RAGI PORRIDGE

This was supposed to be posted months ago when I started weaning foods for my Lil angel.But lately my cooking has become a sort of 'multi purpose'!Cook something that finds its place on our table,the blog and an event-Three in one cooking!Most of my stuff is still in the draft.

So this one is being posted for WBB series started by Nandita of saffron trail,now hosted by Aparna under the title WBB-Grains in my breakfast [Since this is my lil angels breakfast,I hope Aparna will accept this one]and also to JFI-Whole grains hosted by Sukanya of Tasty palettes .


As a Dietitian , I have always insisted the new moms that they feed home made foods for their tiny tots, one main reason being the love and affection with which they cook for the little one which am sure will reflect on their little one's health.The second being lesser risk of over/under dilution,contamination etc.


The pediatrician asked me to start weaning foods from six months.I wanted to start off with homemade stuff for my lil angel instead the commercial products.


Ragi is a very nutritious cereal and if given in the right method, it is suitable for the little tummy.A little info on Ragi.It is also called finger millet ,African millet.It has a valuable amino acid -Methionine .100g of ragi gives 328kcal energy , 7.3 g protein ,1.3 g fat,72 g carbohydrate ,3.44g calcium and 3.6g fibre.The nutritive value increases when it is malted.

There are 2 methods of preparing this simple Ragi porridge.

Method 1:

1. Soak 3 tablespoons of ragi overnight.
2. The next morning,wash well and grind in a mixie using little water and squeeze out the 'milk'.
3. Repeat this two or three times.
4. Strain and leave aside for 3 hours.
5. In this 3 hours, the ragi milk would have separated into a sediment and a little liquid above it.
6. Gently pour out the liquid without disturbing the sediment.
7. Reserve the liquid.
8. Put the sediment into a thick bottomed pan and mix in a little of the reserved liquid and a little sugar[optional] .
9. Switch on the stove and stir continuously for a few minutes.
10. Keep adding the reserved liquid till you get the desired consistency.
11. If the reserved liquid is not sufficient,use water.
12. After 5 minutes of stirring ,reduce the flame and add a drop of ghee[clarified butter].
13. Stir continuously till you get a glossy surface.
14. This glossiness shows our porridge is ready.
15. Stir for another minute or two and remove from heat.

Method 2:

Preparing the malt powder:

1. Soak the required quantity of ragi [about 1/2 a kilo] overnight.
2. Next morning drain and put it in a wet cloth bag and keep it in a warm place for it to sprout.
3. When the sprouts are around an inch long,spread it on a clean cotton cloth and dry in shade.
4. When dry ,crush the ragi lightly so that the sprouts and grains are separate.
5. Discard the sprouts and dry roast the ragi till you get a nice aroma [on slow heat].
6. Cool and powder finely.
7. Sieve and store in an airtight container.

To prepare porridge:

1. When you want to make the porridge,take 2 teaspoons of this powder and mix with a little water to make a smooth paste and keep aside.
2. Heat 150 ml water in heavy bottom vessel and when the water starts to boil, add this paste and stir continuously .Take care to avoid lumps.
3. Add a little sugar[Optional]
4. Simmer and keep stirring.
5. After 5 minutes, add a drop of ghee and stir.
6. When the surface appears glossy it means the porridge is done.
7. Continue stirring for a few minutes and remove from heat.

My notes:

The first method is cumbersome because amidst all the work you should remember to soak the ragi and then the next day between all the cooking and cleaning you must grind and make the porridge but its worth all the effort.

But in case you are really busy or forget to soak the ragi the night before,method 2 is very helpful.

Be it method one or two,always begin with a couple of spoonfuls and then slowly increase the feeds for the little one.Never start off with a cupful of feeds.Check if the baby accepts the feed and then proceed.

Initially,the porridge should be very watery and gradually thicken it after 15 days.Start with water,the next month make it Milk+water in the ratio 1:1 and later use only milk.Each time you vary the combination give a couple of spoonfuls only.

Please note that this is not a medical advice.Always check with your pediatrician/dietitian before you start any weaning food.

THAYIR VADAI

My all time favorite snack is going to be a part of EC's WYF Salad/Starters/Soups .

