Author: Shoba

I am an analyst by day, star gazer by night, food blogger, fitness , travel and saree enthusiast in between. I am a die hard foodie and started documenting my learning based on feedback from friends and family. Hope you enjoy my blog and leave comments and feedback.
Festivals & Significance · Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings.

Deepavali – Significance and Melee – Deepavali Sweets & Savouries.

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Deepavali

Deepavali – The name itself conjures up memories of early morning oil baths, new clothes, sweets and savouries, families getting together to celebrate the occasion of the vanquishing of good over evil.Deepavali as a festival signifies, the conquest of light over darkness.To Hindus, darkness represents ignorance, and light is a metaphor for knowledge. Therefore, lighting a lamp symbolizes the destruction, through knowledge, of all negative forces- wickedness, violence, lust, anger, envy, greed, bigotry, fear, injustice, oppression and suffering.

Festival of Lights.
Festival of Lights.

Most of the best clothes that I have had all through my childhood would be bought for Deepavali. Many times, we would buy this over the Navarathri holidays and get it stiched and it would be most exciting to feel the fabric of silk through my fingers and wait for the big day with anticipation and longing!!! My grandmother would get up very early and have her oil bath and apply oil for all of us grandkids.  This practise signifies “Ganga Snan” or a holy dip in the Ganges. She would then give us the new clothes which we would gleefully adorn after getting her blessings. The kids would run outside to burst crackers. New clothes would be worn and Deepavali Sweets would be eaten by one and all.Some of the sweets and savouries that we make at home for Deepavali are listed here.

Diwali Bhakshanam
Diwali Bhakshanam

Deepavali Sweets & Savouries:

Special Madras Mixture.
Special Madras Mixture.

 

Rice Varieties.

Quick Fix Paneer Capsicum Rice. (For those instant night dinners and easy fix lunches!)

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Quick Fix Paneer Capsicum Rice.
Quick Fix Paneer Capsicum Rice.

Many times, the menu for dinner or lunch is completely directed by the ingredients in the pantry. Most vegetables are bought from the store, with a particular preparation in mind, and most of the times, never really gets in to the Most Wanted Dish!!!  I would have selected fresh spring onions to make spring rolls or chinese noodles, but end up using them in soup instead, or even a kootu!!! Pudina would have been carefully selected, wrapped and stored to make spicy pudina rice, but could conveniently end up becoming a side dish in the form of Pudina Chutney for Dosa or Idlis!!! Last week I had got fresh capsicums to make Capsicum Subji that my husband loves, but ended up in a one pot dish for this Quick Fix Paneer Capsicum Rice!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 Cups of Fragrant Basmati Rice cooked with 3 cups of water.

2 Fresh Capsicums sliced thin.

1/3 cup of Panner Cubes .

1 spoon of Ghee.

A Pinch of Garam Masala.

Seasoning:

1 spoon of Somph/ Shahi Jeera.

8 Green Chillies slit vertically.

1/2 Spoon of Jeera

1 0r 2 Bay Leaves.

4 Cloves.

A few Broken Cashew Halves.

Curry Leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Take a wide mouthed kadai and add 2 spoons of ghee. Allow to heat.
  • Add the seasonings one by one – Cloves, Shahi Jeera, Jeera, Cashews, slit green chillies and curry leaves. Allow to saute for a few minutes and for the aromas to waft. This is important as at this point the spice of the chillies sink in to the oil.
  • Add the chopped capsicum pieces and mix in well with the seasonings. Add sufficient salt for the capsicum.
  • Keep the cooked rice spread out on a plate so it removes the starchiness from them.
  • In a few minutes the capsicum begins to sweat and reduce in size and quantity.
  • Add the cooked rice, salt for the rice, a pinch of your favourite garam masala and mix in well.
  • Now at this stage, add the chopped paneer and finish up the rice by adding a garnish of chopped cilantro.
  • This rice preparation is very simple and very flavourful as the main aroma comes from the seasonings and the chillies.
  • Serve with simple Onion Raita or Dal Makhani.

