ashtami rohini kolam

Avil Kesari Sweet Rice

Ingredients
 2 cups beaten rice (thick variety)
2 cups jaggery powder
 1 tsp orange colouring (mixed in 1 tbsp water)
1/2 cup ghee
10 cashewnuts
20 raisins
10 pods cardamom (powdered)
Method
Soak beaten rice in water and immediately drain . Boil 1 cup of water add jaggery ,cook for about 15 minutes.Heat ghee in a pan and fry raisins and cashewnuts till golden. Add  the soaked avil ,cardamom powder, cashewnuts and raisins. Mix well and serve.
Uppu Cheedai
6 cups rice flour
 1 cup black gram dal flour
1/2 tbsp black pepper
 1/2 tbsp cummin seeds
 1 tsp asafoetida powder
 1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 orange-sized ball of unsalted butter
1/2 coconut grated
 Oil for frying
 Salt to taste.
Method
Grind grated coconut black pepper and cummin seeds to a fine paste. Mix along with rice flour, black gram dal flour, asafoetida powder, white Sesame seeds, butter salt, and enough water to make a thick dough. Spread a clean cloth and roll the dough into tiny balls. Heat oil and fry a few Cheedais at a time. Cool and store in an air-tight tin.

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Vella Cheedai 

Ingredients
 2 cups rice flour
 1/2 cup jaggery (powdered)
1 tsp white sesame seeds
 2 tsp ghee  1 tbsp cocnut pieces
 Oil for frying
Method
Make a thick syrup and check consistency (as for vella Avil). Add sesame seeds, coconut pieces and ghee and set aside. When cool, add rice flour and form a thick dough. Make big marble-sized balls and set aside in a clean cloth for some time. Heat oil and fry a few balls (Cheedais) at a time. Similarly make all Cheedais. (When cheedais are kept on the cloth they trend to lose their shape. Before deep frying roll them again to balls.)

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Onam- Pookalam

No worries ,if you dont get flowers to
pookalam ,try the below style............Onam Ashamsakal!!!!!!!


Fruits & vegetables kolam web collections

easy star kolam

naduvasal kolam-2

Avani Avittam

Traditional Recipes...for Avani Avittam
Neyyappam 
Ingredients
* 1 cup rice (cleaned washed & Soaked for 4 hours) or rice flour
 *1 cup jaggery
 *1 tbsp coconut pieces 
* 10 pods cardamom (powdered)
* Ghee (for frying)
Method
Grind rice and jaggery to a very fine paste. (if you r planning to use the rice flour -make the jaggery water then add the rice flour )rice flour Add Cardamom powder and coconut pieces and mix well. Heat an Appam griddle and put a large spoonful of ghee in each dent. Pour batter. When cooked, turn over and cook on the other side.


Paal Payasam 
Ingredients
 2 Litres full cream milk
 2 cups sugar
 2 1/2 tbsp rice (small grain)
Method
Clean and wash rice and set aside. Heat milk in a heavy bottomed vessel. When it comes to a boil, add rice. Cook on a low fire stirring from time to time. When rice becomes soft, add sugar. Cook till well blended and serve hot or cold.
Paruppu Vadai 
Ingredients
 3 cups Bengal Gram Dal
 1 cup tur dal
 1 cupmblack gram dal
 2 tbsp grated coconut
 2 tbsp ghee
 Oil for frying
 4 red chilles
 15 green chilles
 4 sprigs curry leaves
 3/4 tsp asafoetida powder
 Salt to taste
Method
Clean, wash and soak dals together for 3 hours. Drain completely. Grind red and green chilles, curry leaves, asafoetida, salt and a spoonful of dals together to a fine paste. Add rest of dals and grind coarsely. Do not add water. Add ghee and grated coconut and mix well. Take a spoonnful of batter and pat into 5 cm Vadais. Make 4 to 5 Vadais at a time. Heat oil and deep fry Vadais, till crisp. Drain and serve hot.

VARALAKSHMI PUJA - August/ 12th/2011

 

                                 "Padmaasane Padmakare sarva lokaika poojithe
                                  Narayana priyadevi supreethaa bhava sarvada"

The Hindu festival Vara Lakshmi Vratam is an important pooja performed by  women .Itis celebrated on the last Friday of the bright fortnight in the month of Ashadha, also called Adi, which corresponds to the English months of July-August. 

