Subbus Kitchen - Brahmin Recipes made easy!

Ragi Koozh (Finger Millet Flour)

2012-05-20T04:55:00.006-07:00

If you are in Tamil Nadu during summer, you might have noticed the road side vendors selling Koozh with colourful side dishes. Yes, as most of you know Ragi Koozh is a perfect cooling drink and its very good for the health. I know in many families they substitute koozh for the breakfast. The Koozh can be topped with pickle, sundai kai vatral, vadam, onion, etc.. Believe me.. it tastes divine.

Ingredients

Ragi Flour - 1cup

Cooked Rice - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Butter milk / curd - 1/4 cup

Finely chopped onion - 1/4 cup

Method

The day before preparation (Dough preparation and Fermentation)

Mix Ragi Flour with cooked rice and salt. Add water to make idly batter consistency. Mix well so that there are no lumps.
Keep this mixture aside for 3-4 hours for Fermentation.
After 3-4 hours, heat the heavy bottomed pan. Measure the Ragi Mix and add same amount of water in the pan.
When the water starts boiling add the Ragi Mixture. Cook the mixture in the medium flame for about 15mins - 20 mins. Make sure that you stir continuously to avoid burning. In 15-20 mins it will become thick batter consistency.
Switch off the flame and close the pan. Keep it overnight for fermentation. It increases nutritional benefits and taste.

Next Day - Make a Koozh:

For 1 cup of Koozh, add 3/4 cup of dough (that you prepared yesterday and kept for fermentation) and add 1/4 up of butter milk/curd. If required add water.
Mix well.
Serve with Vadaam / Pickle / chopped onion.

Note : Instead of adding the cooked rice, you can also add the raw rice in the boiling water before adding the ragi mix. When ragi is cooked, the rice will also be cooked.

Mango Moorkuzhambu (Mambazha moorkuzhambu)

2012-05-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

Mango moorkuzhambu is my childhood favourite. My mom used to make this during mango season. You dont feel the sweetness of the mango in the kuzhambu as the sweetness will be removed when you boil the mango. But you can very much identify the mango smell in the kuzhambu. If you are a moorkuzhambu lover then you can very much try mango moorkuzhambu as this is a right season for mango.!.

You can make this kuzhambu in two methods. One by frying the red chilli, fenugeek seeds and grind it with coconut. The second method is by grinding the coconut with green chilli, redchilli. I have given the first method below.

Ingredients(Servings: 5)

Ripe Mango	1
Sour butter milk	1 cup
Salt	To taste
Turmeric Powder	A pinch

For Grinding

Oil	1 teaspoon
Grated coconut	1/2 cup
Red Chilli	4 (depending on your spice requirement)
Fenugeek seeds	1/4 teaspoon
Raw rice(pacha arisi)	2 teaspoon

For Seasoning

Oil	1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds	1 teaspoon
Curry leaves	few

Method

Soak the raw rice for about 10-15 mins
Remove the skin of the mango and chop it into pieces and cook the mango in water with a pinch of turmeric powder. Once the water start boiling switch off the flame and allow the mango to cool off. Smash the mango using the ladle to get the pulp and keep it aside.

Heat the little oil in the kadai and fry fenugeek seeds, red chilli till the fenugreek seeds turns red color. Take this in a mixer

Add the soaked rice and the coconut to the mixer

Grind this into a fine paste by adding little water.
Add the butter milk,mango pulp and salt to the ground paste

Heat this mixture in a flame. Switch off the flame when the mixture starts to boil.
In a separate pan add the oil and when the oil is hot add the mustard seeds. When the mustard sees begins to sputter add curry leaves and switch off the flame. Add these to the moorkuzhambu.
Mango Moorkuzhambu is ready. Serve this with hot rice.

Pumpkin Rasavangi

2012-05-01T06:24:00.023-07:00

Rasavangi is a stew made using Pumpkin / Brinjal. This can be taken along with the white rice or as a side dish.

Ingredients

Thurdal	1/2 Cup
White pumpkin	1/4 Kg
Tamarind	1 lemon size
Turmeric Powder	A Pinch
Salt	To Taste
Channa dal	2 tablespoon

Ingredients for Grinding:

Red Chilli	6
Grated Coconut	1/2 Cup
Coriander Seeds	2 tablespoon
Channa dal	1.5 tablespoon
Oil	1 tablespoon

For Seasoning:

Oil	1 tablespoon
Mustard Seeds	1 teaspoon
Urdal	2 teaspoon
Curry Leaves	few

Method:

Cook the thurdhal in the pressure cooker till it is soft
Soak the channa dal for 10 mins in water.
Smash the cooked thurdal and keep it aside.
Chop the pumpkin into small squares and keep it aside.
Extract the tamarind juice and keep it aside.
Heat oil in pan and add red chilli and fry for a while. Make sure that the chilli don't get burnt. Take this in a mixer
Now add coriander seeds, channa dal and fry till the dal turns golden brown color. Take this in a mixer along with the red chilli.

Add grated coconut along with hing and fry it till the coconut turns golden brown color and add this to the mixer

Grind all these ingredients (fried items so far) in the mixer to a nice powder.
Add chopped Pumpkin in a pan and add water along with salt and turmeric powder till the pumpkin is cooked completely.

Once the pumpkin is cooked, add tamarind juice and soaked channa dal and allow the mixture to boil till the raw smell of tamarind goes off and the channa dal is cooked.

Add the smashed thurdhal and cooked channa dal and ground powder and stir well and when the rasavangi starts to boil, remove from flame.

Pour the oil in the pan, add the mustard seeds once the oil is hot. When the mustard seeds begins to sputter, add the urdhal and fry it till it becomes golden color.
Add curry leaves and and fry it and add it to the cooked rasavangi.
Pumpkin Rasavangi is ready to serve.