You need:

Ulundhu vadai
Thick Curds
Ginger - a small piece
Green chilli - to taste
Coriander- to garnish
Boondhi/Sev to garnish

1. Grind the ginger and green chilli to a fine paste
2. Mix this paste with the thick curd and chill.
3. Immerse the vadai in hot water.
4. Take out immediately and squeeze out the water.
5. Place it on a serving dish.
6. Pour a generous helping of the chilled curd
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and Boondi/sev
8. Roasted nuts can also be used as a garnish.

If you don't have vadai but still want to eat thayir vadai,here is another easy snack that tastes almost similar-Bread thayir vadai.

ULUNDHU VADAI

Ulundhu vadai is a deep fried snack made from urad dhal.It is usually had as a snack or with idli and pongal.Almost all the south Indian feasts will feature this vadai for breakfast.


This starter will go to EC's WYF Salad/Starters/Soups .

You need:
White urad dhal- 1 cup
Rice flour-2 teaspoons[For crispiness]
Green chillies-3,finely chopped
Peppercorns- a few
Curry leaves - a few
Oil to deep fry
Salt to taste.

1. Soak urad dhal for 5 hours
2. Drain well and grind to a smooth paste till fluffy without adding water.Sprinkle very little water if needed.
3. Put it into a bowl and add the rice flour ,chopped curry leaves,chillies,peppercorns,salt and mix well.
4. Heat oil in a pan
5. Take a greased plastic sheet ,put a dollop of the batter on it ,flatten lightly and make a small hole in the centre.
6. Gently take it off the sheet and lower it into the hot oil.
7. Simmer and gently turn over after a few seconds and fry till golden brown on both sides.
8. Use a slotted spatula and drain the excess oil
9. serve with coconut chutney and sambar.

If you like to add onions,add it to the batter [finely chopped] and follow the same steps.

This vadai can also be soaked in sambar and served as sambar vadai.

Thayir vadai is another famous snack.Check out the recipe here.The vadai can be fried as a ball without a hole in the centre.

BANANA IN RICH COCONUT SAUCE

Amidst all the packing,sorting out things to dispose and pack for safe-keeping,I had one event at the back of my mind-dear DK's AWED-Vietnamese.

I didn't wana miss her event so I went looking for a lovely recipe and got plenty of them but as luck would have it,I landed up with this one-'an easy-to-prepare-dish' -as usual.This is not much of a recipe but tasted really great. Hopefully next month I will come up with an exotic one....

Before I go on to the recipe,let me share my earliest memories of Vietnam.No,I have never visited that place but read a lot about it.My school emphasised on reading books other than those included in the curriculum and the library hour each week was as important as any other subject.It inculcated in us the pleasures of reading and broadening our views / knowledge on various subjects.There were the Enid Blyton's series which we literally fought to borrow and a host of classic literature,journals and stuff.

Amongst these,I chanced upon a book based on the Vietnamese war.I don't remember the name but the story really moved me.It was about a happy family separated by the war and all the sufferings they underwent.That was my first exposure to Vietnam and the horrors the people had undergone.Even now it brings tears in my eyes.

Anyways,after that I used to read about Vietnam in some magazine or the other and catch up with the happenings.What was once a war-struck country is now slowly gaining its popularity as a tourist destination. It is a land of mountains, fertile deltas,lush forests with exotic fauna, rivers, enchanting caves, heavenly waterfalls and beaches.What was once looked upon through the lens of war is now an exotic holiday spot.

Coming to the cuisine,it has Chinese,French and Thai influences.Rice/noodles is the mainstay .The cuisine is very 'light', makes use of fresh herbs, including lemon grass, basil, coriander, parsley, laksa leaf, lime, and chili. Tropical fruits like bananas, pineapples, coconuts, lychees, melons, mandarin oranges, grapes, and other exotic fruits find a place in this wonderful cuisine.

Here is the recipe for banana in rich coconut sauce-a quick dessert

You need:

Coconut milk-200ml[Thick]
Sugar-To taste
Salt-a pinch
Bananas-peeled ,sliced diagonally

1. In a pan heat the coconut milk and add the sugar and salt.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer till it reduces a little [Thickens]
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the banana slices.
4. Put it back on the stove and boil for a few seconds in low flame to coat the bananas.
5. Serve hot or cold.

