Maa Vilakku - Aadi Velli Pooja

Maa  Vilakku  -  Aadi  Velli  Pooja:

Maa Vilakku , is a lamp made of jaggery, ghee and rice flour. It is prepared as an offering to the Goddess,  during the special pooja observed on Fridays in Aadi month of Tamil calendar.

All Fridays of Aadi month are considered auspicious. We could see illuminated temples with chanting of mantras and devotional songs. Preparing sweets for neivedhyam and offering ( prasadam ) to the goddess, doing special poojas at temples will be practiced  during this month.

Let us wish each other a very happy & prosperous Aadi Velli celebrations..!

My MIL prepared this Maa Vilakku for today’s pooja and offered to Goddess.

Glad to share this traditional recipe of Maa Vilakku with you all..!

Ingredients:

·         Rice                              - 2 cup

·         Jaggery powdered          - 1 cup

·         Cardamom                    - 2

·         Ghee                            - 50 g

Method:

1.     Wash and soak raw rice for 1 hour.

2.     Drain and spread it on a white cloth to dry under shade.

3.     Now, grind the damp rice in a mixie to smooth powder.

4.     Take a pan, melt ghee.

5.     Add powdered jaggery, rice flour and cardamom pwd.

6.     Mix well.

7.     Remove from flame.

8.     knead to smooth dough.

9.     Make a ball out of the dough.

10.  Using thumb make a small dent  on top of the ball.

11.  Place a wick / thiri and pour ghee around it.

12.  Light the thiri and offer your prayers.

13.  After pooja, remove the wick, break it into pieces, and distribute as prasadam to eat.

 Click to view the recipes for Chakkarai Pongal, Vadai & Payasam.

Wishing a lovely day to all..!

Jay

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…!

Pal Payasam / Happy Tamil New Year

Pal Payasam:   

 En Iniya Tamizh Puthandu Nalvazhthukkal

Wishing  all  my  Friends  a  very  happy  

        Tamil  New Year..!!!

Receive my simple gift of  LOVE

Wrapped with  SINCERITY

Tied with  CARE &

Sealed with  BLESSINGS

2  Keep  u  HAPPY  &  SAFE  all the life long.

Happy Tamil New Year....:)

In this auspicious day, I would love to share  Pal Payasam recipe, which is referred to as the king of payasams.  This yummy and favorite dessert is an authentic sweet dish made with milk, rice and ghee…!

Try n  enjoy this wonderful delicacy …:)

Ingredients:

·         Raw rice                        - ¼ cup

·         Milk                              - 1 litre

·         Sugar                           - 1 cup

·         Ghee                            - 1 tbsp

·         Cardamom pwd             - ½ tsp

·         Cashew                        - 8

·         Raisins                         - 10

·         Almonds                       - 6

Method:

1.     Wash and cook rice until it is done.

2.     Allow to cool and smash well.

3.     Heat milk in a pan and allow to boil.

4.     Keep the flame in low and continue boiling till the milk reduces to one half.

5.     Add the smashed rice, sugar, cardamom pwd and combine well.

6.     Let it boil , till the payasam thickens.

7.     Meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan.

8.     Roast cashew and raisins to golden.

9.     Add it to the payasam and remove from flame.

10.  Garnish with grated almond pieces.

11.  Enjoy it chilled or warm.

12.  Yummy pal payasam ready to relish..!

Happy  &   Prosperous  Tamil  New Year Wishes  to You All..!

          Jay