Another easier method is to make Rasavangi using lemon. Please follow this link for the same.
Please follow this link for Brinjal Rasavangi.

Wheat Halwa

2012-04-09T23:56:00.003-07:00

Wheat Halwa is a wonderful sweet and it is famous in southern region of Tamilnadu. Many people call this as Trinelveli Halwa. Unlike the other halwas like carrot/beetroot, this is easy to make and consumes less time and at the same time very delicious. Try this and let me know your comments!

Ingredients:

Samba Wheat(Whole wheat grain)	1 Cup
Sugar	2 1/4 Cup(You can increase as per your taste)
Cardamom Powder	1 teaspoon
Ghee	1 1/4 Cup
Kesar Color	a pinch
Cashews	10

Method:

Soak the samba wheat in water for atleast 12 hours. We can soak in the night and leave it till morning
Drain the water after 12 hours and grind it in a mixer by adding 1 cup of water
Strain the milk through the Sieve
Again add 1 cup of water and grind it in mixer and get the remaining milk from the wheat
Strain the milk in a Sieve to extract all milk. Keep it aside for atleast 2 hours. The thick milk will settle in the bottom.
Carefully pour the thin milk and keep only the thick milk
In a pan, add 1 table spoon of ghee and fry the broken cashews till it turns golden brown color
Take the cashews from flame and keep it aside in a plate
Add sugar to the pan and add 1 cup of water and allow the sugar to dissolve completely
Keep the sugar syrup in medium flame and allow it to boil till we get one string/thread consistency
This is the correct consistency and we can now add the extracted thick wheat milk and stir continuously
Keep stirring till the mixture starts to thicken
Now add the roasted cashews and kesar powder and cardamom powder and stir well
Keep stirring for atleast 45 minutes and in this period, we need to add the ghee ladle by ladle in regular intervals until the ghee is fully absorbed
When the halwa comes to ball like consistency without sticking on the sides of the pan, we can switch off the flame and take the halwa in a bowl
If we like to make pieces, then we can grease a plate and add the halwa and allow it to cool off. Then we can cut it to diamond shaped pieces and serve them
The delicious Wheat halwa is ready!

Tamil New Year(Tamizh Puthandu) / Vishu Recipes

2012-04-08T00:26:00.000-07:00

Tamil New Years day falls in the month of April on 13th or 14th every year. This year its 13th April. The day is the first day of the tamil calender month "Chithirai". In Kerala state of India, they celebrate this day as "Vishu".

The Spring Season starts in the month of Chitirai where all the mango and neem trees will be full of flowers and fruits. In this wonderful occassion, the hindus will cook 6 different tasty foods like sweet, bitter,sour,salty,spice and umami

In Kerala state of India, People will celebrate "Vishu Kani Kannal" tradition. They will keep some gold, silver, jewels,mirror, bacillum,cocunut,flowers,cucumber,mangoes,rice, dhal, jaggery infront of the god and seek the blessings of God. Elderly women will wake up early that morning and will see these items and light up the kuthuvilaku and she will wake up the others in the home. Everyone will wake up and see these items first and then they will celebrate the rest of the day.

	Tamil new year recipe	Vishu recipe
Kuzhambu	Araithuvitta Sambar	Mango Moor Kuzhambu
Pachadi	Mango Pachadi	Mango Pachadi
Poriyal	Vazhakkai Podimas	Kothavarangai Paruppu Usuli
Koottu	Aviyal	Oolan
Rasam	Veppam Poo Rasam	Veppam Poo Rasam
Payasam	Coconut Milk Payasam	Chakka pradhaman
Vadai	Paruppu Vadai	Paruppu Vadai
Pickle	Puli Milagai	TomatoThokku
Appalam	Fried Appalam	Fried Pappodam
Curd	Curd	Curd

In our home we celebrate both Vishu and Tamil new year.

Ommapodi Vadam

2012-04-04T00:54:00.000-07:00

Another variety of spicy vadam/vathal. We can use this vadam flour to make ommapodi or thenkuzhal vadam.

Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 4 Cup

Javvarasi(Sago) - 1 Cup

Salt - To Taste

Green Chilli - 10

Hing - 1 tablespoon

Batter Preparation Method:

Soak the raw rice in water for 30 minutes.

Heat 1 cup of water and when it comes boil, add it to the bowl having Sago(Javvarasi) and close the bowl.

After 30 minutes, rinse the rice and strain the water and grind it in grinder or mixer to a nice paste. Take this in a separate vessel.
Add the Sago to the mixer and grind it to paste and add this to rice batter and stir well to mix both rice and sago batter.
Grind the green chillies, salt and hing to a nice paste and add it to the sago batter.

Take heavy bottomed pan or cooker. Heat 1 ratio of water based on the batter and when it starts to boil, take 2 tumbler of water and keep it separately
To the remaining boiled water, add the rice-sago batter and stir well
Batter should become thick as well as cooked well
If needed, we can add the 2 tumbler of water slowly to cook the batter
Add salt to the batter and stir well. Salt should be less for vadam because when we dry the vadam and fry it in oil, salt will be more

We need to stir the batter well so that it gets tighten up and becomes thicker .
When the batter is cooked well, switch off the flame

Cool off the batter and we can start making vadams
Take a clean white towel and place it in hot sun and take ommapodi mould and thenkuzhal mould. Add 1 handfull of batter to the press and press it to make ommadpodi and thenkuzhal vadam
Let the vadam dry in sun. Allow it to dry for 1 day
After the vadams are dried completely, we can store it in a tight container and fry it when we require

Shri Rama Navami

2012-03-30T00:24:00.001-07:00

Ram Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama, son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya, and 7th avtar of Lord Vishnu. The day is called Rama Navami as it falls on Navami. The birth of Rama on earth is to vanquish the roots of Adharma. Lord rama was born on earth to destroy the demon Ravana.