Don't use very ripe bananas cos they get a little mushy when cooked in coconut milk.Use the ripe but firm variety.This is kinda different from the usual banana milkshake and I loved it chilled.

PUTTU AND KADALA CURRY

This is one of my fav breakfast dish.When I am not in a mood to prepare this at home,I get it from the restaurant.This week though,Puttu and kadala curry was prepared at home.

These two will go to WBB series started by Nandita of saffron trail,now hosted by Aparna under the title WBB-Grains in my breakfast


Kadala Curry will see its place at Lucy's Third helping for My legume love affair started by Susan

For Puttu:

You need:

Processed rice flour-2 cups

Coconut-1/2 cup grated

Salt to taste

1. Take the rice flour in a big bowl and add salt and mix well.
2. Sprinkle water a Little at a time and mix such that the flour resembles breadcrumbs.
3. In a puttu steamer alternate coconut and flour starting with grated coconut
4. Steam for 15 minutes or till done[You will know when its done from the wonderful aroma that wafts around the house]
5. Serve hot with kadala curry or sugar and banana

Puttu can also be prepared in the same way with roasted wheat/Ragi flour.

The puttu steamer is a pot with a cylindrical tube to put in the flour.The water boils in the pot and the steam cooks the puttu.If the puttu steamer is not available,it can be placed on a iddli steamer [Don't press the flour into the mould] and steamed.In case iddli steamer is not available put the flour into a vessel[Alternate coconut and flour] and steam it in any steamer and cut into squares and serve.It will taste just the same.

Some people like to steam the puttu with sugar and coconut and have banana as side dish.I prefer it with kadala curry.

For Kadala Curry:

You need:

Black channa-1 cup

Grated coconut-1/4 cup

Shallots-10 nos,sliced

Coriander powder-2 teaspoons

Chilli powder-2 teaspoons[adjust to taste]

Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon

Tomato- 2, chopped

Garlic-5 pods

Ginger-1"piece

Mustard-1 teaspoon

Jeera-1 teaspoon

Curry leaves and coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Oil-3 tablespoons

1. Soak black channa overnight.
2. Drain and pressure cook with enough water till done.
3. Drain the remaining water and reserve.
4. Grind coconut,chilli powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder,ginger and garlic to a smooth paste.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and jeera.
6. When they splutter add the sliced onion and saute till brown.
7. Add the chopped tomatoes, curry leaves and cook till tomatoes are soft.
8. Add the ground paste ,salt and cook till the raw smell disappears.
9. Put in the boiled channa and add the reserved water .
10. Adjust the water till you get the gravy consistency.
11. Let it cook on slow heat for a few minutes.
12. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Puttu,Chappathi or rice.

RECREATING FROM MONSOON SPICE-SPICED BUTTERMILK

I had planned to try Cheela for this months Tried and tasted hosted by Zlamushka in her 'Spicy Kitchen'.This is such a fun event where we visit the chosen blog and try out one [or many] of their recipes.This month featuring Sia's Monsoon Spice .

Sia has such a gorgeous blog with yumm, drool-worthy photos.I had visited her blog by chance one day and sat there droolingall day long.[That was way before I even planned to start a blog].

As for the cheelas that I originally wanted to try was forgotten coz I was so immersed in my daily chores s. Before I finished all my chores I was tired and thirsty.What else will refresh me more than Spiced Buttermilk !!!

It's such a quick thing to prepare and you are sure to fell thoroughly refreshed.I just left out one ingredient from the original recipe - Lemon Juice,because I didn't have lemon handy.I put in a pinch of chilli powder as garnish.

The taste was excellent and after this wonderful drink , started my chores with renewed energy.

If I have enough time,I will surely try out the cheela and post it.

KEERAI KADAIYAL[GREENS GRAVY]

I am sure that all of us[or at least most of us] have gone through the 'I-hate-greens' phase in spite of hearing the advice -"Eat your greens"! .Looking back now,I can understand why mom used to emphasize on the addition of greens in the diet.

