Deepavali / Diwali Greetings!

Wish all my readers a great Deepavali ahead!

May this festival fill with light and fun and may you end up cooking more for your family..:)

With many dishes planned, none executed, all I have today is just wishes for a wonderful festival season for all.

I leave with a link to all the Special dishes that I have made till date for Diwali

Deepavali / Diwali Special Dishes

Ganesh Chaturthi Greetings ~ 2012 | Vinayaka Chavithi Subhakanshalu | Festival Dishes for Ganesh Chaturthi

"Vinayaka Chaturthi Subhakanshalu to all my readers!"

We just finished our pooja and kids are running around. While I thought I would quickly wish and share our this year's pictures.

This year our twins joined us for getting the Ganesh Idol home. They were so amazed by the crowd and the many Ganesh Idols on display. They had learnt Ganesh prayer and knew couple of rituals done for Ganesh's birthday. When they saw the umbrella for the idol, they also wanted one for each.

Finally after the shopping we came back and started the pooja preparation, which I went on with my neivedhyam preparation.

We need to make the regular dishes for this pooja, so only new one I got around making was the Coconut Poli.

Last year was an elaborate three day affair, while this year we decided to do the pooja for a day.

Our Neivedhyam for Ganesh were

Sweet Poli
Coconut Poli
Sundal
Kudumulu
Nugul untallu ~Sesame Laddoo
Ellu Purana Kozhukattai 
Lemon Rice
Vankai Uurulagadda Kura 

Will be back tomorrow with Coconut Poli recipe

Other Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

Please check out our previous years celebrations:
Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja 2007
Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja 2008
Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja 2009
Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja 2010 
Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja 2011  


Enjoy your festival day!

Sankranthi 2012 | Traditional Sankranthi Customs with Rangolis

Hope everybody had a wonderful Sankranthi celebrations!

Since last year we shifted our family reunion from a Deepavali affair to Sankranthi as kids end up having more holidays during this period than Deepavali. As it was last year, this year too we planned a visit to my hubby dear hometown. It's the time to meet my sis'laws and their families and generally for a relaxing time.

Unfortunately this year, boys were down with fever the previous week and we almost thought we might have to cancel the trip. Since we drive down, we always thought we could decide at the last moment. We somehow decided we are going and left. The drive down was event less, with my FIL and nephew meeting us in the last leg of the drive. That got the spirit back into the boys.

Though it was night when we reached their home, I saw that everybody were wide awake to do the rangoli which is famous during this time. All the womenfolk were up, spinning their creative designs with colourful hues all over!

Only after clicking this year's picture I realized it was pretty much similar to last year's.

We planned a visit to Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Penna Ahobilam. It's the family deity and a visit to the temple is a must. After a pleasant darshan, we eagerly went to the Penna river that flows across. The boys almost forgot their cold or cough and happily got drenched completely. The fact that their cold got worsen was another story!

Konda and my nieces, nephews had a wale of time!

 We had the traditional Bon fire or the Bogi Manta with the dried coconut leaves.

 I managed to click the different Rangolis or Kolams in the neighborhood.

The day after the Sankranthi is the day when they make non veg feast and this time it was no exception. while I didn't cook myself, I managed to click all the pictures and planned to share on the blog. I have been getting so many requests on the amiss.

A special Aloo Peas Masala for the Veg was a delicious treat.

On the whole we managed to spend some good time with the relatives and created good memories for us to remember this festival. Boys were better after couple of days, and they managed to have their fun in the end.

Will be back with the recipes soon. Hope you enjoyed these pictures.

Do share your Sankranthi celebrations!

Sankranti Recipes | Pongal Festival Recipes

Advance Sankranti greetings to all my readers!

Wishing you ahead of time with recipes that you can cook for the festival. We have a trip planned and I may not exactly find time to publish during the weekend. Work at home and office front has pretty much kept me occupied and I have also been busy preparing for Blogging Marathon. I normally cook and post the same day most times.

This edition since I completely forgot about the trip and BM clashing, there was utter chaos thinking how I was going to manage. Plus the fact that I will be going minus the laptop. Imagine being without computer for four days, it's crazy I know, but I should survive. Of course I have plans to visit the near Internet cafe.

Anyway I will be leaving you all the recipes and the memories of our last year's Santranti Celebrations at our sis-in-laws place.

2010 Santranti Celebrations

You must check out the compilation I did with the menu planned for the Santranthi.

Pongal celebrations at my friend's home

Other than the above you can check out the different Pongal varieties on both the blogs, be it sweet or savory!


Savory Pongal Varieties:

Pulagam ~ Ven Pongal
Ven Pongal Recipe 2
Rava Pongal

Pasipayar Ven Pongal | Pesalu Pulagam

Sweet Pongal Varieties.

