Raw Citron Pickle / Pachchai Narthagai Oorugai

Raw Citron Pickle/ Pachai Narthagai Oorugai

 

Raw Citron : 1 Big

Green chilly : 3

Salt to taste

Gingelly oil : 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds : ½  tsp

Hing powder : 2 pinches

Chop Citron into cubes and remove seeds.

Heat oil and temper with mustard seeds .  Add finely chopped green chillies and hing powder and give a nice fry .  Finally add salt , chopped citron and give few stir till citron gets nicely coated and becomes warm.

Let it soak for few hours.

 

 

We Can have this Citron pickle in the raw stage itself. 

Shelf life is 2 to 3 days when it is kept refrigerated.

Very healthy Pickle with less oil is ready to enjoy with Curd rice.

·       If the Citron contains very less juice, we can add few drops of lemon juice.

·       Have Citron or Lemon in your daily meal in any form, as it has many health properties.

·       Skin need not be removed.  Except seeds, all the parts of the fruit can be used .

·       It has a very unique taste apart from sourness.

·       It’s very good for digestion too.

 

Paruppu Poli

Paruppu Poli.

 

 

 For Outer dough:

Maida – 1+ 1/4 cups

Wheat flour - 2 tbsp

Til / Gingelly  Oil - 2 tbsp

Powdered sugar - 2 tsp

Turmeric :  one pinch ( optional )

Knead the above ingredients with water to a very soft elastic dough.

Soak this completely in til oil for minimum 1 hr.

 

Stuffing:

Bengal gram / Channa dhal - ½ cup

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Jaggery powder - 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Ghee - 2 tsp

Keep 1 cup of water ready in a vessel.

Dry roast the Bengal gram on low flame, till it becomes warm. Soak it in hot water for an hour.

Pressure cook dal with minimum water.  

Strain cooked dal. Mash nicely or grind to a fine paste. Keep it aside. 

Grind coconut to a fine powder /paste. 

Mix dal paste & coconut paste together nicely . 

Heat jaggery with very little water on a low flame to get it dissolved.

Strain and add the ground dal coconut paste & spice powders.

Cook on a non-stick Pan, stirring continuously, so that lumps is not formed by adding 2 tsp of ghee. Cook till it becomes thick enough to hold, to make it easy for stuffing. 

Your stuffing is ready.

 

 

Preparation : 

 

Take the dough from oil & knead.

Make small round balls.

Take a ball & lightly pat with your fingers and make them in to a disc on banana leaf.  Let the center portion be slightly thicker .
 

Keep the stuffing (twice the quantity of outer dough ) in the centre.
 

Bring all edges from around to the centre & cover to make a tight ball.

 

  Now gently pat and form a disc using palms.  

 

Heat a non-stick Dosa pan.

Transfer the patted Poli to a hot dosa tawa and roast it on medium heat, on both the sides till it becomes golden in colour.  No need to add oil or ghee while roasting.

 

Remove & smear lightly with ghee.

 

 

Yummy Paruppu Poli is ready to serve.

 

Variation :

 

·       Instead of using Maida , you can use wheat flour .

·       Can replace Bengal gram with Red gram / Tur Dal.

·       Poli made using wheat flour with tur dal stuffing is called as Puran Poli in Maharashtra.

 

Pongal / Makara Sankranti

PONGAL  /  MAKARA  SANKRANTI

Pongal is the most important Tamil Harvest Festival.  Thai Pongal is a four day festival which corresponds to the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of the Tamil month Thai. 

Pongal is also known as ‘Thamizhar Thirunaal’,  the festival of Tamizha.

Though Pongal is observed on the same day all over India, but the celebrations vary from place to place. Yet, bonfires and feasts are the common elements in Pongal celebration everywhere.  Pongal festival has strong regional flavours and is observed throughout India, and is most well known as Makara Sankranti / Lohri / Samkranti/ Magha Bihu / Tai Pongal / Uttarayana , in different places.

As the Sun moves towards the Uttarayana, the new configuration lends a touch of warmth to mother earth and is essentially a festival dedicated to the Sun God.

