Mixture

Snack that is a Mix of 4 to 5 items.
South Indian style Mixture is presented below.

For that you need:
1. Kara Boondhi - 2 cups [Method given below]
2. Oma Podi - 2 cups [Method given below]
3. Fried Thick Aval (Poha) - 2 cups
4. Ground Nuts - 1/2 cup
5. Chutney Dal - 1/2 cup (Pottukkadalai)
6. Cashew Nuts - 1/4 cup
7. Curry leaves - 2 Sprigs

Items for Mixture Masala.
1. Dry Red Chillies 6 to 7
2. Hing
3. Salt
4. Sugar
5. Ghee 1 tsp

Making of the Boondhi
1. Besan - 3/4 cup
2. Rice flour - 1 tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Chilli Powder to taste
5. Oil tsp
6. Water

Method:
1. Sieve the flour and add Salt, Chilli Powder, Oil and make it to Bajji Batter Consistency with water.
2. Heat Oil in a Kadai, make Boondhi with Boondhi laddle.
3. Drain Oil and Keep it aside.
Boondhi Making refer here.
Making of the OmaPodi
1. Besan - 1 cup
2. Rice flour - 1/4 cup
3. Salt to taste
4. Chilli powder
5. Finely crushed Omum (Ajwain) or Omum Water
6. Water
7. Ghee or Hot Oil - 1 tsp

Method:
1. Mix everything Chappathi dough consistency.
2. In a Kadai squeeze Omapodi direct into the oil using Murukku or Omapodi press.
3. Drain and Keep it aside.

Making of the Mixture:-
1. Deep fry Aval (Thick poha) in Oil, drain and keep it aside.
2. Deep fry Cashew nuts, Ground nuts, Chutney dal and keep it aside.
3. In same Oil fry curry leaves. (be careful)

Mixture Masala:-
In small kadai or in same oil deep fry Red chilli and grind into powder along with
Salt, Hing and Sugar.

Mix everything in a Container or Paper and on top of it add mixture Masala .
On top of mixture Masala add one tsp of Hot Ghee and Mix with both hands.
Till masala coats to everything.

Store in an air tight container and you can use it for even a month.

Enjoy the festival time Snack with family and friends or even while watching TV.

Milagu Aval

Pepper and Jeera flavoured Aval - Poha.
Easy to make.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Rice Flakes - Poha or Aval - 2 cups
2. Salt to taste
3. Pepper 2 tsp
4. Cumin (Jeera) 3 tsp
5. Oil 2 tsp
6. Ghee 1 tsp
7. Curry leaves
8. Mustard Seeds
9. Urad Dal
10. Channa dal
11. Dry Red Chillies (Broken) 1

Method:
1. Make a coarse Powder of Pepper and Jeera.
2. Wash Aval and keep it aside.
3. Heat Oil in a Kadai. Add Mustard seeds, Urad dal, Channadal, Dry red Chillies and Curry leaves .
4. When Dal becomes Red, add Pepper Jeera Powder, Ghee and the Main ingredient Aval, Salt and Mix well.

Healthy and Tasty Milagu Aval is ready.

.::. Have this Hot on a Rainy Day with Morkuzhambu. .::.

Pongal - The Harvest Festival of Tamil Nadu

What is Pongal?

a) Is it the dish that tamilians have for breakfast?
b) Is it the 4 day Thanksgiving festival celebrated in the month of January in tamilnadu?
c) Does it mean "to boil?"
d) All of above
For those familiar, they would automatically pick the option" d".

Pongal is the quintessential harvest festival of Tamilnadu and a traditional occasion for giving thanks to nature, for celebrating the life cycles that give us grain.

A Tamil saying goes on that "Thai Piranthal Vazhi Pirakkum" meaning that when the month of Thai dawns there will be way of love, peace, harmony, prosperity, joyness in everyone's life.
The first day is called 'Bhogi Pongal', the second day 'Surya Pongal' and the third day 'Mattu Pongal'. Bhogi Pongal is celebrated as a family festival. It is the day for spring cleaning. All old and unwanted things are thrown away or burnt.

The second day is dedicated to the sun (Surya) when Pongal is boiled by women and offered to the sun. Friends greet one another by asking Have you boiled the Rice?

Mattu Pongal, the third day is a day dedicated to the worship and veneration of the cattle. The cattle are bathed, decorated and their horns are painted in bright colours.

