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.

Venthiyakeerai/Methi/Fenugreek Sadam/Rice

This weekend has been Venthiyakeerai week for me, picked fresh leaves when visited Little India. Dishes I made was almost with Venthiyakeerai/Methi/Fenugreek leaves like Chapathi, Veg. Pulav and Simple Rice was quite healthy.

This recipe is from my Mom who makes it so tasty. When I use to work before marraige this recipe was mostly prepared for my lunch box since I love mixed/colour rice.

Hope you enjoy too..

Ingredients
Venthiyakeerai/Methi/Fenugreek leaves - 1 bunch
Vangibath/Bisibelebath powder - 3 -4 tspns(As per your taste)
Cooked Rice - 1 cup (1 Alaku)
Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Dry Red chilli - 2 nos
Channa Dal/Urad Dal - 1 tspn
Curry leaves - few
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash and cut venthiyakeerai into small pieces.
Heat a wide kadai/wok add oil, mustard wait till it splutters, then add dal, red chilli curry leaves. Saute till dal is brown.
Then add Venthiyakeerai/Methi/Fenugreek leaves and salt. Cook till its soft. Add vangibath powder and mix well. Cook for 5- 10 mins till the raw smell goes.

Off the stove once its cooled. Mix it with rice and Serve.

Venthiyakeerai Sadam can be had as it is or with Raitha.

This recipe is going off to Bitter Better Health by Yasmeen and Divya's Healing Foods Spinach Event started by Siri.

Green Gram and Pomo Salad

Green Gram and Pomogranate or Pomegranate Salad is very healthy. Sprouted grams are rich in proteins and carbohydrates. Pomogranate pearls which is in red colour improves blood and good for health. This salad is very easy to prepare.

Method

Soak 1 cup of green gram in water in the morning. By evening remove water and close with a lid and keep. So by next day morning it will be sprouted. Take half cup pomogranate pearls and mix with sprouts.

To make it more tasty add little salt, season with 1 tspn oil, mustard wait till it splutters the add a pinch of hing and squeeze a lemon.

Green gram and Pomogranate salad is ready to serve. It can be served with lunch or dinner. Also packed in lunch box and munched in breaks.