Ganesh Chaturthi Greetings | Vinayaka Chavithi Subhakanshalu | Festival Dishes for Ganesh Chaturthi

"Vinayaka Chaturthi Subhakanshalu to all my readers!"

I hope everybody had a wonderful time celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at home. We have had a great time since morning. Kids are tired and napping. And I quickly wanted to wish and share our celebrations today.

I was up early to make sure I had the neivedyam ready early for the pooja. We went to buy the Ganesh Idol and I went along with Hubby dear to the market for the shopping. Kids were busy playing and didn't notice us leaving. I was sure they won't have allowed us otherwise. We were buying for Amma also, so everything went in as two sets, which was fun.

Our Idol this year decorated with flowers and offered with fruits, his favorite sugar cane, fresh Bajra

Please check out our previous years celebrations:
Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja 2007
Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja 2008
Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja 2009
Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja 2010 

Neivedyam for Lord Ganesha! ~ Puffed Rice with Jaggary & Fried Gram, Brown Channa Sundal

Neivedyam for Lord Ganesha!  ~ From Left Front to Right Poli, Purnam Kudalu, Sesame Laddoo, Rice Flour Laddos, Uddi Bonda, Sweet Modak with Coconut Filling , Ellu Kozhukattai,  Chirtrannam & Brinjal Potato Kurma

Amma's pooja room, Lord Ganesha before

Pooja at Amma's place.

After I completed my pooja, I went to help Amma with her neivedyam. Hers is even more elaborate. tradition and this year she made few more dishes that she used to offer in her initial years of marriage.  My cousin has come down to visit us, so when I went to parents home, I found Konda and my sister making the Sweet Modak, so I took up to make the Sesame Laddos. Amma said during her initial years of offering, she used to offer Idlies also. So she made them this year.

Apart from the usual neivedyam, Amma also made Bellamannam or Sakarai Pongal, Sundal, Mixed Dal Carrot Vadas. 

Will be back tomorrow with pictures from the market place and the new recipes

Happy Krishna Jayanthi / Janmashtami

Happy Krishna Jayanthi / Janmashtami to all my readers!

Janmashtami has been a two day affair this year. Yesterday being sunday we are not in the usual Krishna Jayanthi celebration mood which normally means dressing up the kids as Krishna and Balarama and imprinting the Lord's feet. I made Atukula Payasam / Beaten Rice Payasam yesterday and totally forgot that Athamma and Amma wanted to celebrate this evening. When I came back from office, I saw both Peddu, Chinnu all dressed with Vishnu Namam and all set for the celebrations.

Amma had made Murukus and Bellam Murukulu, while Athamma made some other sweet with rice dumplings. Now that I remember I know it's funny that I have not posted Aval Payasam, but I guess it's very simple for anybody to make it..:)

Seeing this always make me nostalgic as I love that Lord Krishna's idol seen in the above picture. Amma always offer this idol the neivedyam on Krishna jayanthi. I have been having this idol since my teens and is made of pure sandalwood. And always brings back fond childhood memories.

Neivedyam for Lord Krishna ~ Jantikalu or Muruku, Aval Payasam, Manoharam (different recipe)

Lord Krishna coming into the home...

I didn't deck up the boys in the traditional dress, but they sure had the Namam which looked so pretty on them.

Will be back with recipes later.

Hope everybody had a great celebrations today!

Krishna Jayanthi 2007
Krishna Jayanthi 2010

Nuts Poli for Sankranthi Special | Traditional Sankranthi Customs with Rangolis

Happy Sankranthi to all my readers!

Hope everybody has had great festival celebrations. Bhogi and Sankranthi is always celebrated with much pomp and planning. During school days we used to get almost four days off. I remember visiting my grandparent’s home for Sankranthi and it used to be so festive. We normally used to travel on Bhogi morning, and could see the “Bhogi Manta” or the Bon Fire that gets done on the early hours of Bhogi day.

We really should be very careful when traveling on the roads and the colourful Rangoli takes your breath away. Everybody competes with creating the most beautiful and pretty rangolis. This year we decided to visit my sils and landed on Bhogi day. Saw many colourful rangolis and my nieces had also done very pretty rangolis.

Refer how to make Poli from this Dal Poli

Nuts Poli

Ingredients Needed

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Cashew - Almond powder - 1/2 cup
Milk - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 tsp
Salt a pinch

Method to prepare:

Shift the flour, add the ghee and rub well to get a crumbly form. Slowly add water and knead to a soft dough. Rest it aside.

To make the stuffing, heat a non stick pan, add the ghee, nuts powder. Stir well. Then add the sugar. Allow it to melt.

Then add the milk, continue stirring to get a thick paste. Allow it to cool.

Meanwhile, divide the dough into small balls. Pinch out small balls of the stuff, place in the middle and cover the ball over the stuffing.

Roll out as you do with a regular roti. Check out how to make the stuffed poli

Heat a tawa and cook on both sides with ghee.

What is a festival without a poli! Hope you make these and enjoy!

Below are some snippets from our celebrations  today. These Rangolis were done by my nieces.

 Bon Fire that we had

 Konda bringing in the different colours.

 This was the big Rangoli made by my nieces.

 Special bath preparation on Sankrathi. Sugar cane pieces, coins, hyacinth beans, Reni Kai (not sure of the english name, will find out soon.)

Everything mixed together and poured over small kids before having their bath.

Check out our previous year celebrations.

Hope everybody is enjoying. Will come back with pictures of the dishes made.

Navratri Greetings to all!

I wish all my readers a very happy Navratri.

Last year I had a wonderful experience cooking Navaratri special dishes on every single day of the 9 long festival days. I was planning to observe this year too, but being away from home ensures you don't get to do it. Though I said I will schedule posts, the last moment things made sure I didn't have time.

So I thought I will quickly log in to wish my readers and friends on the festival seasons and leave you a note on how it was last year...

Navratri Special Day 1 ~ Brown Karamani Sundal, Ven Pongal
Navratri Special Day 2 ~ Konda Kadalai Sundal, Puliyodarai
Navratri Special Day 3 ~ Mochai Sundal, Sakkari Pongal
Navratri Special Day 4 ~ Pattani Sundal, Kadambam Rice
Navratri Special Day 5 ~ Kadambam Sundal, Thayir Sadam!
Navratri Special Day 6 ~ Verkadalai Sundal, Elumichai Sadam!
Navratri Special Day 7 ~ Sunnundalu, Thengai Sadam!
Navratri Special Day 8 ~ Channa Dal Sundal, Pal Sadam (Kheer)!
Navratri Special Day 9 ~ Moong Dal Sundal, Kalkandu Sadam!



I once again wish you all a great week ahead!