Ayudha Pooja Celebration :)

Ayudha Puja is an integral part of the Dasara festival, a Hindu festival which is traditionally celebrated in India. In simple terms, it means “Worship of Implements”. The festival falls on the ninth day or Navami of the bright half of Moon's cycle of 15 days in the month of September/October, and is popularly a part of the Dasara or Navaratri or Durga Puja or Golu festival. On the ninth day of the Dasara festival, weapons and tools are worshiped.

The principal goddesses worshiped during the Ayudha puja are Saraswathi(the Goddess of wisdom, arts and literature), Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) and Parvathi (the divine mother), apart from various types of equipment; it is on this occasion when weapons are worshipped by soldiers and tools are revered by artisans. The Puja is considered a meaningful custom, which focuses specific attention to one’s profession and its related tools and connotes that a divine force is working behind it to perform well and for getting the proper reward.

Top half: Dad's tax book, my music book, kitchen knife, scissors, my color pencils and so on are part of my worship. :)
Bottom half: Veneration of vehicles at home as part of Ayudha Puja!

Celebration does not end at home. The streets are busy selling pooja articles which include color papers to decorate the vehicles, thoranam for home, fruits, puffed rice etc :)

Now coming to my favorite part, the prasadam. :) We made two dishes as offerings for the god.
One being a sweet - Sogusa Boli (Semolina stuffed pancake/Rava boli/Soogi boli) and the other one is Cabbage vada. :)

I am not sure if God liked it, but I just loved it :) :)

Sogusa Boli (Semolina stuffed pancake)

Ingredients:

For the wrapper:
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Salt - a pinch
Cooking soda - a pinch
Cooking oil - 1/2 cup
Water

For filling:
Semolina/rava - 1 cup
Coconut scrappings - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 1/2 cup

Method:

For Wrapper:

Mix all purpose flour, salt and cooking soda together. Add adequate water to roll it into a soft dough. Finally add oil and kneed well to make the dough smooth. Roll the dough into a ball and coat it heavily with oil and leave it alone for 3 hours.

For Filling:
In a heavy bottomed pan, take semolina, coconut scrappings, sugar and milk together. In a medium flame keep stirring it until the semolina gets cooked and the contents roll out without sticking to the sides(Kesari consistancy) . Once done, leave it to cool.

To make boli:
Take a plastic sheet or kitchen foil and grease it with oil. Take a chunk of the wrapper dough, press it out to about 2-3 inches in diameter using your hands. Place a dollop of the semolina filing in the centre and fold it from all sides, proceed to seal at the top. Now press it on all sides with your hand to make a boli of 3 inches wide. Carefully remove it from the sheet and toast it on a pan. Flip and toast on both the sides by applying some ghee over it.

Sogusa Boli is ready to eat :) Serve it hot. Enjoy eating :)

Cabbage Vada

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 1 cup
Urad dhall - 1/2 cup
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Green chilly - 2
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Cabbage - 100 gms
Salt - for taste


Method:

Soak thoor dhall and urad dhall in water for 2 hours. Grind both the dhalls with pepper, cumin, green chilly, ginger and salt into a coarse mixture by adding very little water. Dice cabbage into fine pieces and add it to the ground mixture.

Now roll them into small balls and deep fry in oil.

Crispy cabbage vada is ready to eat :) You can make it interesting by putting them it in curd or rasam :)

Happy Ayudha pooja to all! :) :) :)

I am sending my Sogusa boli to the festive treats event of Simple Indian Food blog along with Krishnajayanthi Sweet poha and Polala ammavasya Thaligalu paravannam.


Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Vinayagar Chathurthi Celebration and Sweets :)

Ganesha Festival, popularly known as Ganesh Chaturthi, or Vinayaka Chaturti, is the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the Hindu God of wisdom and auspiciousness. The elephant-faced Hindu god Ganesh is one of the most popular deities in Hinduism and is today worshipped around the world. Lord Ganesha is slowly becoming the face of Hindu religion. In 2009, the date of Ganesh Festival is August 23. The Ganesha Festival ends with the immersion of the idol on Ananta Chaturdasi day on September 3.





Since I have a really huge collection of Ganeshas at home, I love to arrange them all as a golu and celebrate it on a grand scale.

Guess what....??? I have place 108 idols of Ganesha in my Golu :):):)

Ganesha Festival is observed on the fourth day of the Shukla Paksha (Waxing Phase of moon) in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (August - September).