Story

On one occasion, Parvati and Parameswara were engaged in a game of chess. Parvati was winning game after game, but Parameswara is said to have claimed the victory at each games, wantonly, to her intense chagrin. So Parvati wanted to have an umpire and one Chitranemi, a creation of Parameswara, was chosen. As an underling of Parameswara, he sided with him most unjustly. This provoked Parvati's anger and she cursed Chitranemi that he should become a leper for discharging his duty in most unfair manner.

When Chitranemi begged Parvati's forgiveness and Parameswara added his entreaties to it, she is said to have relented and modified the curse by adding that he would be cured of his leprosy by observing the Vara Lakshmi Vrata. By doing this Chitranemi was, it is said, rid of the loathsome disease.
The history of the origin Of the Vara Lakshmi Vrata is rather interesting. Lakshmi is said to have visited a pious woman by name Sarmadi, living in the city of Kuntinapura in Magadha (Bihar), in in one of her dreams and expressed her satisfaction at her devotion to her children. When she woke UP from her sleep, she took a bath and worshipped Lakshmi to ensure her blessings. When the other ladies heard of her dream and her worship of Lakshmi, they too began to worship her, and the custom is then said to have spread everywhere throughout the land in course of time.

Significance

Eight forces or energies are recognised and they are known as Sri (Wealth), Bhu (Earth), Sarasvati (learning), Priti (love), Kirti (Fame), Santi (Peace), Tushti(Pleasure) and Pushti(Strength). Each one of these forces is called a Lakshmi and all the eight forces are called the Ashta Lakshmis or the eight Lakshmis of the Hindus. Vishnu is also called Ashta Lakshmi Padhi which is equivalent to saying that he is the asylum for the eight-Lakshmis or forces. In fact, Vishnu representing the preservative aspect of the universe, radiates these forces from him. These forces are personified and worshipped as Lakshmis, since abstract force is beyond the comprehension of the ordinary people. As health, wealth and prosperity depend upon the rythmic play of these forces, the worship of Lakshmi is said to be to obtain these three. Only a woman can sympathise with women. Lakshmi is a woman. So she will more readily sympathise with women. Hence this festival is observed largely by women, invoking the blessings of Lakshmi on them, their husbands and their children.

Legend

As the legend goes, this is a pooja that was pronounced by no other than Lord Parameswara to be performed by his consort Parvathi to seek prosperity and happiness for the family. Thus it came to be emulated by married women who sought boons (varam) for the health, wealth and knowledge for the entire family. In some cases, women prayed for being blessed with children. The prescribed day for the pooja is the Friday of the month of Sravan in the fortnight known as Sukla paksha, preceding the full moon day.

One of my favorite design.......I learned this recently

Today is (Aug.3rd 2011)"Padinettam perukku" - Padinettu signifies eighteen, and Perukku denotes rising. This festival is observed predominately by women in Tamil Nadu. The Aadiperukku, as a water-ritual, celebrated by women is said to honour Nature. People began to worship water in the form of wells, tanks and rivers.


For us pathinettam perukku celebration starts in the morning with a simple naalu moola kolam ,enna thechu kuli and make variety rice with sweet pongal.  We offer the nivedyams to God after chanting Devi stothrams.

sago dosa

   

Ingredients:

1/2 cup - sago
1 cup - raw rice
1 cup - par-boiled rice
1 - green chilli
Coriander leaves
Curry leaves
Salt to taste

1. Soak sago, raw rice and par boiled rice together in water for 6 hours minimum.
2. Leaving it over night gives the best result.
3. Now grind it into a smooth paste.
4. The batter should be in the consistency of rava dosa batter (watery).
5. Add chopped chilly, coriander leaves, curry leaves and salt to it and mix well.
6. Now heat the skillet and pour a ladle full of batter starting from the edges in a circular way.
7. Since the batter is loose it will automatically fill the middle portion.
8. Add a spoon of oil to roast it.
9. Turn the dosa and roast it on the other side too.
10. Sago dosa is ready to eat.
11. Serve it hot with chutney and idly chilli powder.

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karkidaka maasam/Ramayana maasam / aadi maasam-July17-aug17

Karkidaka masam is the last month in malayalam calendar.

Aadi Masam, is the fourth month in Tamil Calendar.

Here are some auspicious days in karkidakam/Aadi Masam in 2011

Aadi Vellikizhamai – Fridays in the Aadi Masam is also considered auspicious.

Karkidakavavu/Aadi Amavasi (July 30, 2011) – No moon day in Aadi month dedicated to offering Shradh and Tarpan to dead ancestors.

Aadi Perukku (August 3) – The festival is dedicated to Kaveri River and falls on the eighteenth day in Aadi Masam.

