Men are better cooks, they say. I have to agree they are better cooks, but women are better managers. Men can cook only if all the ingredients prescribed in the recipe are available in the right quantity. They can also cook only special dishes. They are not interested in cooking a routine dish. Ask any great cook, if he cooks for his family. He'll likely say, I like my wife's cooking best. It is because he can cook only special dishes with special ingredients. At the end of the day, when he feels like having some plain rasam and rice or vattalkuzhumbu and pappadam, he likes his wife to cook it for him. Men also cannot think of tomorrow when they are cooking today.
My husband can make some great dishes and my children enjoy it best when their dad makes it. I must admit I also enjoy it more than my own cooking. As I said, all ingredients must be available in plenty. He makes the best uppuma. Once he finishes his uppuma making there will be no ghee left in the jar. No low fat cooking for him. If the recipe calls for for 4 tbsps., ghee, he will have no problem adding 4 tbsp. If I were making the same recipe, I try to see if I could make it with 2 tbsp.
Similarly, when my sister-in-law is away, the children love the potato fry their dad makes. My niece says nobody makes potato fry as good as her dad makes. Only at the end of 1 week, he would have used up all the oil meant for one month.
Men can cook only if all vegetables prescribed for in the recipe is available. If the recipe calls for 4 different types of vegetables, they won't know how to make it if only three of them are available, whereas, women would make the recipe even if only 2 of them were available. Once, my friend had come home to teach me a special dish which called for refined flour. I did not have any refined flour and there was no time to go shopping at that hour. I suggested that we substitute it with whole wheat flour. She was quite apprehensive, but had to make do with whole wheat flour as there was no other go. She was very happy with the end result and to this day tells me that, she would not have thought of substituting with wheat flour. Though many recipes say, "do not substitute," I always substitute the ingredients, if I don't have the right one and they have always turned out very delicious. This is true for traditional cooking as well as modern day cooking. I often substitute, butter for ghee, brown sugar for sugar or vice versa, curds for tomato puree and so on. So the next time, you don't have one of the ingredients called for in a recipe, don't panic, try to substitute, you will come up with a new dish. HAPPY COOKING!
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Happy Vishu
We celebrated "Vishu" on the 14th April. Vishu or Mesha Vishu as it known is the New Year's Day for Malayalis (this is the new year day as per the Solar calendar followed for all calculations pertaining to fixing dates of rituals, festivals, seasons and weather predictions as well as Panchanga preparations though 1st day of the Malayalam month Chingam is taken as the new year day for the Malayalam Era) and also for Tamilians. The southern most states and also the north-eastern states and north western states celebrate 14th April as their new year's day. In the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, New Year's Day is celebrated a few days prior to this. They observe Chandramana Ugadi (The day following the New Moon day) or lunar New Year. Mesha Vishu is Souramana Ugadi or solar New Year.
In the north eastern states also, it is called Bihu, where as in the other northern states, it is known as Baishakhi. April 14th is the day the sun enters the Aries (Mesha) sign beginning the movement towards northern hemisphere marking the beginning of hot days.
In Kerala, the day marks the beginning of the agricultural season. They would have had one or two pre monsoon showers and the land would prepared for sowing. Farmers start sowing on that day after Vishukani. It is the most auspicious day for commencing agricultural activities for the new season.
Vishukani is the most important ritual on "Vishu" day. Kani means the first sight you see in the morning. There is a popular belief that the first sight you see on any morning decides the happenings of that day. Accordingly, people always like to see a good kani everyday. So the kani on Vishu day becomes all the more important because, the kani you see on Vishu day is believed to be the indicator for the life during the year to follow. People make sure that the kani that they see on Vishu is one of prosperity and well being and packed with all good things in life. The colour yellow is considered auspicious and has a special place in all Hindu Rituals.
Preparations for the Vishukani are started the previous evening. The place for Vishukani, usually the pooja room, is readied by cleaning and decorating with a rangoli made of rice flour. The kani things are kept in a wide mouthed bronze utensil, known as Uruli. Raw rice is spread inside the uruli and on top of the rice is kept the all important vegetable of the kani, the golden kanivellarikka. (It is a type of gourd which turns golden yellow with streaks when ripe). On top of the Vellarikka comes another very important item of the Kani, the golden kanikonna flowers (Cassia Fistula). This is the season for the kanikonna flowers and the landscape is filled with trees bearing the drooping golden flowers. The very important Keralas's own coconut is cut into two equal halves and kept on either side of the kanivellarikka. Gold and silver coins are kept inside each half of the coconut. Betel leaves, betel nuts, a white dhothi, and all types of seasonal fruits and vegetables are kept in and around the uruli. Kumkum and turmeric pieces symbolising prosperity and auspiciousness and well being is also kept. This is the season when mangoes and jackfruits are aplenty in Kerala and all types of gourds like, ash gourd, pumpkin, and snake gourd are all available. A mirror is kept at the head side of the uruli so as to reflect all the kani things. A lamp with oil and wick is kept ready to be lighted in the morning. This done, the whole thing is covered with another bigger utensil or a white cloth.