The Fourth day is known as Kanu or Kannum Pongal day. Its a day when the women prays for the prosperity of their family and of their brothers should prosper.

Pongal in other parts of India

Makar Sankranti
In the North Indian states of India, people celebrate this day as Makar Sankranti. The most exciting thing about this festival is the kite flying. People believe that the direction of the wind changes on that day, and so they all come out into the streets to fly colorful kites and capture as many as possible.

Kanumu
On Kaanum Pongal, elaborate powdered chalk designs of the sun god, Surya are drawn. As soon as the auspicious month of Thai is underway, Surya is worshipped.

Lohri
In Punjab, people celebrate Lohri in January on what they believe is the coldest day of the year. With the cold winds blowing they celebrate by dancing the bhangra around a fire, which is fed with sugarcane, rice and sesame seeds. People sing folk songs that tell of a good harvest, which is a blessing from the gods.

Bihu / Bohaggiyo Bhishu
This is the greatest festival of the Assamese people, who observe three Bihus. The three Bihus, constitute a festival complex and are celebrated at various stages of the cultivation of paddy, the principal crop of Assam.

Bhogi
The first day is Bhogi and is in honor of Indra the god of rain. There are many legends told about this day. The day begins with a til (sesame) oil bath and in the evening there is a bonfire in which all the rubbish in the house is burnt.

Hadaga Festival
The Hadaga festival in Maharashtra is to pray for a good monsoon and a good harvest. As Indra is the god of rain, people sing songs to Indra and pray for rain. Pictures of the elephant which is Indra's vehicle are drawn everywhere to invite the God.

Pongal Recipes

1. Venpongal
2.Sarkkarai Pongal
3.Puran Poli On Bohi Day

This is my submission for Viji's RCI Tamil Festival

ref:pongalfestival.org

RCI -Tamil Festivals Thiruvathirai

Marghazhi Month, is the most sacred month in the Tamil Calendar (Mid Dec- 1st week of Jan). At this time of the year, thw world over enjoys cool nights and not too warm days and it is a welcome month in Tamilnadu that goes through hot weather most of the year. Vaishnavites consider it sacred to worship Lord Krishna in this month, Saivites pray to Lord Shiva. Not to mention the Holy and Merry Christmas that falls in this month.
Elaborating the Saivite practice, In this month on the Thiruvathirai Star day Saivites fervently perform Pooja for Lord Shiva (Nataraja).
It is significant that one of the six anointing ceremonies of Lord Nadarajah takes place on this day. Further Lord Nadarajah comes out in a procession of this day to give Darshan to his devotees.
During this day in all Shiva Temples, grand poojas are held, delighting the Shiva worshippers.
Chidambaram Kovil, Perur Pattesswaran Kovil are some of the temples celebrate this day grandly.

Festival Day Special Dish:-

Thiruvathirai kali
Thaalagam and Butter.
************************************************************************************

Diwali
Diwali, also called Deepavali, is a major Indian festival that is very significant in Hinduism. Known as the "Festival of Lights," it symbolizes the victory of good over evil, and lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for humankind. Fireworks are associated with the festival.

Festival Day Special Dish:-

Diwali Legiyam
Boondhi Laddu
Jangiri
Mullu Murukku
Kara Sev
Ribbon Pakkoda

*************************************************************************************

Karadayan Nonbu

During karadayan nonbu women invoke the blessings of Gowri devi to attain such a husband for all seven births.
Unmarried girls pray for a good husband and married women pray for their husband's long life. It is celebrated during the 1st day of Panguni month.
(Mid March)
During this day Sathyavan Savithiri prayed to Lord Yama and freed her husband Sathyavan from him.

We also Pray to Goddess Kamakshi on this day and ask for the wellness of our husband's life.

Festival day Special Recipes:-

Nonbu Adai - Sweet Version
Nonbu Adai -Salted Version

*************************************************************************************

TAMIL NEW YEAR

The month of Chitthirai has arrived and with it the Tamil New Year’s Day; April 14th – an occasion for celebration for Tamilians all over the world.

The highlight of the festival is the 'Maanga Pachadi' (a dish made of raw mangoes, jaggery and neem flowers), which is at the same time sweet, sour and bitter. This signifies all the different aspects of our life.

Festival Special Recipes:-

1. Maang0 pachadi
2. Neermore
3. Kosumalli
4. Panagam

This is my submission for RCI(Tamil Festivals) Hosted by Viji of VCuisine.