The nutritive value of green leafy vegetables[Keerai/Soppu] cannot be undermined.Though some greens are used to add flavor,there are others which provide some vital vitamins and minerals that we need.

So,here is an easy greens gravy recipe that I learnt from my MIL.This is a change from the usual kootu/greens stir fry.

This recipes goes in for Food in colors-Green hosted by Sunshinemom.

You need:

Greens-1 bunch,finely chopped

Shallots-10 no.s, sliced

Garlic-5 pods,sliced

Tomato - 1 chopped

Red chilles-4 [adjust to taste]

Asafoetida-a pinch

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 teaspoons

To season:

Coconut oil - 2 teaspoons

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Jeera - 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves-a few

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and put in the onions,garlic and saute till light brown keeping it in low flame.
2. Add the tomatoes,asafoetida and red chillies and saute for a minute.
3. Put in the greens,salt and mix well.
4. Sprinkle the required amount of water and keep the pan covered and cook in low flame.
5. Check once in a while ,stir and add water if needed.
6. When the greens are cooked,remove from fire and transfer into a bowl.
7. Mash well with a wooden spatula.[Traditionally we use 'maththu'].
8. Heat the coconut oil and add the seasonings and let it crackle.
9. Pour over the greens gravy and mix well.
10. Serve with rice or chappathi.

Tips:

1.I have tried this in most variety of greens but not with fenugreek.Very tasty when prepared with palak,amaranth.

2.Cook the greens covered and in low flame.

3.Onions [1 no. sliced] can be used instead of shallots.

3.If coconut oil is not available use regular cooking oil for seasoning but the real flavour is got from coconut oil .

4.Do not grind the greens in a mixie as it will make it gooey.

SWEET KADUVU[SWEET KOZHUKATTAI]

The best part of celebrating Ganesh Chathurthi is the loads of goodies you get to relish after the pooja.One such thing is Kaduvu or kozhukattai.

You need:

For the dough:
Processed rice flour - 1 cup
Salt - to taste

For the sweet filling:
Coconut grated- 1/2 cup
Jaggery,powdered-1/4 cup
Cardamon powder- a pinch[Optional]

For the dough:

1. Mix salt and processed rice flour.
2. Heat 1 1/2 cups of water in a heavy bottomed pan.
3. Bring to a boil ,simmer and slowly stir in the processed rice flour.
4. The dough has to be stirred continuously to avoid lumps.
5. Keep stirring till the dough comes together as a ball and is glossy.
6. Test it by taking a bit of dough and shape into a ball.The ball should not break.This is the right stage,the dough it is done.
7. Remove from heat and let it cool a little.
8. When it cools enough to be handled,grease your hands and knead well for 5 minutes.

For the filling:

Grind together coconut,cardamom and jaggery [Not to a fine paste].

To assemble:

1. Prepare the filling first and keep it aside.
2. When the dough is still warm make small balls.
3. Shape them into small cups and keep a little bit of the the filling in it and shape into modaks/kaduvu/kozhukattai.

4. Arrange the prepared kaduvus in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes or till done.

Note:

Each variety of rice flour will absorb water differently.So keep some extra hot water handy when preparing the dough

If you are in a hurry to prepare kaduvu,use plain rice flour instead of processed rice flour.

This goes in for Mythreyee's Sweet series - Deep fried or steam cooked sweets .

KAARA KADUVU[SAVORY KOZHUKATTAI]

You need:

For the dough:
Processed rice flour - 1 cup
Salt - to taste

For savory filling:
Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
Gram dhal - a little less than 1/4 cup
Urad dhal - 2 tablespoons
Red chillies- 5
Curry leaves - a few
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Salt to taste.

For the dough:

1. Mix salt and processed rice flour.
2. Heat 1 1/2 cups of water in a heavy bottomed pan.
3. Bring to a boil ,simmer and slowly stir in the processed rice flour.
4. The dough has to be stirred continuously to avoid lumps.
5. Keep stirring till the dough comes together as a ball and is glossy.
6. Test it by taking a bit of dough and shape into a ball.The ball should not break.This is the right stage,the dough it is done.
7. Remove from heat and let it cool a little.
8. When it cools enough to be handled,grease your hands and knead well for 5 minutes.