Varalakshmi Puja (August 12) – Worship of Goddess Lakshmi. 

Chetta purathu, Sreedevi Akathu

Months follow by Kerala Iyers

The twelve months in the Kerala Iyer Calendar.      Malayalam Months  Months - Western Calendar Medam April - May Edavam May - June Midhunam June - July Karkidakam July - August Chingam August - September Kanni September - October Thulam October - November Vrichikam November - December Dhanu December - January Makaram January - February Kumbam February - March  Meenam                                        March - April

Simple maakkolam

simple maakkolam

water kolam collections

kathakali

Easy umachi crafts

Creating a designer glass plate 

                                                                                                       by Hobbyideas

 

kolam crafts

kolam craft

My daughter made this with my help.
I got the idea from web.We used a round cardboard +red polyester cloth + golden lace +golden decorative stuff and glue .Hang it in your umachi room.
Its very easy to make . Give this as  gift(vettila pakku) at the time of navarathri .

Naalu moola kolam

Variety Rice

Spinach & Corn Rice

@ spinach rice

Ingredients
Rice 1 ¼ cups
Spinach 2 medium sized bundles
Ginger 1inch knob, Green cardamom 2, Garlic 4-6 cloves, Green chillies 2-3
Oil 1 ½ tspns, Cumin seeds 1 tspn, Bay leaf 1, Cloves 2
Pepper corns 5
Frozen corn kernels ¾ cup
Black cardamom 2
Cinnamon 1 inch piece
Mace 1 blade
Lemon juice 1 tblspn
Salt to taste

Procedure

  Soak the rice for half an hour. Clean and thoroughly wash and chop spinach. Thaw frozen corn kernels till they are soft. Peel, wash, and finely chop ginger and garlic. Wash green chillies, remove stem and then slit them into two. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add cumin seeds and when they start to change colour, add bay leaf,cloves, pepper corns, green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon and macce. Stir fry briefly. Add chopped ginger, garlic and slit green chillies. Cook on medium heat for a minute. Add corn kernels and continue cooking for two to three minutes.

  Cook the rice first,then  add chopped spinach and mix well. Cook on high heat, stirring gently but continuously. When water is almost absorbed, add lemon juice and lower the heat. Cover the pan and continue cooking for about five to seven minutes .

               Coconut Rice            

@ coconut rice

Ingredients

2 cooked rice
 2 c grated fresh coconut
  1/4 c raisins
1/4 c almonds, sliced /cashews
salt
for tempering
mustard seeds1/4ts
urad dal 1/2 ts
jeera 1/4 ts

red chillies2
hing powder

 pepper(optional)
Procedure

  Spread the cooked hot rice on a flat dish to cool.

In another pot,do the tempering then  fry grated coconut until coconut becomes soft (say, 10 minutes). Add rice,raisins, and almonds.Enjoy!!!

Lemon Rice

@ lemon rice

Ingredients

2 tsp black gram dal
1 c cooked rice
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chopped ginger
3 pc chopped dried red chilies
1 tsp turmeric powder
Curry leaves
5 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tbsp roasted nuts

Procedure

Soak dal in water for 30 minutes, then drain and dry on paper towel. Set aside. Spread rice on a plate, and sprinkle with a little oil. In frying pan, put oil and sauté mustard seeds, chopped ginger, black gram dal, and chilies, then add turmeric powder and curry leaves. Remove from fire.

Add lemon juice and salt to taste. Add rice and mix well. Top with roasted nuts.

Tamarind Rice

@ puliyohare

Ingredients

1 c rice
1/4 c ripe tamarind
3 tsp chopped ginger
2 tbsp gram dal (optional)
3 red dried chilies
1/4 c oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
ds 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
6 fenugreek seeds, roasted
1/4 c roasted nuts
Salt to taste

Procedure

Cook rice. Soak tamarind in 1 cup hot water for 30 minutes. Extract pulp; add 1/2 cup more water. Mix very well and strain pulp. Soak gram dal in 1/2 cup water for 30 minutes; drain and dry on paper towel. Chop red chilies. Heat oil, add mustard seeds. As soon as seeds start to split, add dal and sauté till light brown.

Add chilies, sauté for a minute; add tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, and salt. Boil until mixture is like tomato paste. Add all spices that have been ground into powder; mix well; stir in the rice. Leave on low fire till rice is done.

