Polala Amavasya - Rice Noodles Payasam & Streamed Rice Flour Chapathi :)

Polala Amavasya is observed on the Amavas (No moon day) in Shravan month in Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka and Orissa. It is dedicated to Goddess Poleramma who is the protector of children. Mothers observe Polala Amavasi Vrata for the welfare of their children. In 2009, Polala Amavasya is dated on August 20th.

Goddess Poleramma is quite similar to the Goddess Shitala worshipped in North India. The popular belief is that the Goddess protects children from various diseases.

We make two prasadams for this festival. One is known as Billa Kudumulu(Streamed Rice flour chapathi) and the other is Thaligalu paravannam( Rice flour noodles payasam).

Thaligalu paravannam( Rice flour noodles payasam)

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup
Water - 1 1/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Coconut - 3 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
Cashews - 6
Jaggery - 1 cup
Ghee
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Heat the water in a bowl adding some salt to it. When it boils, simmer the stove and add the rice flour and mix quickly. Immediately switch it off and keep it aside for ten min. Then kneed the dough smoothly adding little cold water and 2 tsp of oil to it. Then squeeze the dough through the muruku nazhi(muruku maker) on a well greased plate. Now steam cook it for 15 min smearing some ghee over them.

Now grind coconut, cashew, poppy seeds and cardamom together into a smooth paste and keep it aside. In a bowl add the jaggery and some water just to immerse it and heat this contents till the jaggery dissolves completely. Once done filter it into the above ground paste and let it boil. When it is boiling add the steam cooked rice noodles to it(you can break it into small pieces). Stir well for 3 min and your rice noodles payasam is ready to eat. :)

Its an absolutely delicious payasam which I always enjoy eating. The rice noodles makes it more interesting. :)

Billa Kudumulu(Streamed Rice flour chapathi)

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup
Water - 1 1/4 cup
Coconut scrappings - 1 tbsp
Moong dhall - 2 tsp
Bengal gram dhall - 2 tsp
Ghee
Salt - for taste

Method:

Soak the moong dhall and bengal gram dhall in water for half an hour. Heat the water in a bowl adding some salt to it. When it boils, simmer the stove and add the rice flour and mix quickly. Immediately switch it off and keep it aside for ten min. Then kneed the dough smoothly adding little cold water,2 tsp of oil, soaked moong dhall, bengal gram dhall and coconut scrappings to it.
Now make small balls with the dough and press it using the chapathi maker(it should be slightly thick). Use two greased plastic sheets on either side of the maker and press the ball inbetween so that it would be easy to remove from it. Now place them on a well greased plate and steam cook for 15 min smearing some ghee over them.

Steamed rice flour chapathi is ready to eat. :) Serve it hot with Urad dhall chutney. This serves as a healthy breakfast :)

Click here to refer to my older post for Urad dhall Chutney.



Happy Polala Amavasya to all. :)

The below pooja was done by mom, praying for me. :) :) :)



Written by: Nithya
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