Story behind: Generally hindus will consider Ashtami and Navami day of each month as unaspicious and will not perform any good events on those days. So Ashtami and Navami went to Lord Vishnu and expressed their unhappiness. To make them happy and to make Dharma rule over Adharma Lord Vishu born as Rama on a Navami Day. The same way Lord vishnu born as Krishna on an Ashtami day which is what we celebrate as Krishashtami(Krishna Jayanthi).

Ram Navami in 2011 was on 12th April 2011 tuesday. It is considered auspicious to perform elaborate pujas and chant the name of Rama. It is good for the devotees if they hear Ramayana story on that day and also if they chant Ramar Patabishegam episode of Ramayana on that day. Also devotees should prepare the following recipes as neivedhyam and get the blessings of Lord Rama.

Recipes:

Panagam
Neer Moor
Payasam

Panagam

Ingredients:

Grated Jaggery	3 tablespoon
Cardamom	4 pieces
Ginger powder	1 teaspoon
Water	1 Cup
Lemon(small size)	1/2

Method:

Squeeze the half lemon and extract the juice
Crush the cardamom and add it to water
To this add grated jaggery, lemon juice, ginger powder and stir well so that the jaggery gets dissolved
The panagam is ready for neivedhyam

Neer Moor

Ingredients:

Curd	1/2 Cup
Curry Leaves	few
Salt	1 teaspoon
Hing	1/2 teaspoon
Water	1 Cup

Method:

Mix the water with curd and prepare butter milk with thin consistency
To this add salt, hing, broken curry leaves and coriander leaves(Optional)
Stir well and the neer moor is ready for neivedhyam and for serving

Kuzh Vadam

2012-03-25T22:28:00.013-07:00

Vadam season started!! Normally in the tamil month Masi, we used to do vadam because it is the starting season of Summer. Morning time is the best time for doing vadam as the sun wont be very hot. Vadam is liked by all age groups in any family. We can make large quantities of vadam and dry it properly and store it and use it even for 1 year. Try this and let me know your comments!

Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 3 Cup

Javvarasi(Sago) - 1 Cup

Salt - To Taste

Batter Preparation Method:

Soak the raw rice in water for 30 minutes.

Heat 1 cup of water and when it comes boil, add it to the bowl having Sago(Javvarasi) and close the bowl.

After 30 minutes, rinse the rice and strain the water and grind it in grinder or mixer to a nice paste. Take this in a separate vessel.
Add the Sago to the mixer and grind it to paste and add this to rice batter and stir well to mix both rice and sago batter.

If we prepare this batter in the evening, keep it in fridge and use it the next day. If we do it in morning, we can use it immediately.

Kuzh Preparation Method:

Ratio of water to batter is 1:3
Take heavy bottomed pan or cooker. Heat the water and when it starts to boil, add the rice-sago batter and stir well
Add salt to the batter and stir well. Salt should be less for vadam because when we dry the vadam and fry it in oil, salt will be more

We need to stir the batter well so that it gets tighten up and becomes thicker like kuzh.
When the kuzh starts to boil, switch off the flame
If the batter is very thick, we can add little hot water and mix well

Cool off the batter and we can start making vadams

Take a clean white towel and place it in hot sun and using small ladle, take small quantities of kuzh and pour it in white towel little by little in round shape
Let the vadam dry in sun. Allow it to dry for 1 day
Again dry the same towel in sun for one more day
After 2 days, sprinkle some water in the towel having dried vadams and remove the vadams and take it in a plate or towel and dry it again
After the vadams are dried completely, we can store it in a tight container and fry it when we require

Vadumangai Pickle / Mavadu

2012-03-17T02:06:00.000-07:00

A pickle made using Vadu Mangai or Mavadu (tiny baby tender mango) is very popular in tamil nadu. Unlike other pickle Mavadu pickle is little watery. The mavadu water is the mixture of salt, spice and the tender mango extract (over a period of time) gives an awesome taste and flavour. I can eat only curd rice for a day if i have Mavadu

This is a seasonal product. You will get Mavadu only in March-April. The preparation of this pickle is very simple and quick.

Ingredients:

 Vadumangaai 1 pakka (8 cups - Refer the picture
for exact measurement for a cup
Salt 1/2 cup (powdered salt)
Chilli Powder 50 grams
Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
Gingelly Oil 2 tablespoon
Mustard seeds 1/2 handfull

Method:
Clean the vadumangaai and keep it aside in a vessel. I would recommend to clean the vadumangaai with a cloth. If you clean it using the water, then make sure that it is completely dry before you start the further processing. If its wet then it well get rotten soon.
To this add turmeric powder, oil and salt and shake the mangoes well for the mixture to mix with the vadumangaai and keep it for a day

Grind mustard seeds to powder and mix it with the red chilli powder and add these to the vadumangaai.

Shake the mangoes (or using the laddle) well for the mixture to mix with the vadumangaai

Keep the mixture for 5-6 days and pickle itself produce water. We should not add any water. Twice a day (morning & evening) stir the vadumangai for the uniform spread of the mixture. Once you see the water (usually after 4-5 days) you can stop the stirring.

Now the delicious vadumangaai is ready to serve

Vendhaya Keerai Thuvaran

2012-03-15T06:24:00.005-07:00

Vendhaya Keerai is a healthy greens and we can make many different dishes using this keerai. I have tried Thuvaran with vendhaya keerai. Try this and let me know your comments!