On Vishu day, the head of the family, the oldest male member who is the "karanavar" and the lady of the house wake up early in the morning (when we were children our grandma used to wake up at 3 am). The lady lights the lamp and after seeing the kani, the karanavar sits near the kani ready with his bag of coins. Then the lady of the house wakes up each member of the family and leads them towards the kani with their eyes closed. They are to open their eyes only in front of the kani, so that the first thing they see on vishu morning would be one of prosperity and abundance. After prostrating to the Gods each member prostrates before the Karanavar and each one is gifted with a cash award, symbolising plentiful in the days to come. In Kerala, people crack firecrackers on Vishu morning. All visitors to the house on Vishu day are awarded with a cash prize. Normally every temple in Kerala will also keep Kani and people after the Kani in their home, take bath and go to the temple to see the Kani there and for prayers. Of course, the pujari will not be in a position to give cash gifts to all , but the God/Goddess will give them plenty during the days that follow throughout the year.
After all members of the family have seen the kani, the uruli with kanithings are taken to the manger for the cows to see the kani. Keralaites considered cow as their family member and wanted the year to be one of well being for the cows as well.
The Vishu day is as usual a feasting day with a sumptuous lunch.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
This day that year
The other day as I was surfing I saw a message, "What were you doing today, 10 years ago, blog it." I couldn't remember what I was doing 10 years ago, on that day. But I remember very well what I was doing 34 years ago, today.
I became a proud mother of our first child today, 34 years ago. As I had written earlier, there was no provision those days to plan time and star of the baby beforehand. And, hold your breath; we were not packing our bags to go to a sophisticated hospital to have the baby. I was going to have the baby in our ancestral home some 25 miles away from any hospital with some trained obstetricians. To this day, this first child of ours (who is a doctor today) shudders when I say, he and his younger brother were born in our ancestral home with the help of only a trained midwife. He says what all things could have gone wrong. He asks my mom, how could she take such bold decision. But, in those days, that was the normal practice in our village or in any village for that matter. All of my siblings, my cousins and my sister's two children were all born in that house. Believe me; most of the childbirths were normal without any problems. There were the village elders to help the midwife around and in very odd cases the doctor from 25 miles away was summoned.
By far, the children born were healthy, did not need any immediate medical assistance and grew up healthy. There were no antibiotic shots to be given immediately after birth. They did not catch any serious infections. The mother and child were taken care of very meticulously, given oil massages, given plenty of rest and healthy food to eat. Most importantly, the child was kept away from all outsiders for at least 11 days, only very near and dear were allowed after 11 days and others only after 28 days. Nobody except the mother and the help (there was one maid on duty to take care of the mother and baby) even touched the baby. That was the quarantine, they called it by another name, "valamai," i.e., the mother and baby were not to be touched for 11 days. The mother and baby stayed in a semi dark room away from the hustle and bustle of the house (there used to be a lot of it in a village house in those days). Even the other members of the house did not visit any social places, because of valamai. Thus, they ensured that no infection was brought in. Even after 11 days, only the baby was shown to the visitors, the mother was not to come out of her confinement except for her bath. Only after 21 days, was the mother allowed to come and eat in the kitchen (those days kitchen was the dining room). Only on the 28th day, the other members of the community were invited to see the baby. There was a ceremony of laying the baby in the cradle. All were invited and given sweets. The mother was just allowed to come and put the baby in the cradle. The mother was given 5 months adequate bed rest and nutritious food and ayurvedic massages and potions that at the end of the 5 months she was fully rejuvenated and was once again ready for the busy life. She never had any back aches nor did she have any protruding belly (no "ab" exercises those days). Plenty of rest and a healthy and nutritious diet. The children were also healthy and ate well.
Compared to those days, these days children born in sophisticated hospitals get all sorts of infections and are in need of many medical procedures, sometimes from the day one. One may argue that the infant mortality today is very low but this is a point to be debated with a lot of other data.
