Karthigai Deepam Recipes

Karthigai Deepam Recipes

Courtesy: Internet

Karthikai Deepam is Festival of Lights.

The festival is observed in most Hindu homes and every temple of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and falls in the month of Karthigai (mid-November to mid-December) as per Tamil calendar. This occurs on the day when the moon is in conjunction with the constellation Karthigai and Pournami.

Courtesy: Internet

Rows of Agal vilakku (Clay Oil lamps) are lit in every house. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai. This festival is also celebrated to commemorate the bonding between brothers and sisters in south India(analogous to Bhaiya-Dhuj and Raakhi). Sisters pray for the prosperity and success of their brothers and light lamps to mark the occasion.

The idea behind this festival is to keep away bad things from life and welcome the good and holy things of life.

Lamps lit with oil are a symbol of holiness in Indian culture. Karthigai Deepam is no exception. Beautifully lit lamps are found all around the home to bring in happiness to the home. All the people make merry, wear new clothes and rejoice with happiness. They exchange gifts and try to meet all their relatives during the festival.

Courtesy: Internet

According to the Tamil belief, if a person takes birth in Tiruvarur and dies in Varanasi or Chidambaam, his life is fulfilled to the utmost level. People believe that Lord Shiva appeared in Thiruvannamalai hills on this day and the people like to commemorate the situation by lighting a huge fire on the top of the hill. Ghee and camphor are used to light the huge fire to set up connection to God directly. The place looks fabulous and people shout saying Annamalaiyarku Arohara! Most people find the pleasure to watch this happening with own eyes by standing near the fire.

Karthigai Deepam is a fantastic festival of Tamil Nadu which the Tamils never want to miss out. They wait a year around to enjoy during this time. They have the mouth watering food in homes and go out to see the decorations in the streets and the homes of the relatives.

Here I'm happy to share some Karthigai Deepam festival recipes.

Nel Pori Urundai

Aval Pori Urundai

Appam

Happy Karthigai Deepam!

Aval pori urundai

Aval Pori Urundai

I'm happy to share Aval Pori Urundai Recipe with you all! This is a Karthigai Deepam Festival Recipe!

Aval Pori Urundai

Ingredients

Aval Pori - 2 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - 2 tsp
Dry Ginger powder - 2 tsp
Coconut (cut into small pieces) - 1/2 tbsp
Rice flour - 1 to 2 cup

Coconut pieces

Dry Ginger Powder

Method

Clean Aval Pori by removing all dust, husk and impurities by dusting it.

Dissolve jaggery in 1 cup of water and filter the impurities. We must make a thick syrup with this jaggery water.

Add dry Ginger powder and coconut pieces to the jaggery water. Mix well. Bring this jaggery water to boil. It must boil continuously.

 

 

When it thickens, test it for right padham!

Take one tsp of this syrup and drop it in water. If you are able to make a thick ball out of it, then this is the right stage to switch off the stove.

Add cardamom powder and mix well.

Add this syrup to the cleaned Aval Pori immediately and mix well.

Grease you hands with rice flour generously (to avoid sticking of hot jaggery in your hands) and make small balls with the Pori-Jaggery mixture.

Aval Pori Urundai is ready!

Aval Pori Urundai

Note: If the jaggery syrup dissolves in water, then it should boil for some more minutes.

If the Pori-Jaggery mixture is too hard to make ball, then you can heat it slightly!

Aval Pori is different from Nel Pori!

Happy Karthigai Deepam! 

Nel pori urundai

Nel Pori Urundai

Nel Pori Urundai is one of the main recipe of Karthigai Deepam festival! Here, I'm happy to share the method of this recipe!

Nel Pori Urundai

Ingredients

Nel Pori - 2 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - 2 tsp
Dry Ginger powder - 2 tsp
Coconut (cut into small pieces) - 1/2 tbsp
Rice flour - 1 to 2 cup

Nel Pori : Jaggery = 4 : 1

Nel Pori

Method

Clean Nel Pori by removing all dust, husk and impurities by dusting it.

Dissolve jaggery in 1 cup of water and filter the impurities. We must make a thick syrup with this jaggery water.

Coconut pieces

Dry Ginger Powder

Add dry Ginger powder and coconut pieces to the jaggery water. Mix well. Bring this jaggery water to boil. It must boil continuously.

When it thickens, test it for right padham!

 

 

Take one tsp of this syrup and drop it in water. If you are able to make a thick ball out of it, then this is the right stage to switch off the stove.

Add cardamom powder and mix well.

Add this syrup to the cleaned Nel  Pori immediately and mix well.

Grease you hands with rice flour generously (to avoid sticking of hot jaggery in your hands) and make small balls with the Pori-Jaggery mixture.