Ingredients:

Vendhaya Keerai(Fenugeek Leaves)	1 bunch
Red Chilli	1
Moong Dal	3 tablespoon
Turmeric	1 teaspoon
Salt	To Taste
Sugar	1/2 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds	1 teaspoon
Urdal	1 teaspoon
Oil	1 teaspoon

Method:

Remove the leaves from vendhaya keerai and finely chop the keerai and clean the leaves and keep it aside
Take the moong dal in a pan and add water and cook it. The dal should be cooked and at the same time it should not be smashed. The cooked dal should not stick with each other
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds starts to sputter, add urdhal and fry till it turns golden brown color and add broken red chillies and fry for a while
To this add the cleaned keerai and allow the keerai to cook. Dont add any water.
To this add salt, sugar and turmeric powder and allow the spinach to cook completely
Finally add the cooked dal and mix well
The yummy Vendhaya keerai thuvaran is ready to serve.

Karadayan Nonbu on 14th March 2012 @ 9.32 am

2012-03-12T05:44:00.000-07:00

Karadayan Nonbu or Savitri Vratham is a traditional tamilnadu festival of fasting wherein married women will pray for the wellness and long life of their husbands. This nonbu should be done exactly in the time when tamil month 'Masi' ends and the next month 'Panguni' starts. The reason why this fasting is carried out is that "Savithri fought with yema to save her husbands life", the sameway the married women should fast on this auspicious day for long life of their husbands.

This year the date for karadayan nonbu is 14th March (Wednesday) and the extact time it should be carried out is 09:32 am.

The neivehdyam for this fasting is Karadayan Nonbu Adai with butter along with vetrilai, pakku, pazham and cocunut. We should get yellow ropes that has to be tied by all the women in a house. In each of the rope small flower is tied up and one rope should be put in the Kamakshi amman picture and the rest should be tied up by all women in the house.

"Urugadha Vennayam oru adayum vaithu nonbu notren oru nallum en kanavar piriyamal iruka vendum". This should be chanted while tying up the rope in the neck. Even the young girls of more than one year old should tie up these ropes to get the blessings of God.

Recipes:
Karadayan Nonbu Adai

Uppadai

Methi Sambar (Vendhaya Keerai Sambar)

2012-03-11T09:14:00.011-07:00

There are many north indian recipes available using Methi. I found Methi in the vegetable shop today. The tender & greenish Methi attracted me and I brought a bunch of it. Then i started thinking what to make using this leaves and finally decided to make a Sambar. It came out very well. I used the conventional way of making the sambar. I preferred this way as i feel the aroma and the taste are very good instead of using the sambar powder.

Preparation Time : 15 mins; Cooking Time : 20-30 mins ; Servings : 6

Ingredients:

Tamarind 1 lemon size
Methi Leaves 1 Cup
Baby Onions 1 Cup
Salt To Taste
Turmeric a pinch
Coriander Leaves few
Hing a Pinch
Thur dal 1/2 Cup

For Grinding:
Red chillies 8
Coriander Seeds 3 teaspoon
Channa dal 3 teaspoon
Oil 2 teaspoon

For Seasoning:
Mustard Seeds 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves few
Oil 1 teaspoon

Method:

Pressure cook Thur dal and smash it once cooked and keep it aside.
Soak tamarind in water for 5 minutes and extract the juice.
Heat oil in the pan, add red chillies, coriander seeds and channa dal and fry till the dal turns golden brown clolor.

Grind the above fried ingredients in a mixer to a fine paste
Heat the oil in the pan, and when the oil is hot add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds starts to sputter, add curry leaves and fry for a second.
Add the baby onions and fry for 2 minutes.
When the onions are fried, add methi leaves and mix well. Add some water and allow the methi and onion to cook completely. (Approximately 10 minutes in low to medium flame)
Once its cooked, add the tamarind extract and salt and let the mixture boils till the raw smell of the tamarind goes off.
Add the ground paste and stir well and allow the mixture to boil.

Now add smashed dal and stir well.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Add a table spoon of Ghee (optional).
Now the Methi sambar is ready to serve with white rice.

Bread Upma

2012-03-04T05:00:00.003-08:00

Bread Upma, a yummy evening snack for all of us especially for kids. There are many different ways to try out this recipe. I have made it simple. Try this recipe and let me know your comments!

Ingredients:

Bread	6-8 Slices
Green Chillies	1
Onion	1
Turmeric	1 teaspoon
Tomato	1
Green Peas	1/4 Cup
Mustard Seeds	1 teaspoon
Salt	To Taste
Oil	2 tablespoon
Urdhal	1 teaspoon
Ghee	1 tablespoon

Method:

Finely chop the onions and tomatoes separately and keep it aside
Cut the bread loafs into diamond size pieces
Heat ghee in a pan and add the bread loafs and fry it till it is crisp
Take the fried bread crumbs in a separate plate and add the oil in the pan
Add mustard seeds when the oil is hot. When the mustard seeds starts to sputter, add urdal,and curry leaves and fry till the urdal turns golden brown color
Now add the chopped green chillies and fry for a second
Add the chopped onions and fry till the onions turns transparent. Add the tomatoes and peas and salt and fry it and add little water to cook the peas
Once the peas are cooked completely, add the fried bread pieces and mix well
Allow the bread upma to cook for 2-3 minutes in low flame
Remove from flame. The yummy bread upma is serve hot

Andhra Puliyodharai

2012-02-27T02:58:00.001-08:00

Andhra Puliyodharai is another spicy variety of puliyodharai. The taste of Andhra Puliyodharai is different from Tamilian's style. Spicy lovers will surely like this way of preparation. I got this recipe in one of the TV show and tried the same with little variation. It came out well. Hope you will also like the same.