The josh is spread all over the house on the festival day. Starting from a grand kolam in the entrance. Then maa yelai(mango leaves) as thoran. All of us dressed in traditional wear of our culture and so on..




The puja starts with prayers to lord Parvathi - mother of lord Ganesha.

We have a tradition of making parvathi's face by mixing turmeric powder with water. This year I made it all by myself, and was so happy with the outcome. :)





Then comes the puja for the hero of the show or the birth day boy. :) The Ganesha idol is made out of clay and is decorated with flower garlands, arugampul(grass) garland etc. Various ashtothrams are read and puja is performed.




Now coming to the important part of the pooja. The neivithiyam or prasadam. :) A long yummy list of items are made for the lord.

* Kudumu(idly)
* Udhu untallu(Steamed Dhall balls)
* Undrallu Sundal(steamed rice balls mixed with channa sundal)
* Modakam(modak - Steamed rice flour dumplings stuffed with coconut jaggery filling)
* Jillidikayalu(Another form of modak but semi circle in shape with three types of fillings - cashew filling, sesame filling and coconut filling)

Kudumu and udhu untallu(idly and steamed dhall balls)

Sweet Dumplings/Modakam/Jillidikayalu

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup
Water - 1 1/4 cup
Salt - a Pinch

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.

To make modak either use the mould if you have one, else make small balls from the dough and press it to make cup shape, add the filling to the center and close it to make the drop shape.

To make the semi circular ones, make small balls out of it and press it to make a flat circular disk(you can use your chapathi press or simply a greased cup to press the ball). Put a spoon of filling in the center and seal the corners by pressing.

To make filling:

1) Coconut jaggery filling for Modak

Ingredients:

Coconut scrapping - 1 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - a pinch

Method:

Take coconut and jaggery in a heavy bottom pan and heat it until the jaggery mixes and comes to a sticky consistancy. Now switch off the flame and add the cardamom powder and mix well.
Use this to stuff in modakams.





2) Coconut sugar filling for Jillidikayalu(kolukattai/Dumpling)

Ingredients:

Coconut scrappings- 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Cashews - few(optional)

Method:

Take coconut scrappings and sugar in a heavy bottom vessel and heat it till the sugar melts and the coconut gets cooked. Finally add broken cashews to it and use as filling.


3) Sesame Filling for Jillidikayalu(Kolukattai/Dumpling)

Ingredients:

Sesame - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 1/4 cup

Method:

Fry sesame in a pan adding little water to it. Once the water eveporates and the sesame crackles, switch off the flame and let it cool for a while. Once it is absolutely cool, powder it along with jaggery and use it as filling for kolukattai.


4) Cashew Filling for Jillidikayalu(Kolukattai/Dumpling)

Ingredients:

Cashew - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup

Method:

Fry cashews adding few spoons of ghee to it. Once it turns goden brown switch off the flame and let it become absolutely cool. Finally powder it in the mixie along with the sugar and use it as filling for kolukattai.

All of them taste absolutely yummy.. :) I am crazy for the modak shape and also for the cashew filling. :) Happy celebration :)

Modakam(modak - Steamed rice flour dumplings stuffed with coconut jaggery filling)

Jillidikayalu(Another form of modak but semi circle in shape with three types of fillings - cashew filling, sesame filling and coconut filling)

Wish you all a very happy Vinayagar Chathurthi :)

My collection at the pooja

I am sending this post to Purva's FF event.

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

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
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Krishna Jayanthi celebration and Sweet Aval (poha/flattened rice)

Sri Krishna Jayanti marks the celebration of the birth of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Lord Sri Krishna was born on the 'Rohini' nakshatram (star) on Ashtami day. The festival Sri Krishna Jayanti is also known as Gokulashtami and Janmashtam. The actual day of celebration can be on two different days as the star 'Rohini' and Ashtami may not be on the same day. This occurs between August and September on the Christian calendar.

This year it was celebrated on 13th of August.

Since I have a whole bunch of Krishnas in my collection, I always display all of them as a golu and offer pooja to them. :)



Sri Krishna is Lord Vishnu's eighth avatar (incarnation) on earth. He is considered to be the Lord's most glorious incarnations. Even saying and remembering His name brings joy because Sri Krishna himself was a manifestation of joy at all levels and in all walks of life. No other God in the Hindu pantheon, or for that matter in any other religion, is associated with so many romantic tales and so fully radiating with all the divine attributes as Sri Krishna.

More details on this festival is found here.