For the filling:

1. Soak the 3 dhals for 2 hours.
2. Drain well and grind to a coarse paste along with red chillies and salt.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
4. When it crackles,add the asafoetida,curry leaves and the ground paste.
5. Stir well and cook for a few minutes.
6. Remove form heat.

To assemble:

1. Prepare the filling first and keep it aside.
2. When the dough is still warm make small balls.
3. Shape them into small circles and keep a little bit of the the filling in it and close with the other half [Semicircle].

1. Arrange in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes or till done.

Note:
Each variety of rice flour will absorb water differently.So keep some extra hot water handy when preparing the dough
If you are in a hurry to prepare kaduvu,use plain rice flour instead of processed rice flour.

SEMIYA PAYASA

This one is easy as ever!!

Take 1/2 cup pre-roasted vermicelli[Semiya].If you don't get the pre-roasted variety,heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan and roast the vermicelli till brown on slow flame.

Now coming back to our pre-roasted variety,put it in a pan and pour water[approx.1 cup] into in and stir lightly so that the vermicelli does not get broken/mushy.

When half done,add 1/4th cup sugar into it and mix gently.Stir occasionally.

When fully cooked[the vermicelli should be soft but not mushy,so adjust the water accordingly] remove from fire and let it cool.

Before serving,add the required quantity of milk and serve garnished with roasted cashew and raisins.

AMBADAY[FRIED LENTIL SNACK]

Usually we prepare this when we have some guests at home for lunch or during festivals/functions.A mug[cup is not enough for me :)] of hot coffee and these snacks are absolute heaven on cold rainy evenings.


You need to soak these for 2-3 hours:
Toor dhal-1 cup
Gram dhal - 2 teaspoons
Red chillies - 3-4

You also need:
Asafoetida powder
Coconut - 2 teaspoons-cut into small pieces
Curry leaves
Oil for deep frying

1.Wash the dhals in the same water and drain completely.
2.Grind coarsely [for just a minute] using very little water along with chillies [We get crunchy vadai with coarsely ground paste].
3.To this add chopped curry leaves,coconut pieces,salt and asafoetida and mix well.
4.Make small balls flatten lightly and deep fry till golden brown



There is another method of preparing this with spices,called -MASAL VADAI.


For this omit the coconut pieces and add finely chopped onion,a little bit of grated ginger,cinnamon pieces,a few fennel seeds to the ground paste and proceed as above.In our masal vadai is usually not prepared for festivals.

When I was a little girl,a mouse got into our house and kept chewing anything and everything that came its way.Fed up trying to chase away the mouse[which seemed to disappear when we came looking for it],my dad got a mouse trap to be set that night.Then he suddenly exclaimed "Oh no,we can't set the trap tonight,we don't have masal vadai..".What has masal vadai got to do with setting a mouse trap?


Looking at my confused expression dad continued to say that the aroma of masal vadai will lure the mouse into the trap and we can set it free somewhere else.[No loss of life!!]


Next day we got masal vadai from the neighbourhood tea-stall [for me as well for the dear little mouse] and finally caught the mouse which had eluded us for weeks and set it free in the nearby woods.

Whenever I hear the word masal vadai or see a mouse I always remember this incident .

GRAM DHAL SUNDAL

A simple protein packed snack.

You need:

Gram dhal/Kadalai paruppu - 1 cup

Grated coconut - 5 teaspoons

Green chillies ,slit - 2

Salt to taste

For seasoning:

Mustard - 1 teaspoon

Jeera - 1 teaspoon

Urad dhal- 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves- a few

Oil - 1 tablespoon

1. Pressure cook the gram dhal till done.Don't add too much water /steam for too long as the dhal will get mushy.
2. Heat oil in pan and put in the mustard ,jeera and urad dhal.
3. When the seasonings crackle and the urad dhal turns brown,add the curry leaves,green chillies and the cooked gram dhal and mix well.
4. Add salt and grated coconut.
5. Stir for a few minutes and serve.