Preparation Time : 20 mins; Cooking Time : 15 mins ; Servings : 5

Ingredients:

Rice	2 Cups
Green Chillies	3
Red Chillies	3
Turmeric	1 teaspoon
Tamarind	1 lemon size
Curry leaves	few
Mustard Seeds	1 teaspoon
Salt	To Taste
Gingelly Oil	1/2 Cup

For Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds	1 teaspoon
Urdhal	1 teaspoon
Channa Dal	1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves	1 teaspoon
Turmeric	1 /2 teaspoon
Hing	1 teaspoon

Method:

Soak the tamarind in water and extract the juice.
Grind 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds in a mixer and keep it aside
Pressure cook the raw rice and take the cooked rice in a bowl and make a hole in the center of the bowl
Slit the green chillies vertically and keep it aside
Add turmeric powder, curry leaves, green chillies, 2 tablespoon gingelly oil in the middle of the rice bowl and cover it with rice. We are covering the spices with the rice to preserve the aroma.
In a heavy bottomed pan, pour the gingelly oil and when the oil is hot add mustard seeds, when the mustard seeds starts to sputter add urdhal, channa dal, broken red chillies and hing and fry till the dals turn golden brown color.
Add tamarind juice and salt and let the mixture boil till the raw smell of the tamarind goes off completely
When the tamarind mixture starts to thicken, remove from flame and add it to the cooked rice and mix well
Add little water to the powdered mustard seeds and mix well and add that to the cooked rice and mix the rice well
The mouth-watering spicy Andra Puliyodharai is ready to serve

Mahashivratri

2012-02-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

Though we have monthly Shivratri, Maha Shivratri has greater significance. It is celebrated on the 6th night of the dark Phalgun (Feb or March) every year. This year Maha Shivrari falls on 21st Feb. It is believed that for all these year Lord Shiva protect us by sacrificing his sleep and hence to thank the lord, the devotees dedicate this auspicious day to lard shiva by sacrificing the sleep the whole night and perform poojas for lord Shiva. As per Hindu Mythology a devotee who performs sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivratri is absolved of sins and attains moksha.

Worshiping Lord Shiva on this day, will help us get the blessing of Trimoorthy - Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva. We need to worship lord shiva by visiting the templa and also chant shiva puranam on this holy day to get the blessings of lord. There are many slokas for lord shiva, Lingashtagam is the most divine. Chanting Sri Adhisankara's on this day will prevnt us from health problems and provide us all good things in the life.

There are many stories about why we celebrate Maha Shivrathri. Some of the stories are given below.

Story-1
Lord Shiva appeared as a pillar of fire before Brahma and Vishnu when they fought each other as "who is the greatest". This day is Thirukarthikai. Brahma and Vishu realized their miskatake and prayed to Lord shiva for forgiving their sin. In the night of Shiva rathri lord shiva appeared before them and blessed them.

Story-2

Long long ago, it is believed that world came to an end and during that dard day, godess Parvathy devi did poojas and prayed to Lord Shiva to seek his blessings. In remembrance of that day, Maha Shivarathiri is celebrated every year. So the devotees who pray to god like Parvathi devi on this day will get all happiness when they live and after their life, they will reach lord shiva and there is no re-birth for them. This is a belief.

On this auspicious day, devotees should chant the following holy names
On this auspicious day, devotees should chant the following holy names of Lord Shiva to get his blessings

Om Bavaya Namaha

Om Sarvaya Namaha

Om Rudhraya Namaha

Om Paupathaye Namaha

Om Ukraya Namaha

Om Mahadevaya Namaha

Om Bheemaya Namaha

Om Isanaya Namaha

Throughout the night of Shiva rathri the poojas are performed in the shiva temple.Devotees should fast for the whole day and take part in poojas and pray the god thorughout the night by performing abhisheka, chanting and other holy deeds through out the night without sleep. In the early morning they should take a bath and perform an "Annadhanam" and pray shiva to get gods blessing. Devotees who cannot do a full fasting, can cook Sakkaravelli kizhangu and mix it with sugar and eat once during the day.

Paal Paayasam (Milk Kheer) using Cooker

2012-02-15T06:41:00.000-08:00

Paal Paayasam using cooker - A simple hassle free cooking yet no compromise on the taste, colour and thickness. You can just keep the cooker on low flame and take care of the other works. You don't need to stand in-front the stove and keep on stirring the milk that we do for the conventional paal payasam. Without adding any additional ingredients like milk-maid or saffron, you will automatically get the right colour and consistency in this way cooking.

But needless to say, we need to cook for about 1 hour to get the right taste, colour and consistency.

1. Cook for about first 20 mins with milk & rice without adding sugar. The rice will be cooked completely. If we add sugar, then the rice will not be cooked completely.

2. Add the sugar now and cook for about another 20 mins. Now, you will get a paal paayasam with the right consistency and colour.

My SIL used to make the Paal Paaysasm using cooker and i got inspired of this way of cooking. I am dedicating this post to her - She is no more now.

Cooking Time : 1:30 hrs ; Servings : 2

Ingredients :

Milk	1/2 Ltr
Rice	1 handful (1/4 cup)
Sugar	3 handful (3/4 cup) (3 times of the Rice. If you are sugar conscious then add 2 times)
Elachi powder	1/4 teaspoon
Cashew	10
Ghee	For frying

Method:

Pour the milk in a cooker and switch on the flame. I have a bigger cooker, hence i did not cook directly in the cooker. Instead i poured the milk in a vessel and kept the vessel inside the cooker. You can directly cook on the cooker if you have a smaller cooker.
Wait till the milk start to boil. Add the washed rice and mix it well.
Cover the cooker, also put the cooker whistle and allow the mixture to cook for about 20 mins in a low flame.
Switch off the flame after 20 mins. Don't bother if you don't get a whistle.
Wait for approximately 10 mins for the steam to go off and then open the cooker.
Switch on the flame again. Add the sugar and stir well. Wait till the milk start to boil(again)
Now, close the cooker and also put the whistle. Cook for another 20 mins in a low flame
Switch off the flame after 20 mins and wait till the steam goes off (approx 10 mins)
Open the cooker, add Elachi and mix well.
Also fry the cashews in the ghee and add the same with the Milk Kheer

The Paal Paayasam (Milk Kheer) is ready to serve. I am sure, everyone is going to ask you "How did you make it "? after tasting the kheer :-)

Few Tips :

On the thickness : If you feel that you are still not getting the right thickness, then i would recommend you to increase the cooking time by 5 minutes in each cycle. (Total 10 mins)

On the colour : As i mentioned, i did not add any extra ingredient, till i got the light pink colour. So, no secrets here.

