeric and water or ghee) and visit as many houses to see different kinds of idols and puja. Also enjoy the prasadams.

Hope this festival gives good health, peace, wealth and prosperity to everyone.

I am sharing simple and quick recipe for Kondakadalai(Chickpea/Garbanzo) Sundal

 

Ingredients

Kondakadalai - 2 cups

Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup

Dry Red chilli - 2 nos (As per your taste)

Asafotida/Hing/Peringayam - a pinch

Oil - 2 tspns

Mustard - 1/2 tspn

Curry leaves - few

Salt

Method

If you are using dry Kondakadalai, soak it overnite in water and boil with salt in pressure cooker next morning for about 4-5 whistles. If you soak it for longer hours (advisable) make sure its not over--cooked. Remove excess water and can drink as it is.

You can also use Kondakadalai available in Can which is preboiled and ready to use.

Heat a kadai, add oil mustard wait till it splutters. Then add curry leaves and Asafotida. Saute once.

Add dry red chilli and saute till its dark brown black in colour.

Now add cooked kondakadalai. Saute for few mins.

Turn Off the stove and add fresh grated coconut. Mix well.

Kondakadalai Sundal is ready. Its also done as prasadam for Navarathri too...

Gokulashtami | Krishna Janmashtami Festival and Recipes

Gokulashtami/Krishna Jayanthi/Krishna Janmashtami is a festival celebrated in India. Its a day on which Lord Krishna was born. Meaning of Krishna is Happniness. People go to temples Krishnan temples. Many people fast on this day. Tradition is by putting kolam and footprints to welcome Lord Krishna.

When we were in Panama we had been to ISKCON temple and celebrated this day. It was very joyful by singing and dancing.

We celebrated the festival yesterday at my home. Traditional prasadams Milk, curds and butter, Thenguzal, Murukku, Kara Seedai, Vella Seedai, Uppu Aval, Vella Aval and Thayir Aval were prepared and offered to God. On this day onion and garlic is generally not used in cooking.

Few snaps attached.

Click on the names for full recipes.

Traditional prasadams Milk, curds and butter,

Appam

Thenguzal
Murukku

Uppu Seedai

Vella Seedai

Kara Aval Upma

Vella Aval
Paal Aval

Thayir Aval

Payasam

Few more to follow.

Tags - Krishna Birthday, gokulashtami, Janmashtami, Indianfestival

Avani Avittam - Upakarma

Today is Avani Avittam celebrated by all Brahmins in South India and also in Orissa as Shravan Poornima. For more info on this from wikipedia click here.Mostly Rakhi and Avani Avittam falls on the same day. Its also called Upakarma. Early morning traditional food is prepared without onion and garlic. All men at home will change the sacred thread and perform rituals. Tomorrow thats next day they will read Gayathri mantra 1008 times.

Back at home remembering my brothers usually will tie Rakhi once they finish this puja. So treating them with these dishes from my kitchen.

My Menu for the day was.

Breakfast with Yummy soft Idlis.

Paal Payasam(Rice Milk Payasam)

Avarakkai Poriyal(Broad Beans Curry)

Paruppu (Seasoned Dal)

Vendakka Sambar (Lady's finger/Okra sambar)

Plain Rice

Rasam

Paruppu Vadai(Dal Vadas)

Ingi Pachadi (Ginger/Adrak Raitha)

Thayar(Plain curds/Yogurt)

Papad

Will be posting these recipes soon...

Leave me comments or vote which recipe you want me to post first.

Tamil New Year | Vishu | Varsha Pirappu!

Dear Readers,

Wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous Tamil New Year. April 14th 2009 Puthandu is celebrated by Tamilians across the world. People visit to temples with new clothes and see predictions in pachangam. In Kerala it is known as Vishu Kani. People keep mirror decorating it with gold jewellery and offering fruits, rice, dal, sugar, money, mango, cucumber, dry fruits at nite. You should see this first in the Morning, after seeing this Nyvediyam is prepared using these ingredients like Vadai and Kadala parappu payasam and offered to God. Boli is also prepared.

People visit family and friends.