Vegetable pulav

@ vegetable pulav

Ingredients
  Basmathi rice 2 cups
Mint leaves few sprigs
Coriander leaves 1 bunch
Water 3 ½ cups
Kewra essence few drops
Saffron ½ tsp (dissolved in 1tsp milk)
Almonds 20 gms, Raisins 20 gms, Cashewnuts 20 gms
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Potatoes 1 cup (diced)
Cauliflower florets 1 ½ cup
Peas 1 cup
Cumin seeds 1 cup
Carrots ½ cup (diced)
Peppercorns 8
Cloves 6, Bayleaves 2, Cardamoms 4, Cinnamon 1 stick
Refined oil 50 gms
Onions 2 (Sliced)

Procedure

Wash and soak the basmathi rice. Drain and keep aside. Fry onions in oil and set aside. To the same oil, add the whole masalas, vegetables and cook for few minutes. Add Jeeraka Samba rice and fry till grains separate. Add salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder and water. When rice is ¾th done, add the saffron and cook till fully done.

Sprinkle with kewra essence. Granish with chopped cashewnuts, almonds, raisins, fried onions, fresh mint and coriander leaves. Serve steaming hot with raita.

@ curd rice

Curd Rice

Raw rice 1cup Milk 250ml Fresh curd 1/2 cup Salt to taste Finely cut ginger 1 tsp Asafoetida 1 tsp Green chillies 8 Finely cut coriander leaves 1tbs For seasoning: Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp Black gram dal 1 tsp Bengal gram dal 1 tin

Method Cook rice till it becomes soft. Drain water and allow it to cool. Mash with hand and add thick milk. Heat oil, add the seasonings and fry till golden brown. Add slit green chillies and ginger, sauté for a minute and pour over the rice. Add curd, salt, asafoetida and mix well. Serve soon after mixing with curd. Keeping it for a long time will turn the rice rice sour. Garnish with coriander leaves.  Peas Pulav Ingredients :   Basmati Rice                 1 cup Peas                         1 cup Onions                       1 NO Ginger                       1'inch piece chopped finely green Chillies/serrano pepper 2 nos Salt                         Acc to taste Cinnamon                     1 piece Cloves                       1 no Bay leaf                     2 Nos coriander                    for garnish Butter/Ghee/margarine        2 tbsp water                        2 cups cashew                       1/4 cup sugar                        1 tsp   Method:   Soak The Basmati Rice in water for half an hour before cooking.Wash & drain the rice.   In a rice cooker or in a pan take some butter/ghee. AS it starts melting add  bay leaf,cinnamon,cloves. fry for a minute till the aroma starts filling the room at which time start adding chopped ginger,serano pepper & Peas.   Fry them briefly & add the rice,salt & sugar . Fry it till all the rice is quoted with ghee & spices. Add the water & cover the lid.   In a seperate pan add a little butter & fry the cashew pieces & keep aside.   In the same pan fry the onions till it turns translucent & brown.   Garnish the rice with cashews,onions & coriander.   Mango rice Mango Rice Ingredients :   Raw Green Mango          1 NO Ginger chopped           1 piece Green chili peppers      2 Nos Salt                     Acc to taste Rice                     1 Cup   Seasoning :    Oil                      2 tsp Mustard seeds            1 tsp Curry leaves fresh       few (optional)     Peanuts                  1/4 cup   Method: Cook the Rice so that each grains are separate & let it cool. Peel & grate the Raw Mango. In a pan heat the oil add the seasoning. Fry for a minute & then add ginger, green chilies & shredded mangoes . Keep stirring for a few minutes till the mango gets cooked. Take care that the mango does not loose its color. Mix it with rice & serve hot or cold. Tomato Rice @ tomato rice Ingredients :   Tomatoes medium size    4 Nos Chopped lengthwise Basmati Rice            1 Cup Onion Small             1 NO  Chopped lenghtwise Ginger finely chopped   1 " inch piece Salt Acc To Taste Chilli Powder           1 tsp Dhani Powder            2 tsp Jeera Powder            1 tsp Tumeric                 1/2 tsp Garam Masla Powder      1 tsp Oil                     3 tbsp Fresh Coriander         For Garnishing Mustard seeds           For Seasoning   Method: Cook the Basmati Rice & let it Cool. Heat the Oil in the Pan & add mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering add Onions , fry till translucent. Add ginger ,tomatoes , salt,tumeric & keep stirring. When Everything is mixed together add all the dry masala powders. Let it cook; keep stirring frequently. When the tomatoes are cooked add the Rice & combine. Garnish with Fresh Coriander leaves & enjoy.