Moong Dal Halwa

Dal Halwa. Traditional Indian Halwa.

Wheat Halwa is a regular during Diwali time. For a change Why don't you try Moongdal Halwa.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Yellow Moong dal - 1 cup
2. Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
3. Ghee - 4 +1 tablespoons
4. Elaichi Powder
5. Cahsew Nuts and Grated Badam
6. Milk - 2 1/4 cup
Method:
1. Dry roast Moong Dal till golden colour. (At this stage you get a nice aroma.)
2. Cool it and Fine Powder it. 3. Heat 4 tablespoons of Ghee in a kadai (preferably non-stick) fry the moongdal Powder in slow flame for 4 minutes.
4. Boil Milk in a vessel and pour it over this dal mixture and cook till done. (You get a glitter on this, If it is fully cooked. 5. Gradually add Sugar and mix well, stir well to make this a lump and ghee oozes out from the edges.
Halwa Test:- If you touch with wet finger, it should not stick, then Halwa is done
Garnishings:- 1. Garnish with Elaichi Powder.
2. In remaining ghee fry cahsewnuts and pour over halwa and mix well 3. Before serving garnish with grated badam.
For even richer taste, add sugarless Khoya at the end.



::~ Halwa that is Healthy and Protein rich. ~::.
Wheat Halwa is a regular during Diwali time. For a change Why don't you try Moongdal Halwa?

This is My submission for RCI (Tamil Festival) hosted by Viji

See for Wheat halwa and Badam Halwa recipes here.

.::. Happy Dassera to All .::.

FAHC - Donation Drive



Children are our foundation for future. Our dreams and aspirations of our own children can easily be fulfilled as we do have reasonable means.

What about those who do not have the means? What about their dreams and aspirations? Efforts that aim at providing support to those, need to be appreciated and if possible, contributed and supported well.

To that purpose we can take a small step of Feeding a Hungry Child.

As part of spreading the fund collection effort with VKN and Indira I link the details of the FAHC Project.

Please spread this and also widen the smile of a Hungry Child with your contribution by clicking on the link below:-

Tomato Coriander Chutney

Tired Off Coconut Chutney. Here is an "attractive" tasty alternative.
Tomato and Coriander don the Main roles in this Chutney.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Fully ripe Tomato 3
2. One small Bunch of Coriander Leaves
3. Garlic Pods 3
4. Salt to taste
5. Oil 2 tsp
6. Dry Red chilli according to taste
7. Channa dal 1 tsp
8. Urad dal 1 tsp
9. Methi Seeds few
10. Jeera Pinch
11. Hing

Ingredients for Tempering:
1. Mustard Seeds
2. Oil 1 tsp
3. Curry Leaves

Method:
1. Heat Oil in a Kadai or Pan. Add Dry Red Chillies, Urad Dal, Channadal, Jeera, Methi and Garlic.
Fry till golden brown and keep it aside.
2. Now fry Tomato Pieces till mushy and add coriander leaves and fry for a minute.
Cool it.
3. Grind this by adding Salt and Hing.
4. Temper with Mustard seeds and Curry leaves.
.::. Have this Red, Spicy chutney Hot with Hot Idlis, Dosas, Kuzhi Paniyarams, Chappathis, etc. etc. .::.

Vazhaithandu Curd Pacchadi (Raita)

Banana Stem contains lot of Fibre.
It is very good vegetable for those who suffer from Kidney stones.
It act as a Slimming agent.
The tender core of the banana plant's trunk is also used, notably in the Burmese dish mohinga, Bengali and Kerala cooking.
The juice extract prepared from the tender core is used to treat kidney stones.
The Menutoday is Banana Stem Raita.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Banana Stem (cut into small pieces after taking out fibre)
Keep Immersed this cut stem in ButterMilk Water.
Ie. Add 2 tsp of curd to water.
2. Salt to taste
3. Hing
4. Curds

Ingredients for Grinding:
1. Grated Coconut 2 tsp
2. Green Chillies 1 (According to taste)

Ingredients for Tempering:
1. Oil 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds
3. Urad dal
4. Dry red Chillies
5. Curry Leaves

Method:
1 Steam Banana Stem adding little salt.
2. Cool and add to curds.
3. In that curd Mixture add grinded paste.
4. Temper the ingredients in oil and Pour over Pachadi.


Have this Delicious Raita with Biryani, Roti etc.

This is my Submission forJFI(Banana) Hosted by Mandira of Ahaar