On the quantity : Just use the right amount of rice with the right amount of milk. Adding too much rice make your kheer like "Milk Rice" and adding too much Milk make your Kheer very watery. Try my measurement and let me know your comments.

Vegetable Pulao

2012-01-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

The rice cooked with spices and vegetables is called as Pulao. This is one of the most liked rice varieties and loved by everyone especially the children. I have used the electric cooker to make this which simplifies the preparation of Pulao. It just took 15 minutes for preparation and 15 minutes for cooking. The aroma of the spices are wonderful which will last in the house for at least 2 hours.

Preparation Time : 15 mins; Cooking Time : 15 mins ; Servings : 5

Ingredients :

1. Spices (Masala)

Cardamom	4
Cloves	4
Bay Leaves	3
Cinnamon	4-5 small sticks
Cumin Seeds	2 teaspoon
Peppercorns	5
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 teaspoon
Chilli powder (optional)	1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder	1 teaspoon
Coriander powder	1 teaspoon

2. Vegetables :

Potato	1 medium size
Onion	2
Carrot	1
Fresh Mint Leaves	2 hand full
Fresh Coriander Leaves	1 hand full
Green Peas	1/2 cup
Green Chilli	2

3. Others :

Basmati Ric	2 cups
Cooking Oil	2 tablespoon
Curd (Optional)	2 tablespoon

Method :

Finely chop the onion and carrot and keep it aside.
Dice the potato into medium sized cubes.
Wash the Basmati Rice and soak it in the water. You can soak the rice directly in the pressure cooker as we are going to add the masala's to this soaked rice and going to cook in a short while. I used the measurement of 1:2 for water. (1 cup of rice = 2 cups of water). Let's not soak it for more than 10 minutes. You can soak now, as we can finish the preparation of masala in 10 minutes. Keep everything ready and soak the rice in the water.

Heat the Pan and add the Cooking Oil. Once the cooking oil get the heat, add the masala items one by one. (Bay Leaves, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cumin Seeds & Peppercorns). Also add onions and fry them till the onion colour slightly change.

Add Green chillies, Ginger-Garlic paste and sauté. Add the fresh mint leaves, coriander leaves, Red chilli powder (optional - if you want a spicy version of thePulao), Coriander powder and Cumin powder and mix them well.

Add the chopped vegetables of your choice (in our case - potato's, carrot and green peas). Also add curd (yoghurt) and mix them. Keep this mixture in the low flame for about 2 minutes.

Add the mixture to the soaked rice and mix well.
Add Salt (I have added 1 teaspoon for 1 cup of rice) as per your taste.
Cover the pressure and cook it for three whistles. Electric Pressure cooker is best for making Pulao. In this case, the cooker automatically stops once cooked.

The Vegetable Pulao is ready to serve. You can serve with Raitha.

Recipe for Raitha

Finely chop the onion and mix with Yoghurt.
Add salt to taste
Add 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder and mix them well.

Rathasapthami

2012-01-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

Ratha Sapthami is an auspicious festival celebrated by Hindus and it is dedicated to Lord Surya. It is during this time that Surya/Sun moves from the southeast to the northeast. We worship Surya Bagwan for better health and wellbeing. Ratha Saptami is symbolic of the change of season to spring and the start of the harvesting season. For most Indian farmers, it is an auspicious beginning of the New Year. The festival is observed by all Hindus in their houses and in innumerable temples dedicated to Surya, across India. In 2012, this day falls on January 30th.

Ratha Sapthami Kolam - Courtesy : www.hindu-blog.com

On this auspicious day, women put rangoli with a representation of Sun God with 7 horses in a chariot. Eurkkam Leaf (Arka Leaf) is an another important aspect in this day. Married women will take holy bath by placing 7 erukkam leaves on their body along with a pinch of turmeric and pacharisi(Raw rice) on top of the leaf. One leaf is kept on the head, two on the shoulders, two on the knees and two on the foot while having a bath. Men will take bath with only erukkam leaves and rice without turmeric.

People worship to Lord Surya and prepare Sakkarai Pongal and Vadai for neivedhyam along with coconut, beetle leaves and banana.

Hope this Ratha Sapthami brings everyone a good health and blessings.

Recipes:

	Sweet Rice Pongal/Sakkarai Pongal
	Ulundhu Vadai

Vegetable Aval Upma

2012-01-25T01:06:00.000-08:00

Vegetable Aval upma is a colourful healthy evening snack. It has a mix of salty, tangy and sweet taste which will be liked by all the kids.