HINTS:

  • Peas can be added for more nutrition and taste.
  • Onions can be sauted too for added flavour.
Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Delicious Onion VethalKuzhambu.( Onions sauteed with spices and powders and simmered in tamarind gravy).

Shoba9 Comments
Onion Vethakuzhambu.
Onion Vethakuzhambu.

I had been wondering why on earth I had not posted this everyday recipe that my mom used to make. It has been an eternal favourite of mine since the day I have had it with Alu Fry. I remember when we were little, my sister D would want this everyday. Mom would keep it special over the weekend and she would have it with a side, with curd rice and every other dish possible. In my opinion, this gravy gets redolent with flavour and aroma at least a day after it has been prepared. There is no great secret recipe or ingredient….only small little things that have to be kept in mind, added a little ahead or later. Here is my recipe for the same.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 of  a Big Onion or 1 Medium sized red onion.

1 1/2 cups of Tamarind Water extract.

1 1/2 spoons of Sambar Powder.

Salt

Curry Leaves.

Turmeric

1 Spoon of Ghee.

1 Spoon of Rice Flour diluted in 1/3 cup of water.

PREPARATION:

  • Keep all the ingredients ready before preparation. Chop the onions in to fine pieces.
  • Toss a kadai on the stove, and add a spoon of ghee/oil. When hot, add mustard, curry leaves, 2-3 somph, and immediately the chopped onions.
  • Allow to saute well and when beginning to turn light brown, add the sambar powder.
  • Roughly saute for a few minutes and then add  the prepared tamarind water extract.
  • Add salt, turmeric, a little more curry leaves and allow to boil and reduce. Keep it on medium flame.
  • When the water content is reduced to at least half, add the rice flour dissolved in water and mix well.
  • Keep for a couple more minutes and switch off. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

HINT:

Serving Suggestion: Onion Vethakuzhambu & Alu Fry.

Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings.

Navarathri Pooja Tamboolam Offerings:

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Navarathri Tamboolam.
Navarathri Tamboolam.


In the hindu ritualistic vedic poojas, every diety is worshipped by offering 16 services called the “Shodasa Upacharas”. Poojas have basically a two fold purpose. The first is the Baahya Pooja or the rituals we perform outwardly for the Deity, like offering flowers and fruits, incense, neivedhyam etc. It is an expression of our faith and reverence.Perfoming it in a systematic, time tested ritualistic manner is better as it gives better results. It also gives you discipline and better satisfaction & peace of mind.

But apart from that there is a deeper and greater spiritual significance behind the rituals and that is why they were prescribed and practiced by millions of our ancient seers. Understanding this,is known as Antah-Pooja. A vedic ritual is never a meaningless act. They all have deep rooted spiritual, philosophic significance.

Baahya Pooja is the formula. Antah Pooja is understanding and applying the formula  to get better results and achieve greater heights. These are the  steps involved in the Baahya Pooja:

  • Avahana – Welcoming the deity.
  • Asanam – Offering seat
  • Padyam – Washing the feet
  • Aarghyam – Washing the hands
  • Achamanam – Offering water to drink (to wash mouth).
  • Snanam – Bathing
  • Vastram – Offering clothes.
  • Yagnopaveetam – Offering sacred thread.
  • Aabharanam – Offering ornaments
  • Gandham – Offering Sandalwood paste
  • Pushpam – Offering flowers and doing pooja.
  • Dhoopam – Offering perfumed Incense
  • Deepam – Offering a lighted lamp.
  • Naivedyam – Offering food.
  • Taamboolam – Offering beetle leaves with caustic and beetle nut
  • Pradakshina Namaskaram – Circumambulation and salutation of the deity.

