Almond Carrot Payasam / Aadi Perukku Festival

Almond Carrot Payasam: 

Aadi Perukku Festival:

Today, August 3 rd 2011, ( 18 th day of Tamil Month, Aadi ) is celebrated as Aadi Perukku. This unique festival is essentially a form of Nature worship. It is celebrated for paying respect and tribute to the life sustaining force of water. 

People used to float Ahal Vilakku ( mud lamps ) in water, with a belief of all our dreams will get fulfilled. 

Draw colorful Rangoli in front of houses, by early morning to welcome prosperity.

Nature worship in the form of Amman dieties are organized to shower Nature's bountiful grace and blessings on human beings  with peace and happiness. Throughout this Aadi month, devotees surge to have a rendezvous with the Goddess in Temples.

Grand feast  is prepared on this special day and family &  friends get together and pray for uninteruped supply of water and good harvest..!

The special food involves different mixed rice like tamarind rice, lemon rice, coconut rice, jaggery rice, vadai, payasam, aviyal and vadaam.

Today, we prepared Almond Carrot payasam for pooja offering  and  I'm  glad to share this smooth, rich and nutty payasam recipe with you all,  which is sure to tingle your tastebuds..!

Ingredients:

·         Almonds                       - 15

·         Cashew                        - 10

·         Pista                             - handful

·         Carrot                           - 2

·         Dates                            - 4

·         Saffron                          - few strands

·         Milk                              - ½ litre

·         Sugar                            - as required

·         Cardamom pwd              - a pinch

·         Ghee                            - 1 tsp

·         Raisins                         - 8 to 10

Method:

1.     Soak almonds and cashew in warm water for 20 minutes.

2.     Peel the skin of almonds.

3.     Wash and clean the carrots.

4.     pressure cook for one whistle.

5.     Grind carrot, almond, cashew, pista, dates and saffron with very little milk to smooth paste.

6.     Add milk to bowl and allow to boil in simmer.

7.     Add the ground paste, sugar, cardamom pwd and stir.

8.     Allow to boil for 5 minutes.

9.     Serve hot or chilled with ghee roasted cashew and raisins garnishing.

10.  Healthy and yummy Almond Carrot payasam ready to enjoy…!