Bellamannam or Sakarai Pongal, Bellam paramannam
Sakara Pongal with Sprouted Whole Moong Dal


Broken Wheat Sweet Porridge | Samba Godhuma Sakkara Pongal
Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal

Poli Varieties:
Nuts Poli for Sankranthi 
Sweet Poli 
Coconut Poli
Chocolate Poli
Sweet Poli with Badam Katli

Check out Festival Page for other recipes

Puli Aval / Atukula Pulihora, Chana Dal Khus Khus Payasam / Senaga Pappu Gasagasala Payasam | Navratri Recipes

Happy Navarathri to all my dear readers!

Thank you for joining me in this Navaratri Celebrations.

We had been planning on making elaborate preparation for these 9 day long Navaratri Pooja. With the 10th day being Vijayadasami or Dussehra, it is celebrated in different ways in different parts of India.

In the south of India, those who follow the tradition of keeping Golu, will celebrate Navaratri by observing the different deity each day personifies. This is also an occasion when they invite womenfolks to home and offer prasadams. New dolls are added every year and kept on display. Kids who attend the golu are given gifts to make it more interesting.

We lived in a colony all my childhood, and have fond memories of visiting the neighbors and meeting friends. The prasadam made will usually be sundals made with different lentils, sometimes payasam etc. But we get back home with different sundals which makes it so very interesting as you get to compare the taste and enjoy.

As a custom, we normally have grand celebrations on Ayayuda pooja and Vijayadasami. So in 2009, We decided to celebrate these pooja all through the nine days. Since I was in town last year, I missed doing it at home. So I am very happy doing this again this year.

Pooja holidays normally coincides with the quarterly exams for kids here. But this year with so much confusion prevailing for the other boards, Konda's exams are going on now. Boys have their holidays and you can imagine how much of a masti they are having.

Coming back to the Navaratri pooja, Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses.

The first three days are for Durga, also known as Kali in order to destroy all our impurities. Neivedyam made on this day will have to be sour and spicy. So for the next three days it will be Tamarind, Lemon and Sambar Rices along with Sundals, Payasam. We can also make Ellu Sadam and Payasam on Saturday.

Second three days, the Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees inexhaustible wealth, as she is the goddess of wealth. So on these days the prasadam will be Sakkara Pongal, Ven Pongal and Thengai Sadam.

The final three days is for worshiping the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. Neivedyam for these three days can be Sundal, Payasam.

So based on what I made last time when I had a reference which said what should be made on each day of the pooja I made those neivedyam. Since I had a list, it was easy for me to just make. So this year I discussed it with couple of elders who are well versed in this and came to this conclusion. Based on what I am told, I decided to make different dishes accordingly.

For today's prasadam, hubby dear had already told me what to make and it was just as what I was told. So it was very nice that it related. He asked me to make Senega badallu Payasam / Bengal Gram Payasam and Pulihora. Amma usually makes Pesara pappu Payasam. When I asked her to tell me a new way to make, she said Athamma is the one who makes this frequently and that I should ask her. Anyway to make the story short, I decided that I should add copra and Gasa Gasa to lend a new taste.

Coming to Pulihora, I have already tried all the versions that I know of. So wanted to make with Poha / Beaten Rice for a long time. Puli Aval / Aval Puliyodharai or Atukula Pulihora as we might say in Telugu, is a famous version of Poha in Tamil Nadu. I wanted to make it the regular way but had a quick look at the first search that came up and decided that it is indeed made the same way.

So for the Navaratri Special Dishes Day 1 Prasadam, I made Atukula Pulihora, Senaga Pappu Gasagasala Payasam.

Senaga Pappu Gasagasala Payasam is a special flavoured payasam in which you add copra/ dried coconut powdered with Poppy seeds. Both these ingredients are so rich, and takes your payasam to the next level!

Though I was hoping on making different Sundals, I had to be content with these two neivedyams.

Hoping to make one sundal for prasadam for rest of the Navarati pooja, along with another special Neivedyam.

Puli Aval / Aval Puliyodharai or Atukula Pulihora

Poha / Avul - 1 cup
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
Sambar powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder a pinch

For masala powder

Bengal gram - 3/4 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1/4 tsp
Methi - few seeds
Dry Red chili - 3

For Seasoning

Oil - 2 tsp
Curry leaves few
Mustard seeds, Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Cashew Nuts
Ground nuts

How to make Puli Avul

Dry roast the ingredients for the masala, and keep it to cool.

Soak the tamarind in water and extract pulp. Add sambar powder, turmeric powder and mix well.

Wash the poha couple of times, then add the tamarind water the poha and let it sit for 10 mins. It will bloat well by absorbing the tamarind water.

Heat a non stick pan with oil, season with mustard, Urad dal, ground nut, cashew nuts. Fry well. Then add the poha, mix well.

mins.