Nel Pori Urundai is ready!

Note: If the jaggery syrup dissolves in water, then it should boil for some more minutes.

If the Pori-Jaggery mixture is too hard to make ball, then you can heat it slightly!

Nel Pori is different from Aval Pori!

Happy Karthigai Deepam! 

Deepavali Legiyam

Deepavali Legiyam

Deepavali is nearing. No doubt it brings lots and lots of Happiness in our minds! It commemorates the death of Narakasura at the hands of Lord Sri Krishna. The people celebrates Narakasura's defeat with sparklers, lights and firecrackers. This celebration has continued down the generations as Diwali. In Tamil Nadu, the day begins with an early morning oil bath, wearing new clothes, bursting of firecrackers, visiting Lord Ganesha, Lord Vishnu and Shiva temples. The exchange of sweets between neighbours, visiting relations, and preparing Diwali special sweets are traditions of the day.

Typical Deepavali celebrations begin with waking up early in the morning, before sun rise, followed by an oil-bath. The bathing tradition involves extensive massaging of warm til-oil containing pepper corns and betel leaves. New clothes are typically worn as a part of celebrations. After the bath, a home-made medicine known as "Deepavali Lehiyam" is consumed, which is supposed to aid in soothing digestive problems that may ensue because of feasting that occurs later in the day. Sparklers, firecrackers and lights are used extensively, much like the rest of the world where Deepavali is celebrated.

Here, I am going to give the preparation method for Deepavali Legiyam!  

Deepavali Legiyam

Ingredients:

To roast:

Virali Manjal (விரலி மஞ்சள்) / Turmeric (finger shaped) - 2 nos
Kanda thippili (கண்டந் திப்பிலி) / Roots of Long Pepper - 5g
Arisi thippili (அரிசித் திப்பிலி) / Long Pepper - 5g
Omum (ஓமம்)/ Ajwain seeds - 25g
Sombu (சோம்பு) / Fennel seeds - 5g
Milagu (மிளகு) / Black pepper - 25g
Jeeragam (சீரகம்) / Cumin seeds - 25g
Lavangam (இலவங்கம்) / Cloves - 10g
Lavanga pattai (இலவங்கப் பட்டை) / Cinnamon - 5g
Sukku (சுக்கு) / Dried Ginger - 25g
Chitharathai (சித்தரத்தை) / Lesser Galangal - 5g
Adhimathuram (அதிமதுரம்) / Liquorice - 5g
Dhaniya (தனியா) / Coriander seeds - 25g
Cardamom (ஏலக்காய்) - 5g

Turmeric (Finger Shaped)

Dried Ginger

Adhimadhuram /Liquorice

Chitharathai / Lesser Galangal

Arisi Thippili / Long Pepper

Kanda thippili / Roots of Long Pepper

Sombu / Fennel Seeds

Omum / Ajwain Seeds

Milagu / Black Pepper

Dhaniya / Coriander Seeds

Jeerakam / Cumin Seeds

Lavangam / Cloves

Lavanga Pattai / Cinnamon

Panai Vellam / Palm Jaggery

Elakkai / Cardamom

Inji / Ginger

To use as such:

Ginger (இஞ்சி) - 25 g
Panai vellam (பனை வெல்லம்) / Palm Jaggery - 300g
Honey (தேன்) - 2tbsp
Ghee (நெய்) - 1tbsp
Gingelly oil (நல்லெண்ணை) - 2tbsp

Method:

Remove outer skin of ginger and grind it and extract it's juice and keep aside.

Ginger Juice

Roast all the above mentioned ingredients without oil or ghee to golden brown in low flame, one after another separately. (If you are not sure about the golden brown colour, watch for the fumes. If  fume comes, then you can stop roasting.)

 

Grind into fine powder one by one and sieve it to remove chunks.

 

Mix all the powder evenly. This is the herbal powder for preparing Legiyam.

For 1 cup of powder you need 1.5 cups of jaggery and 1 tbsp of ghee, and 2 tbsp gingelly oil.

 

Dissolve panai vellam in little water and filter the impurities.

In a deep thick bottomed pan, heat the filtered vellam and bring it to boil. Add the ginger extract and mix well. Allow it to boil.

When it boils continuously, simmer the stove; add the herbal powder slowly. While doing so, take care that no lumps are formed.

 

Stir continuously otherwise it'll stick with the bottom of the pan.

Add ghee and gingelly oil. When it  thickens and will blend so that it will come without sticking to the pan, you can switch off the stove.

Allow it to cool. When it comes to room temperature, add honey and mix well.

Store it in an airtight container. It will be good for six months.


Wishing You All, A very Happy Deepavali!