Its a practice of drawing little krishna's foot marks using rice flour from the entrance to the place where the lord is arranged. This marks that the lord himself has come home. :)



I have offered lord with 33 prasadams since I have placed 33 idols in my golu. :)

Namely - Milk, Butter, Navanitham(mixture of butter with sugar), curd, Paalkova(milk sweet), Sweet poha, Badam, pista, cashew, Kalkandu(sugar crystals), paanagam(jaggery mixed with water), mixture, 5 types of savouries, Jangiri, chocolates, plumcake, jelly, sweet seedai, salt seedai, sesame balls, Suruta poli(sweet), Adhirasam(jaggery riceflour sweet), thattai, Soan papadi, Jamoon, mint balls, halwa, dates and fruits. :):)


Since Sri Krishna lived in luxury throughout his life, Krishna Jayanti is celebrated with pomp and splendor. Plenty of sweets are made. Among these are laddus (yellu oonde), chakli, cheedai, payasam (kheer), sweet aval and so on. In addition, plenty of milk products especially butter, which was Sri Krishna's favorite childhood food, are given in offerings. A wide variety of fruits are also offered.



At home we used to keep all food that can attract a kid as prasadam since Sri Krishna is considered as a kid. :) So you can see chocolates, cakes and biscuits in my offerings unlike others. :) ;)




Sweet Aval/ Poha

Ingredients:

Aval(poha/ flattened rice) - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Cardamom - for flavour
Ghee - 2 tsp
Coconut - 1 tsp
Cashews - few

Method:

Soak poha in a bowl, pouring in adequate water(say about 1 inch above the level of poha) for 2 hours.

In a pan, heat a tsp of ghee and add the broken cashews. Once they turn golden brown remove from flame and keep it aside in a plate.

Now in a pan take jaggery and add water to immerse it. Once the jaggery melts and becomes thick (if you pour a drop of it in a cup of water it should not dissolve immediately. A sticky consistancy.) simmer the stove and add the poha and mix well. Now add the the cashews, ghee and powdered cardamom.

Sweet aval/poha is ready to eat. Its absolutely yummy and tempting. Happy making and eating :)



Wish you all a very happy Krishna Jayanthi :)

I am sending this post to Purva's FF event.


Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Naga Chathurthi - Festive Sweet Balls

Naga Chaurthi Upvas is dedicated to Nagas or Snakes and is observed on the fourth day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in the month of Shravan. The day after Naga Chaturthi is Naga Panchami/Garuda Panchami, one of the most popular festivals dedicated to Nagas(Snake god). Special pujas and rituals are held on the day. In 2009, the date of Naga Chaturthi is July 25 which is today.

Naga Chaturthi is of great importance in parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and in the Telegana region of Andhra Pradesh. Since I am a telugu girl living in Tamil Nadu, i celebrate this festival too. :)

Some people fast from morning to evening and only consume a single meal on the day. Special Naga pujas are held on the day. Some Hindu communities fast during the daytime and eat food only after sunset. Some people avoid salt and deep fried on the day.

It must be noted that Naga Chaurthi is held in the Kartik month in some regions.

We serve sweet balls as neivithiyam(Prasadam) to snake god along with fruits, milk, sprouts etc.

Here I am going to put down the recipe for three kinds of sweet balls which can be had as all time snacks. :)

Sesame Sweet Balls

Ingredients:

Sesame seeds - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup

Method:

Powder sesame seeds in mixie. Add finely grated jaggery to it and once again powder it together. Once done roll balls with the powder. The balls look glossy due to the oil that sesame oozes out when ground. These balls are easy to make, yummy to eat and at the same time healthy too. :) Sesame is a rich resource of vitamin B, E and Iron.



Roasted Gram Sweet Balls

Ingredients:

Roasted gram - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup

Method:

Powder the roasted gram and sugar separately. Seive it finely. In a pan take the ghee and once it is slightly warm pour the powders and mix well for 5 min in low flame. Remove from fire and once again run it in the mixie. This is to avoid uneven mixing of the ghee. Once done immediately make balls when it is hot.

These are simple to make and extremely yummy. :)



Peanut Sweet Balls

Ingredients:

Roasted Peanuts - 1 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup

Method:

Powder the peanuts coarsely. Add finely grated jaggery to it and run once in the mixie again. Make balls with the powder.

Peanuts are rich source of proteins so you can royally call it protein balls. :) Happy making.




Festivals make life interesting and for sure one of the biggest reason is such sweets and savories :) :) :) Happy Naga Chathurthi to all. :)


Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com