COCONUT PAYASA

This recipe is from my mom,very easy to prepare

You need:

Coconut - 1 cup

Jaggery,powdered-1/2 cup

Coconut milk - 2 cups[thick]

Cardamom powdered- a pinch[Optional]

Roasted cashews and raisins to garnish

1.Grind the coconut and jaggery without adding water to a fine paste.If required add a little milk/water while grinding.

2.In a pan,pour in the coconut milk and bring it to a boil and add the groud paste and cardamom.

3.Simmer till it thickens.

4.Serve hot or cold garnished with cashews and raisins.

If you are in a hurry to prepare this payasa,milk can be used instead of coconut milk.

COCONUT MILK

Coconut water is not to be confused for coconut milk.Though a little time consuming,the dish prepared with coconut milk is worth all the effort.The rich taste is from the high oil and sugar content of the coconut.Two varieties of coconut milk is extracted - the thick and thin varieties.


First,soak grated coconut in hot water for a few minutes and grind it for a few minutes.Squeeze out the milk and filter out the residue.This is the thick/first extract.


Soak the remaining coconut meal from the first extract in hot water and repeat the above process.This extract is less dense and is the thin/second extract.

Coconut milk is used as a side dish for aapam,a south Indian breakfast dish,used to impart richness in kheers/payasams and in a host of other dishes all over the world.Some recipes call for thick milk or the first extract alone while the others require adding the thick extract first during cooking and later adding the second extract.So,keep the first,second and third extract separately and use accordingly.

Some prepare coconut milk by soaking the coconut in hot water and squeezing out the milk without grinding.But I prefer to grind and extract.

PROCESSED RICE FLOUR FOR SNACKS

Processed rice flour adds flavour to the snacks and can be done at home.It give glossiness to snacks like kozhukattai and adds to the taste and crispness of fried snacks.


The only disadvantage is that this flour cannot be prepared in advance and stored.It is to be prepared on the day you are going to use it.


1.Take the required quantity of rice and soak it in water for half an hour.
2.Drain completely and spread on a clean cloth
3.Dry in shade till 3/4 dry.
4.Dry grind till finely powdered.
5.Sieve and again grind the remaining.
6.Use on the same day.

GANESH CHATHURTHI

The day after 'Mangala Gowri Habba' comes Ganesha chathurthi.

Vigneshwara/Ganesha/Ganapathy is one of the popular deities . He is the God of Knowledge and is invoked at the commencement of any function. Since He is worshipped to remove 'vighnam' [obstacles],He is also known by the name Vighneswara. He is also described as the Supreme Leader ( Vinayaka). Ganapathy is said to have had two spouses. Buddhi(intellect) and Siddhi(achievement). He is the master of knowledge and achievement


Like every other year,we got a few Ganesha idols for the festival.

We have a Ganesha idol that we place in pooja every year and it is placed beside the Turmeric Gowri which was made the previous day for the 'Mangala Gowri Habba' .He is worshipped with kumkum[Vermillion],turmeric,Akshathay[sacred yellow rice],and flowers,arugam pull[a kind of grass] and is offered a wide range of dishes as 'neivedhyam' [offering to Diety].Kozhukattai,Sundal,appam,pori,Payasam are few of His favorites.

This year we prepared

Coconut Payasa

Sweet kozhukattai

Savory kozukattai

Gram dhal Sundal

Okay,now comming to the riddle about the connection between Mangala Gowri Habba and Ganesh Chathurthi-any guesses??

When Gowri[Parvathi] came to Her mom's place to do the pooja,Lord Shiva could not bear to be without Her and so He sent His little son-Ganesha to inform His mom to come home at the earliest.Thus Ganesha came to His Grandparents house and was fed with all the yummy food and He returned home with his mom.

So now you the the connection....

MANGALA GOWRI HABBA-AUSPICIOUS GOWRI POOJA

The day before ganesh chathurthi,we celebrate 'Mangala Gowri Habba' meaning the Auspicious Gowri Pooja.

This pooja is performed by married women ,praying to the Almighty that He may bestow good health and longevity to her husband.The procedure for this pooja may differ from household to household but the essence of performing this pooja is the same.