Tamboolam consits of beetle leaves, beetle nut and caustic represent the three avasthas or states of the human being – jagrad, swapna and shushupti or waking, dreaming and sleeping states. Offering Tamboolam is the effort to go beyond these states – i.e. to the nirvikalpa state. When we offer Tamboolam to a woman or a kanya girl, we see them as a form of Goddess Durga and thus salute them as such.

The Tamboolam plate typically consists of the following:

Betel Leaves.

Betel Nuts.

Areca Nuts.

Kumkum.

Turmeric.

Small Mirror.

Comb.

Bangles.

Fruits – Bananas, Apples, Oranges etc.

Neivedhyam like Sundal, Chakkara Pongal etc.

Small gifts for kanya girls like Chains, Bracelets, Earrings etc.

Blouse Bits for Married Women.

Many times, we also offer little silver kumkum containers, sarees etc to important women in the family and our elders. It is customary to salute their feet and humbly  offer the Tamboolam, seeking their blessings.

Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · No Need of Onions!!! · Snacks & Tiffin Items

Navarathri Neivedhyam – Saraswathy Pooja – Ulundhu Vadai.(Crispy Savoury Snack made from Black Gram Dhal)

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Crisp Fried Vadas.
Crisp Fried Vadas.

Crispy Black Gram Dhal Vadas were always my favourite from when I was a little girl. Madurai amma used to make them at home for all important festivals and I used to love to bite in to their crispy exterior and spongy insides!!!   I have two maternal uncles living in the north and whenever they would visit us in Chennai, they would go to Balajee Bhavan or Geetha Cafe in Pondy Bazzar in T.Nagar and order for Pongal and Vada for breakfast!!! Steaming hot Venn Pongal, shaped in to a ball, coupled with two crispy vadas on the sides, loftily served with piping hot sambar and thick coconut chutney on the side….YUM….I would give anything to be there right now!!!

When I wanted to make it, at home for Avani Avittam one year, I used my Premier Mixer and tried my hand at the batter. I had to say, I did soak the urad dhal for just 3 hours, and it did come out fried, but it was never crispy and in the shape I wanted it to be. I wanted golden vadas, which were crisp and yet spongy, and not dripping with oil in which it was fried. I tried various methods, adding rice flour, adding rava, fermenting the batter for a bit, adding very less water, using ziploc bags to get the desired shape….and then I hit upon the home truth – GRINDING THE BATTER IN A WET GRINDER!!!  Yes, thats really it. And the last few times, I have been enjoying wonderful, crisp, terrific, delicious vadas, way better than the ones in the hotels, as we make at home with the freshest of oils and the best of efforts and devotion. This does not in any way mean that people with mixers cant try this out. The secret is to increase the fluffiness of the urad dhal without adding much water. This end result is best achieved with stone grinder, rather than with a electric mixer, loaded with urad dhal, and little water.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole Urad Dhal soaked for 3-4 hours.

8-9 Green Chillies.

Less than 1/4 cup of Water.

1 spoon Salt.

Hing.

Torn Curry Leaves.

Oil to fry.

Wet Grinder.(Optional)

Ice Cream Scoop (Optional)

PREPARATION:

