Kanum Pongal 2009

I was all ready to post my Kanu spread, when I came down with severe bronchitis which had me out of action for a good many days. I had travelled from Hyderabad to Bangalore during Pongal and the change in the weather was perceptible. From a minimum temperature of 20deg. C., I was exposed to a maximum of 20 deg. with the night temperatures dipping to 12 deg. and 14 deg. I have never liked wearing a sweater so I braved it for the first 2 days, and then I had no other go but to wear real thick sweaters as I was shivering with cold. Well the worst is over and I am left with a hoarse throat and a generally rundown feeling. I hope I will be alright in a couple of days, in time to travel to Hyderabad.

This is the Kanu podi I offered for the crows.

The Kakkai Chatham or offering for the crow is done in different styles in different families. We make curds rice the previous evening by mixing the rice offered to Surya Bhagawan in the morning and curds. On Kanu day, we make 9 or 11 small balls of the rice and keep them on a piece of banana leaf and top them with a piece of raw turmeric, jaggery and coconut and offer to the crows with the verses, Kakkai podi vechen. Some people make few balls of curds rice, few balls of the previous day's Sarkkarai pongal and few balls of rice mixed with turmeric powder.

Later for the Lunch, we had Tomato rice, Pineapple rice, Thayir sadam, Thayir Pachadi, Vazhakkai Mezhukkuvaratti, Keerai Masiyal, Ambode, Sugiyan and Vadam and Karuvadam. I don't usually prepare such an elaborate spread.

I usually don't prepare such an elaborate spread. This time around, our handsome and charming son was with us on Kanu day after many many years and was leaving on tour on the very same day so I crowded the plate (leaf) with all the goodies I wanted to prepare during my Bangalore visit.

I did not make the ellupodi, however. I was too exhausted.

I shall post the recipes for all the above in due course.