Bhogi :  First Day

The day preceding Pongal is called Bhogi.   On this day people discard old belongings and celebrate new possessions. The people assemble at dawn in Tamil Nadu to light a bonfire in order to burn the discards. Houses are cleaned, painted and decorated to give a festive look. The horns of oxen and buffaloes are painted in villages. In Tamil Nadu farmers keep medicinal herb (neem, avram, sankranti)in northeast corner of each fields, to prevent crops from diseases and pests.

A special puja is performed on the first day of Pongal before the cutting of the paddy. Farmers worship the sun and the earth by anointing their ploughs and sickles with sandal wood paste. It is with these consecrated tools that the newly-harvested rice is cut.

Pongal : Second Day

The main event, also known as Thai Pongal, takes place on the second of the four days.

In the Tamil language the word Pongal means "overflowing," signifying abundance and prosperity.

During the festival milk is cooked in a Pot made out of Mud or Bronze . When it starts to bubble and overflows out of the vessel, freshly harvested rice grains are added to the pot. At the same time other participants blow a conch called the sangu and shout "Pongalo Pongal”

Kolam /  Rangoli of Sun God is drawn , where we get Direct Sunrays and will be decorated with flowers  and Neivedhyam is offered.  Neivedhyam includes Sarkarai Pongal,  Sugar Cane , Medu Vadai, Rice , Dal,  Fruits .

The commencement of Thai paves the way for new opportunities.

People decorate their homes with banana and mango leaves and embellish the floor with decorative patterns drawn using rice flour. kolams/rangolis are drawn on doorsteps

Maatu Pongal : Third Day

Maatu Pongal is celebrated the day after Thai Pongal. Tamils regard cattle as sources of wealth for providing dairy products, fertilizer, and labor for plowing and transportation. On Maatu Pongal, cattle are recognized and afforded affectionately. Features of the day include games such as the Jallikkattu and taming wild bull.

Kanu Pidi is a tradition for women and young girls. Kolam will be drawn .  Turmeric Pillaiyar ( Turmeric Cone ) will be kept on it .  After lighting lamp , Betel leaf, betel nuts , fruits will be offered .  Camphor Haarathi and Turmeric Haarathi will be taken .

During Kanu Pidi women feed birds and pray for their brothers' well-being. As part of the "Kaka pidi, Kanu pidi" feast, women and girls place a feast of turmeric  rice ( made out of leftover rice from Pongal day ), sugar cane, cooked vegetables, banana and sweet pongal on 3 ginger or turmeric leaves for crows to share and enjoy. During this time, women offer prayers in the hope that brother-sister ties remain forever strong, as they do in a crow family.

Women also says, ..........காக்கா பிடி வைத்தேன், கன்றுப் பிடி வைத்தேன், காக்காய்க்கும், கன்றுக்கும் கல்யாணம், குருவிக்கெல்லாம் கொண்டாட்ட‍ம்,
காக்கா கூட்ட‍ம் கலைந்தாலும்,
எங்கள் கூட்ட‍ம் கலையக் கூடாது

On this day celebrants bathe and decorate their cattle with garlands. Cows are decorated with manjalthanni (turmeric water), Shikakai and oil,   apply kungumam (kumkum) to their foreheads, paint their horns, and feed them a mixture of venn pongal, jaggery, honey, banana and other fruits

Kaanum Pongal : Fourth Day

Kaanum Pongal, the fourth day of the festival, marks the end of Pongal festivities for the year. The word kaanum in this context means "to visit."

Brothers pay special tribute to their married sisters by giving gifts as affirmation of their filial love.

Celebrants chew sugar cane

The rituals, celebrations, prayers, community get-togethers and feasting associated with Pongal  / Makara Sankranti is only symbolic of a common thanks giving to Nature as represented by the Sun God, and in the process, the festivities embody a spirit of brotherhood, unity and gratitude, with family reunions and merry making generating  a lot of happiness , goodwill and cheer.

FEAST:

On the day of Bhogi :  Paruppu Poli and Paruppu Vadai are served along with rice, dal , Vegetables etc.

Paruppu Poli , 

Paruppu Vadai 

On the Day of Pongal :   Sarkarai Pongal , which is the main dish is offered to Lord Sun  along with Vadai , Rice, Dal , Sugar Cane, Fruits etc.





Sarkarai Pongal

Vadai

On the day of Kanu :  Mixed rice varieties are prepared ., like Tamarind rice, Sesame rice, Lemon rice, coconut rice , curd rice and are served along with Vadai , Mix Veg Kootu or Mor Kuzhambu.