  • Take  the wet grinder/mixer, wash it and keep it ready for use. Clean the soaked Urad Dhal and remove all the water it was soaked in.
  • Switch on the grinder, add the green chillies and 1/8 cp of water and then slowly add the soaked and cleaned urad dhal.
  • Add all the urad and let the grinder run for at least 40 minutes.
  • In the middle, if you feel that it requires some water, go ahead and sprinkle a few drops. Add salt.
  • The secret is to allow it to run for the 40 minutes with as much less as water as needed.
  • By now the urad is very softly ground. Remove and store in a container. Add hing, freshly torn curry leaves and mix well. The consistency should look like this.
Vadai Batter - Thick and fluffy.
Vadai Batter - Thick and fluffy.
  • Keep sufficient oil in a kadai and allow it to heat. Do not overheat lest the oil should smoke. Keep the flame on medium to medium high.
  • If you have an  ice cream scoop, put that in a small cup filled with water.
  • Wet your left hand, scoop out some batter in the ice cream scoop with your right and pop it in your left hand.
  • Wet your right hand and slightly flatten the batter, make a hole in the middle, and drop it slowly in to the oil.
  • This is easily achieved ONLY if  your batter has minimal water AND your hands are sufficiently wet. The scoop is also made wet, as this aids in easily slipping out the batter on to your hands.
Vadais frying in Oil.
Vadais frying in Oil.
  • The scoop is only used to get uniformly shaped vadas. Feel free to scoop with your  bare right hand and drop it on your left, if you are comfortable with this.
  • The vadas, when they hit the oil, will hiss and start cooking on one side. When its done, turn over to the other.
  • When fried to a golden colour, remove from oil and allow to drain on kitchen tissue lining a colander/bowl.
  • Repeat and continue until the batter is completed.
  • Crispy fried Ulundhu /Urad Dhal Vadas are ready to taste!!!
Ulundhu Vadai
Ulundhu Vadai

HINTS:

  • The only difference with using the mixer, is that the batter never comes out as fluffy and thick as the ones that go through the grinder. Here you would need to use a spoon of rice flour to thicken it out.
  • Ulundhu Vadais/Urad Dhal Vadas  can be soaked in Rasam and served as Rasa Vadas.
  • Served with hot sambar and garnished with cilantro, it becomes Sambar Vadas.
  • Soaked in thick curd/dahi, garnished with a little bit of sweet tamarind chutney, chat masala and boondhi, it becomes yummy Dahi Vadas.

This is my entry for EC’s WYF – Festive Treats event going on at her blogsite.

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Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · No Need of Onions!!! · Snacks & Tiffin Items

Navarathri Neivedhyam Day 8 – Black Channa Sundal garnished with sliced coconut pieces.

Shoba4 Comments
Black Channa Sundal
Black Channa Sundal

On this Ashtami of Navarathri I wanted to make an all time favourite – Black Channa Sundal garnished with sliced coconut pieces. Black Channa is very common among our homes as a classic Neivedhyam for Navarathri. It is in fact made on Saraswathy Pooja day as the “traditional” offering to Sarswathy, in my home. Just like any other legume, the black channa variety is high in cholestrol lowering fibre and has a lot of protien content which is very useful for people on diets and for a healthy snack.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Black Channa.

Water to cook

Salt

Oil

Mustard

Curry Leaves

4 Red Chillies Dry.

1/4 cup of finely slit coconut pieces.

PREPARATION:

  • Soak the black channa for at least 6 hours prior to cooking.
  • Put in a wide mouthed container, add salt, turmeric and add just enough water to cover the channa.
  • Put in the pressure cooker and when the steam comes, put on the whistle.
  • Wait for one whistle and then reduce the flame to “SIM” and keep for ten minutes and then switch off.
  • Drain in a collander, but save the water to mix chappathi, make rasam, sambar etc.
  • Take a kadai, add 2 spoons of coconut oil. When the oil is hot add mustard, curry leaves, hing, dry red chillies and then the cooked channa.
  • Mix well and wait until the seasoning ingredients are mixed well in to the legumes.
  • Garnish with finely sliced coconuts and serve HOT after offering as Neivedhyam.
Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · Snacks & Tiffin Items · Sweets

Navarathri Neivedhyam Day 7 – Sweet Black Eyed Beans Sundal. (Vellai Karamani Vella Sundal)

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Sweet Black Eye Beans Sundal.
Sweet Black Eye Beans Sundal.

Today being friday, my daughter wanted a repetition of the Sweet Sundal so we made the Black Eyed Beans cooked in jaggery. This is made very similar to the Sweet Green Gram Dal Sundal that I had previously posted.

HINTS:

Soak the Black Eyed Beans in water for at least 4-5 hours prior to preparation of Sundal.