Dishes prepared are

Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe here
Senai Kizhangu(Yam) and Vellarikka(Cucumber) Kootu. Click here for Kootu recipes.
Rasam - click here for rasam Recipes.
Paruppu Vadai -  see below for Vadai recipe.
Kadala Paruppu Payasam - click here and see below for Payasam recipes
Boli/Poli - click here and here for recipes.

Click here for Festival Menu.

Notes - There will be no onion and garlic in the Festival Menu.

This is very simple and easy snack prepared on festivals and auspicious ocassions.

Recipe for Vadai

Ingredients
Kadala Parappu(Channa dal/Bengal Gram) - 2 cups
Dry Red Chilli - 2nos (as per your taste)
Asafotida(Hing) - 1 pinch
Curry leaves - few
Salt
Oil for deep frying

Preparation Method
Soak Kadala parappu for 2 to 3 hours in water. Then in mixie add kadala parappu, dry red chilli, asafotida and salt to 2 or 3 whips (coarse) Transfer to a bowl and add curry leaves. In a kadai, heat oil in medium flame. Take vadai mixture, make small balls and press and drop in oil. Deep fry on both sides till brown.

Take it on a tissue paper.

Serve with lunch.

Recipe for Kadala Parappu Payasam

Ingredients
Kadala Parappu (Channa dal /Bengal gram) - 1/2 cup
Rice - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 1/2 cup(as per your taste)
Elakka powder(Cardamom poweder) - 1/2 tspn
Grated coconut - 1 cup

Preparation Method

Cook rice and kadala parappu in pressure cooker. Keep more water so Kadala parappu should cook well. In a vessel keep jaggery with 1/2 cup water and let it dissolve. Filter it for mud particles. Add rice and kadala parappu with jaggery. Allow it to boil in low flame. Keep stirring. Grind grated coconut with elakka in mixie into fine paste. Mix this with the above mixture and boil well. Garnish with ghee, cashews and grapes.

Serve with Lunch.

Wishing you all இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துகள! May god shower happiness, love, success and everything in this year.

Regards,
Saraswathi

Maaladu(Besan laddu) - Recipe

Maaladu is a very tasty and easy sweet prepared with fried gram flour, powdered sugar and ghee. It is prepared on many auspicious occasions. Famous in Tamilnadu, India.

Ingredients

Potukadalai maav(Fried gram flour/Besan) - 2 cups

Sugar (powdered) - 1 1/2 cup(according to ur taste)

Elakka powder(Cardamom powder ) - 1 tspn

Ghee - 1 cup

Milk - 2-3tblspns (optional)

Preparation method

For Sugar powder - take 1 1/2 cups of sugar and powder it in mixie finely with cardamom.

In a kadai put potukadalai maav, sugar powder and elakka powder mix well.

In a pan heat the ghee in low flame and add to this mixture little by little and make lemon size balls carefully.

If you do not wish to add more ghee you can add little ghee and little milk and make balls. If you do with milk it has to consumed soon cannot be stored for long.

For garnishing you can press small piece of badam or cashew(optional).

Easy and tasty Maaladu is ready to serve.

Happy Women's Day!!!!

Dear Ladies, Hold Ur Head High And Be Proud That We Are Born As a Woman And Gentlemen...Be Proud That You Have Noble Women around U To Support U in All the Ways...

Happy Mahashivaratri!!!

Wish you all a very Happy Mahashivaratri!!!!

On this day lakhs of people worship Lord Shiva, at temples and worship offering prayers. Devotees chant the mantram 'Om Namah Shivaya'. In the temple they will perform 1008 milk pot abhishekam to Lord Shiva. Also poojas are done 4 times during night in the temples till next morning. People fast on this day and also do not sleep whole day including night by doing bhajans offering prayer. Some people do not eat rice and tiffen they eat fruits and milk.

Youngsters play and watch movies and be awake whole nite called Jagaran.

Dishes prepared on pongal for lunch

Cooking on auspicious/festival days are prepared without onion and garlic. So for the recipes with onion you can omit that and prepare.

To read more about Pongal click here.

Sakkarai Pongal

Steamed Rice
Paruppu
Kootu

Poriyal

Any veggie Sambar



Rasam

Dal Vada