Chana Dal Khus Khus Payasam / Senaga Pappu Gasagasala Payasam

Ingredients Needed:

Bengal Gram (Senega Pappu) - 1/2 cup
Jaggary - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder

Powder to be added
Copra and Poppy Seeds, powdered - 2 tbsp

Garnishing

Cashew Nuts
Ghee

How to make Chana Dal Khus Khus Payasam

Wash and soak Bengal Gram for 10 mins. Then pressure cook with enough water to soft texture.

Melt jaggary and remove if any dirt. Add the jaggary, cardamon powder to the bengal gram and pressure cook again

Once the pressure falls down, add the boiled milk.

Powder the dried coconut and poppy seeds to a semi smooth powder. Heat the cooked dal and when it starts boiling add the powder.

In an separate pan, heat ghee, and roast the cashew nuts. Finally add to the boiling payasam

Other Festival Food

Fried Modak Recipe | Fried Modakam | Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes | Step By Step Recipe

Couple of years back when we preformed homan at home, the pujaris had brought in their own set of neivedyams for Lord Ganesh. When we asked them, they said Ganesh loves these Modakams so that is what they always offer. We all loved it so much and I even asked for the recipe. But as expected with all the activities that went in that day, I simply forgot what I was told. Even last year I was checking out all my files for a fried version that might come closer to what the recipe the pujaris had told me. I have a paper clipping explaining the Maharashtrian way of making fried modaks.

I read that Maharashtrians make it with either wheat flour or all purpose flour and the filling is very similar to the Kozhukattai version too. So imagine frying with flour being fried, it must be so delicious. I guess it's more like samosai (sweet samosa). Anyway I was very eager to make sure I get the recipe, so I finally called up the pujari and asked him for recipe. Well it turns out that it's done the same way as Kozhukattai, except it's deep fried.

So this is essentially a tamilain way of making Modak, will surely try out the Fried Modak with Maida/ wheat flour.

We are having the Ganesha for three days, so for today's neivedyam it was Fried Kozhukattai, Ulundu Kozhukattai, Kozhukattai with Channa dal. Since the outer layer is the same, makes it easy to just go ahead with the stuffing.

Basically the Kozhukattais are made with three different stuffings.

Sweet stuffing involves Coconut Jaggary filling and Channa Dal filling.

Savory Stuffing which is with Ulundu or Urad Dal filling.

Excess of the savory version takes another avatar as Ammini Kozhukattai or Mani Kozhukattai.

Though I have posted all the steps to show how the Coconut Jaggary Filled Modakam is made. See the Kobbari Kudumulu for the steps.

So I wanted to make sure I capture the rice flour dough in action. I thought I could manage myself, but the steps are very swift to do on own, so yelled in for support. Konda is always eager to please, at least in clicking pictures. So she clicked all my action.

How to Make the Rice Flour Dough for Modak

Appro 1 cup of rice flour is taken in 1 & 1/2 cups water. This can vary.

How to make the Coconut Jaggary Filling

Equal amount of grated coconut and grated jaggary is taken and cooked in water.

How to make the Fried Modak

Also traditionally the Fried Modak with Maida is shaped as the regular Kozhukattai, but I was told you simply press it and hold it with your four fingers to show your finger prints.

I followed the same recipe as Kozhukattai, once the shape is formed, heat a pan with oil, deep fry them.

The taste was out of the world. Will surely be doing this going forward!


I will be posting all the Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes for the next one week, on daily basis. So get ready to enjoy them.

Ganesh Chaturthi Pictures, Celebrations ~ A walk through the market place

When we went to the market place for getting the Ganesh Idol home, I took my camera to capture the scene in action. The market place was bustling with so much activity. Everybody were so busy buying all the things required for the Pooja.

The preparation for the festival starts at least couple of days ahead. However, most of them get the idol on the day of the festival. It's become a custom these days to take the idol on the same day to leave in the near by temples for immersion, that happens in 10 days time.

We have a tradition of having the idol at home depending on the day the immersion day falls. It will be either 5, 3 or 1 day. This year we are going to have the idol for 3 days and all 3 days it has to be vegetarian food prepared at home. Including neivedyam offered to Lord Ganesh.

Some pictures for you to enjoy

Beautiful Vinayakar all lined up..

 This year we saw a new way of Ganesh being kept, all covered with plastic sheets for safe carrying.

 Our two bags with Idol to be filled with other items.

 Different fruits and items that are part of the festival.

A offering of puffed rice, beaten rice with Fried Gram, Jaggary is a must for Ganesh

A showcase full of different Ganesh Idol at Parent's place. I have been collecting these since my childhood, mostly given by Dad from his visits to various places. I took some of my favorites ones when I got married. Rest are with amma, which I look at fondly every time I visit them.

Will be sharing the recipes soon