 Tamarind Rice,

Sesame Rice,

 
Lemon Rice,

Coconut Rice ,

 Curd rice 

 Vadai ,

Mixed Veg Kuzhambu 

 Mor kuzhambu  

 { Maasa pirappu Tharpanam should be done by those who are regularly doing Tharpanam  }

Shahi Bhaji

Shahi bhaji

Shahi Bhaji is a rich gravy dish prepared with mixed vegetables, which is very tasty to serve with Roti or Chapathi.

Chopped Onion : 1 cup

Chopped veggies : 1 cup ( mixed veg )

Chopped Ginger : ½ tsp

Garlic cloves : 2

Coriander seeds : 1 tsp

Coriander leaves with stem : 1 tbsp

Kashmiri Red Chilly : 3

Cashew : 6

Poppy seeds / Kasa kasa : 1 tsp

Garam masala powder : 1 tsp

Fresh curd : 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Ghee + oil : 2 tbsp

Water : 1 cup

Finely Chop onion, ginger and garlic, tender coriander stems . Food processor is ideal for fine chopping.  

Chop all the veggies.

Dry fry poppy seeds , red chilly and coriander seeds.

Grind to a powder and finally add cashews and again grind to a coarse powder.

          In a small cooker or pressure pan add oil and ghee and when it is hot, add chopped onions+ ginger + garlic and stir frequently to become golden brown onions.

Add chilly mixture + salt + garam masala and stir for a minute.

Add Curd + Veggies + Water.  

 Close the cooker and cook for a whistle.

After opening the cooker, garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Very rich  and tasty Shahi Bhaji is ready to serve with Roti / Chapathi  .

·       If you find the dish spicy , add some fresh milk or curd or cream

·       Kashmiri chilly is very less in spicy level but gives rich red colour.  You can also use any type of chilly. 

Radish / Mooli / Mullangi Chapathi

Radish / Mooli Chapathi

Radish chapathi tastes excellent .  Buy fresh Radish .   Apart from adding Radish in Sambar or Sabji or Salad , we can also add Radish in Chapathi dough.   Mooli chapathi is a popular dish .  Especially in winter , we can get very juicy , fresh Radish along with leaves.  We can add those leaves also while preparing dal or sabji or Mooli chapathi .    

Instead of stuffing Radish inside dough like Parata,  this way of adding grated Radish while kneading the dough makes preparation very simple and easy.

Recipe :

Radish : 1 cup

Oregano seeds : 1 tsp

Green Chilly : 1 

Whole Wheat Flour / Aata  :  3 cups ( 600 ml )

Warm water: 1 cup

Salt  : ½ tsp

Sugar : ½ tsp

Ghee or Oil : 1 tsp

Ghee or Oil for frying.

Peel and Grate Radish .  Finely chop green chilly.  Crush oregano seeds.

         

Mix all the ingredients and knead briefly, just to mix water and no traces of dry flour.  Brush oil on surface of the kneaded dough to prevent it from drying .  Rest for at least half an hour.   Now knead thoroughly into soft dough,  for 10 to 15 minutes .   Dough should not be sticky or it should not be hard.  You can use food processor or can knead using hands.

Divide into 12 equal portions of balls .

Dusting in wheat flour , roll each balls into a disc, as thin as possible . 

While rolling,  pressure should be light and equally applied .

If you are very particular about the shape, you can use any round lid and cut the edges to get perfect round chapathi.

On a hot pan place the rolled chapathi .

When it just starts to bubble at the bottom ( first side ), flip and cook on the other side ( second side ) and apply few drops of ghee or oil lightly and cook till it gets light brown spots.

Now flip and cook both the sides again for few seconds till it gets golden brown spots.

 

Serve hot with Dhal /  Bhaji  or any gravy.

Note : 

·       Water may vary according to the quality of wheat flour and also the water content in Radish.  Increase or decrease accordingly.  

·       After kneading , if you find your dough is sticky , add some flour and knead it.  And if it is hard , add little water and knead.

·       Use less flour for dusting as much as possible .

·       Generally , chapathi  should be cooked in hot pan for lesser time.

·       Machine ground wheat flour gives best result.