Cook in the pressure cooker until you get one whistle and then reduce the heat and cook in LOW for ten minutes and then switch off.

Drain in the colander to remove any excess water and keep ready.

Follow the same procedure as in the Green Gram Dal Sundal.

Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · Snacks & Tiffin Items

Navarathri Neivedhyam Day 6 – Sweet Green Gram Sundal & Pidi Kozhakattai.

Shoba13 Comments
Sweet Sundal.
Sweet Sundal.

I remember when we were little kids, amma always used to make at least two days of Sweet Sundal during the Navarathri festival for all our sweet cravings!!! What a great idea, to incorporate the best of two worlds – legumes and jaggery!!! My sister D loves this version and in fact would pester her to make it as an evening snack or whenever she feels like eating anything sweet!!! Since we use brown sugar/jaggery, which is  a rich source of iron , it is definitely more wholesome sugar and, unlike refined sugar, it retains more mineral salts.

Green Gram Dal on the other hand is one of the most wholesome among all the pulses and it forms very nutritious diet.Try this version  and you`ll find that the kids instantly love them. It`s actually a great evening snack full of protien and nutrients, made with jaggery, so the benefits are multiplied.

Today`s Neivedhaym for Navarathri was

Navarathri Neivedhyam

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Green Gram Dal.

3/4 cup grated Jaggery or soft brown sugar.

Water to cook.

1 tsp of Cardamom Powder.

1 spoon of ghee.

PREPARATION:

  • Take the cup of  green gram dal and roast it dry in the kadai for a few minutes. You will slowly get the aroma of the roasted green gram dal. This should suffice. Its not required to soak the green gram dhal. We do this so the green gram dhal cooks easily.
  • Always roast on a medium flame. Set aside.
  • When the dhal cools considerably, put in a vessel and pour water to cover the beans. Do not add salt.
  • Allow the steam to come on full throttle and put whistle. When the first whistle comes, reduce the flame to LOW and keep for ten minutes.
  • Switch off after ten minutes, and set aside.
  • In a kadai, add  spoon of ghee, and the cooked green gram dhal.
  • Now add the 3/4 cup of jaggery and mix well. The jaggery will melt and coat the cooked green gram dhal.
  • Immediately switch off the stove and add the crushed cardamom.
  • Stir in immediately and mix well.
  • Offer Neivedhyam to Devi and enjoy sweet sundal.

HINT:

IT IS NOT REQUIRED TO SOAK THE GREEN GRAM DHAL. THIS CAN BE WHIPPED UP IN A JIFFY. THIS IS WHY WE LIGHTLY ROAST IT SO IT COOKS WELL WITHOUT GETTING TOO MUSHY.

This variation can also be tried with Black Kidney Beans, white beans etc.

Kids also love this as an evening snack.

Packing off this delicious Sundal to My Legume Love Affair – Serving 15 hosted by Sia of Monsoon Spice, brainchild of Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

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Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · Sweets

Navarathri Neivedhyam Day 5 – Sweet & Succulent Gulab Jamuns.

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Today was Sri Chakra Pooja at the local temple and I had been wanting to witness one for some time now. Today also happens to be my mother`s birthday. So I wanted to make some thing sweet for her, as well as offer some thing to Devi. I am not sure if this is very apt as a Neivedhyam for Goddess Parvathy, but this is what I made nevertheless.

The posting for Gulab Jamuns can be found here in my earlier posting.

Navarathri Neivedhyam Day 5 - Sweet Gulab Jamuns.
Navarathri Neivedhyam Day 5 - Sweet Gulab Jamuns.
Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · Snacks & Tiffin Items

Navarathri Neivedhyam Day 4 – Yellow Peas Sundal.

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Today being the fourth day of the nine day celebration of Navarathri, the offering to the Devi was Yellow Vatana Peas Sundal. This has already been posted here previously and its also one of my favorite of the sundal preparations. Here is the pic…

Yellow Peas Sundal.
Yellow Peas Sundal.