Preparation Time : 10 mins; Cooking time : 10 mins ; Serving : 4

Ingredients :

Aval (Rice flakes)	1 cup
Potato	1
Carrot	1
Lemon	1
Salt	1 teaspoon
Sugar	4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder	A pinch
Coriander leaves	Few
Cooking Oil	2 teaspoon

For Seasoning :

Cooking Oil	1 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds	1 teaspoon
Curry leaves	few
Urad Dal	1 teaspoon

Method

Finely chop the carrot and potato and keep it aside.
Clean the rice flakes (Aval) in the water and strain the water
Add salt, sugar and lemon juice to the rice flakes and mix well. Keep this mixture aside for 10 minutes
Heat the pan, pour the oil and add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begins to sputter add the Urad dal, curry leaves and fry for a while.
Now add the finely chopped vegetables and mix well. Also add turmeric powder.
Keep it in simmer and fry the vegetables.
Once the vegetables are completely cooked, add the Aval Mixture and mix well with the vegetables.
Taste the upma. Add salt if required.
Add the coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

The Vegetable Aval Upma is ready to serve.

Brinjal Rasam

2012-01-22T06:42:00.000-08:00

In Brinjal Rasam, the tender brinjals are fried and added to the rasam. It's very much the conventional rasam but this variation gives unique taste to the Rasam as well as to the brinjal. Try it out, and i am sure your family will like this.

Preparation Time : 10 mins; Cooking time : 20 mins ; Serving : 4 cups

Ingredients :

Tender Baby Brinjal	5 or 6
Tamarind	1 small lemon size
Salt	for taste
Thur Dhal	2 table spoon
Cooking Oil	2 table spoon
Hing	A pinch

For Grinding :

Red chilli	4
Black peppercorns	1/2 teaspoon (6)
Channa dhal	2 teaspoon
Coriander Seeds	1 tablespoon

For Seasoning :

Cooking Oil/Ghee	1 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds	1 teaspoon
Curry leaves	few

Method

Soak the tamarind in water and extract the juice.
Pressure cook the Thur dhal and keep it aside.
Clean the brinjals and slit them vertically - cross cut from the base till the stalks and immerse them in the water to avoid discolouration.
Heat the pan and add 1 table spoon of oil. Once the oil gets heat, add the peppercorns, red chilli, coriander seeds and channa dhal and fry them for a while (till the colour changes to light brown).
Take the fried ingredients into a mixer and powder it to Rawa like consistency. (not too nice)
Add one table spoon of oil and fry the brinjals and keep the fried brinjals aside.
Heat the pan and add the tamarind extract juice, Salt, Hing and curry leaves and allow this mixture to boil.
Now Add the fried brinjals and allow the mixture to boil for about 5 mins in low flame.
Add the powdered ingredient into the mixture and allow the mixture to boil for about 2 minutes.
Now add smashed thur dhal and then switch off the flame when the mixture starts to boil.
In a separate pan, pour the ghee and add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begins to sputter add the curryleaves
Add these to the rasam.
Now the delicious Brinjal Rasam is ready to serve with plain rice

Milagu Kuzhambu

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

I can't think of any other kuzhambu other than Milagu kuzhmbu during the raining day!. Its a spicy-tangy one. White rice with a tea spoon of ghee / Gingelly oil, and a fried appalam is a perfect meal on these winter days. I usually make it in thick consistency, so that i can store it in fridge and use upto 2 weeks. Its a perfect one for the travel kitty too.

Preparation Time : 10 mins; Cooking Time : 20 mins ; Servings - 10

Ingredients :

Tamarind	1 big lemon size
Jaggery	1 teaspoon
Salt	for taste
Cooking Oil	1 tablespoon

For Grinding :

Red chilli	6
Black peppercorns	1 1/2 teaspoon
Channa dhal	2 teaspoon
Urud dhal	2 teaspoon
Coriander Seeds	2 teaspoon
Hing	A pinch
Curry Leaves	10-15 leaves

For Seasoning :

Cooking Oil	1 tablespoon
Mustard Seeds	1 teaspoon
Curry leaves	few
Hing	a pinch

Method

Soak Tamarind in one cup of water and extract the juice and set aside.

Heat the pan and add 1/2 teaspoon of oil and fry the red chillis first. When the colour of the red chilli changed to light brown, add peppercorns, urud dal, channa dal, coriander seeds and hing and fry on medium heat. Add the curry leaves at the final stage and fry once and take them into a mixer.

Add little water (may be 1/2 cup first) and grind it to a fine paste. If required add more water while grinding. But make sure that you don't add too much water and make the ground paste too watery.

Heat the pan and add 1 table spoon of Oil. Once the oil get heat, add the mustard seeds. On sputtering add the curry leaves & a pinch of hing. Add the Tamarind extract juice and the ground paste and stir. Add the salt and the grated jaggery.

Let the kuzhambu boil for few mins. Now keep the flame in simmer and let the gravy come to a thick consistency. I would prefer to have it as thick, as i can store it in fridge and consume upto 2 weeks.

Serve this with white rice and a spoon of Gingly oil with Appalam.

Kanu Pandigai(Kanu Pongal) Recipes

2012-01-14T07:11:00.000-08:00

After new year the immediate Hindu festival is Boghi and pongal. But yet there is one more special occasion that is celebrated by all brahmins which is Kanu Pandigai(Kanu Pongal). Kanu falls on the same day of Maatu Pongal. On this special Occasion, sisters in the family will pray for the welfare of their brothers. This is special festival for ladies.

Kanu day is not an auspicious day. In tamil, we call it as "Kari Naal" or "Kanu Peedai". Early in the morning, elders will take the turmeric and will mark it in forehead and young girls should seek blessings from the elders. Then they have to follow a ritual of "Kanu Pidi" and then take a bath to come out of "Kanu Peedai". They are not expected to take any food/drinks till they come out of Kanu Peedai.

Kanu Pidi - How and Why ?

In a open place put a kolam in east direction. Wash the turmeric leaves and place it over the kolam. We have to keep upto four rices on the leaves.

1. White rice prepared on the previous day (pongal day)

2. Sarkarai pongal prepared on the previous day (pongal day)

3. Prepare red color rice by mixing small quantity of rice with kumkum.

4. The same way prepare yellow rice by mixing small quantity of rice with turmeric powder.

Take 4 pieces of sugarcane. Place these colored rice and sugarcane pieces in small quantities in the turmeric leaves placed above the kolam.