This year too mom invited me home to perform this pooja since this is done in the mother's house by the daughter with the mother initiating the pooja.

Legend says that Gowri[Parvathi] -Lord Shiva's consort,went to her mothers house to perform this pooja [Hence the daughters' get invited by their mothers'.]

This year mom had already set the pooja room[Prayer room] for the ritual.We have a Framed painting of Parvathi seated with her two sons that my grandmom used and that is the one we have been using for a long long time.The framed painting is placed on a wooden plank and a small ,beautiful skirt is spread beneath it.On either sides of the Deity,blouse material folded into triangles are placed along with 'cobri' [Dried coconut],Bicholay-Karumani,[bicholay is a small ring made from Palmyra leaf dyed in red, which is tied with a black bangle and a few black beads]bangles,small mirrors.In the centre ,a handful of rice is spread and 5 pieces of dried turmeric rhizome is placed.All these items that are placed before the Deity are considered scared and auspicious.

Lamps and incense sticks are lit and the festivity mood begins.A handful of turmeric powder is taken and put on a plate and mixed with small amount of water and shaped into a cone and placed over a betel leaf in front of the 5 turmeric rhizomes.This turmeric is the 'Gowri'.Some families have this made in silver.Vermilion is applied on the Gowri.

Turmeric,vermilion,Akshathay[sacred yellow rice prepared by mixing turmeric powder and sprinkling little water on the rice,used in poojas] and flowers are offered to Her chanting a few slokas/mantras and prayed for the well-being of the husband.

Finally the aarathi is done singing a 'Aarathi song'.Every girl is expected to know a few chants and songs for special poojas like this one.

Then comes the important part of offering the 'Moradha bayana'. 'Mora' is a flat plate made of bamboo.It is placed as a pair.Turmeric is smeared on it and vermilion lines are drawn on it.On one 'Mora' a dress material-Saree and blouse, bangles, mirror, comb , kajal, kumkum[vermilion], turmeric ,small packs of rice,rice flour,jaggery,moong dhal,toor dhal,silver toe-ring,gold nose pin,a 'mangalya'[A sacred pendent that is worn by married women],money are kept.Any other thing which is considered sacred is can also be kept along with these things.This is closed with the other 'mora'.

The person who receives this 'mora' should be married and is usually given to the daughter.It can also be given to any other married women.The girl/women is seated on a wooden plank and her legs are smeared with turmeric paste and vermilion lines outlining her feet are drawn .She is given a set of betel leaves,betel nuts,fruits and coconut along with kumkum[vermilion].

The giver covers one half of the 'mora' with her Saree pallu and the receiver covers the other half with her Saree pallu.

The giver considers the girl/women who receives the moradha-bayana as Parvathi.This ritual of moradha-bayana is considered to fortify the life of both the giver and receiver and they are blessed with all that is best and beautiful in life.

My grandma used to tell us stories of this ritual being performed in palaces by the queens who used to give 'mora' made of brass and used to give away jewels along with the customary items.The number of women who received it were innumerable.

After this ritual we had a sumptuous lunch of "Semiya Payasa and Ambaday[Paruppu vadai/Fried dhal dumplings]] along with rice,sambar,rasam,veg curry,pappad, curds and pickle.

Do you know that there is a connection between this function and ganesha chathurhti?? I will write about it in my next post..Until then keep guessing...

YIPEEE!!! LOOK WHAT I GOT!!!

I was down with a nasty cold and fever when I saw EC of Simple Indian Food mail me ,asking me to check-out a link. The cold and fever got the better of me and I could visited her link only last night and to my utter surprise saw that she had passed on an award for me - The 'Wylde Woman Award' .I almost jumped with joy on seeing my name in her list!!!My very first award and I will always cherish it. Thanks a lot EC.I am honored!!!

The rules for the award are

You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it's up to you. Make sure you link to their site in your post.

Link back to the blog site-http://tammyvitale.typepad.com/ .Tammy can go visit all these wonderful men and women and remember the Purpose of the Award: To send love and acknowledgment to men and women, who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy.

I pass on this award to

DK
Sunitha
Aparna
Sig