We have to say the following phrases while keeping the coloured rice in leaves

"Kakaipidi vachen Kannupidi vachen, Kakka Kootam Kalanchalum Enga Kootam Kalayama Irukkanum"

After chanting this we have to break a coconut, place it in a plate having beetle leaves and beetle seeds along with 2 bananas. We have to show aarthi around the turmeric leaves and we should pray for our brothers.

We have to make sure the rice kept in leaves should be eaten only by crow and not by any other animals. On this auspicious occasion brahmins will prepare variety rice and ladies should not eat rasam. Please find below some of the variety rices for Kanum Pongal.

	Coconut Rice		Lemon Rice
	Tamarind Rice		Curd Rice

It is also the day for Cattles. Cows are decorated, their horns are painted and turemeric and aarthi are conducted as cow is revered as Mother. In the villages race are conducted for bulls.

Pongal / Bogi special Lunch Menu

2012-01-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

As all of us know Pongal is a special occasion and every one wanted to make sure that the lunch menu on Pongal day a grand and great. The intention of this post is to share the lunch menu that we follow which I believe makes your Pongal a grand. In the souther part of the tamilnadu, the brahmin's give more importance to the Pongal than the Bogi. Accordingly their lunch menu will also vary. I found that in Chennai the northern part of Tamil nadu, bogi is given more importance than the Pongal. The below menu is the one that we follow and this varies from family to family. Happy Pongal.!!

Bogi & Pongal Festival Special Lunch Menu

	Pongal Fesival	Bogi Festival
Sweet	Sarkarai Pongal	Sweet Poli
Kuzhambu	Araithuvitta Sambar	Moor Kuzhambu
Pachadi	Cucumbar Thayir Pachadi	Tomato Thayir Pachadi
Poriyal	Vazhakkai Podimas	Kothavarangai Paruppu Usuli
Koottu	Aviyal (or) Eriseri	Kathirikkai Pitlai (Brinjal Pitlai) (or) Oolan
Rasam	Paruppu Rasam	Lemon Rasam
Payasam	Semiya Payasam	Milk Payasam
Vadai	Medhu Vadai	Paruppu Vadai
Pickle	Puli Milagai	TomatoThokku
Appalam	Fried Appalam	Fried Pappodam
Curd	Curd	Curd

Pongal Festival and Recipes

2012-01-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

Sankaranthi or pongal festival - Farmers work for the whole year harvesting the paddy crops and using the freshly produced rice, farmers will prepare pongal on this auspicious day. On this festival day, the sun god(Suriyan) will turn from southern direction to northern direction.

In earlier days Pongal is prepared in a hand made pot which is decorated fully with turmeric, kumkum and sunnaambu. we need to tie turmeric plant with leaves and turmeric around the pot. Nowadays we are preparing pongal in cooker and hence we need to decorate the pressure cooker accordingly. While we get the whistles, we need to tell "Pongalo Pongal" and pray to god.

We need to prepare the sakkarai pongal, vadai, plain rice for neivedhyam and we need to do the neivedhyam only at the time when "Thai" months begins.

We have use flat beans, pumpkin, sakaraivellikizhangu, senaikizhangu, raw banana vegetables on this occasion.

In a open place, where we get good sun rays, we need to clean the place and put kolam and inside the kolam we need to draw sun and moon symbols and we need to perform poojas for vinayakar and suriyan and we need to keep sugarcane, sakaraipongal, beetle leaves with seeds, banana and other dishes for neivedhyam and we need to pray to god for good prosperty in life.

Wish you a very happy Pongal.!

Recipes:

	Sweet Rice Pongal/Sakkarai Pongal		Venn Pongal
	Ulundhu Vadai		Akkara Adisal

Also please check the Pongal special Lunch menu

Nendram Pazham with Jaggery (Ripe Plantains in Jaggery syrup)

2012-01-12T01:00:00.000-08:00

I love Nendram Pazham (Ripe Plantains). Malayali's make yummy recipes out of Nendram pazham and one of the simplest recipe is given below. We make this often as this is being loved by all from kids to elders. Here we cook the banana which makes the digestion quicker and serve with Jaggery syrup which is adding more taste and sweetness to the banana.

Ingredients

Nendram Pazham (Ripe Plantains)	2
Grated Jaggery	3 table spoon
Ghee	1 teaspoon

Method :

Remove the banana skin and slice the banana into smaller pieces.
Heat the pan and add one cup of water. Add the sliced bananas and allow them to cook in the simmer for about 5 mins.
After 5 mins, check if the banana is cooked well. Then add the grated jaggery. Add little water (mostly its not required) if the jaggery-banana mix is too thick. Keep the flame in simmer
In 2 to 3 mins the jaggery get dissolved in the water and mixed with the banana.
Add one teaspoon of Ghee.
Remove it from flame and serve.

Note : You can use Honey instead of Jaggery. In that case, cook the banana and remove it from flame. Top up the banana with the Honey and serve.

Vadumangaai	1 pakka (8 cups - Refer the picture for exact measurement for a cup
Salt	1/2 cup (powdered salt)
Chilli Powder	50 grams
Turmeric powder	1 teaspoon
Gingelly Oil	2 tablespoon
Mustard seeds	1/2 handfull

Tamarind	1 lemon size
Methi Leaves	1 Cup
Baby Onions	1 Cup
Salt	To Taste
Turmeric	a pinch
Coriander Leaves	few
Hing	a Pinch
Thur dal	1/2 Cup

Red chillies	8
Coriander Seeds	3 teaspoon
Channa dal	3 teaspoon
Oil	2 teaspoon