I became a proud mother of our first child today, 34 years ago. As I had written earlier, there was no provision those days to plan time and star of the baby beforehand. And, hold your breath; we were not packing our bags to go to a sophisticated hospital to have the baby. I was going to have the baby in our ancestral home some 25 miles away from any hospital with some trained obstetricians. To this day, this first child of ours (who is a doctor today) shudders when I say, he and his younger brother were born in our ancestral home with the help of only a trained midwife. He says what all things could have gone wrong. He asks my mom, how could she take such bold decision. But, in those days, that was the normal practice in our village or in any village for that matter. All of my siblings, my cousins and my sister's two children were all born in that house. Believe me; most of the childbirths were normal without any problems. There were the village elders to help the midwife around and in very odd cases the doctor from 25 miles away was summoned.
By far, the children born were healthy, did not need any immediate medical assistance and grew up healthy. There were no antibiotic shots to be given immediately after birth. They did not catch any serious infections. The mother and child were taken care of very meticulously, given oil massages, given plenty of rest and healthy food to eat. Most importantly, the child was kept away from all outsiders for at least 11 days, only very near and dear were allowed after 11 days and others only after 28 days. Nobody except the mother and the help (there was one maid on duty to take care of the mother and baby) even touched the baby. That was the quarantine, they called it by another name, "valamai," i.e., the mother and baby were not to be touched for 11 days. The mother and baby stayed in a semi dark room away from the hustle and bustle of the house (there used to be a lot of it in a village house in those days). Even the other members of the house did not visit any social places, because of valamai. Thus, they ensured that no infection was brought in. Even after 11 days, only the baby was shown to the visitors, the mother was not to come out of her confinement except for her bath. Only after 21 days, was the mother allowed to come and eat in the kitchen (those days kitchen was the dining room). Only on the 28th day, the other members of the community were invited to see the baby. There was a ceremony of laying the baby in the cradle. All were invited and given sweets. The mother was just allowed to come and put the baby in the cradle. The mother was given 5 months adequate bed rest and nutritious food and ayurvedic massages and potions that at the end of the 5 months she was fully rejuvenated and was once again ready for the busy life. She never had any back aches nor did she have any protruding belly (no "ab" exercises those days). Plenty of rest and a healthy and nutritious diet. The children were also healthy and ate well.
Compared to those days, these days children born in sophisticated hospitals get all sorts of infections and are in need of many medical procedures, sometimes from the day one. One may argue that the infant mortality today is very low but this is a point to be debated with a lot of other data.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Birthstars
The other night, as I was all concentrated in finishing the sweater I was knitting, which had long crossed my deadline, the phone rang. A little irritated by the interruption, I answered the call. It was a friend of mine, I hadn't heard from in a long time.
The first question he asked me was, "is your sister-in-law's son married"? I was a little taken aback from his abrupt enquiry, as we had never discussed my sister-in-law. However, he was more surprised when I answered in the affirmative. I would say, he was rather disappointed. He tried to make his question clear to me, in case I was sleepy. He said, I am asking about your sister-in-law's doctor son. I assured him that, I have only one sister-in-law and she has only one son, who happens to be a doctor and he got married last year. Out of curiosity, I asked him, whom was he groom-hunting for? He said, it is for my daughter, her birthstar is Moola. I exchanged a few niceties and that was that.
The day a daughter is born with the birth star, Moola, the father starts worrying about her marriage. As such, there are so many parameters to be matched in an Indian arranged marriage. Added to it, if the girl has a birthstar as Moola or Ayilyam, the father is doomed. It is believed that a girl with a birthstar as Moola or Ayilyam brings bad luck to the father-in-law. So, no family, where both parents are alive, agrees to take a girl having moola or Ayilya star as daughter-in-law. The father has to start looking grooms only from families where only one of the parents is alive. Thats how, my friend suddenly remembered about my sister-in-law's son.
I have often wondered how can it be that only in Kerala Brahmin community, the girl with Moola or Ayilya will bring bad luck to her father-in-law. I have heard that In the other communities in Kerala, a girl with Moola star is considered to be very auspicious. There are other communities where the girl's birth star is not considered during the time of marriage.
What happens to the fathers-in-law of such girls whose birth star may be Moola or Ayilya. Again, in our own community, there are families, who do not consider Moola or Ayilya as inauspicious and agree to marry a girl having Moola or Ayilya star and have lived happily with both the in-laws having long life. When I said this to a friend of ours, who was hunting for a groom for his only sister with Moola star,(finally this girl got married into a family where both father and mother were alive and they had a long life even after making a girl with Moola star as their daughter-in-law), he told me,"when you have a large variety to shop from, why would you want to buy a shop soiled item?"
My own aunt,whose birth star was Moola, married her own cousin with the consent of her uncle and aunt and there was no problem in the family.
All said and done, with all modern thinking, when it comes to marriage, we still want to cling on to the old sayings like, Moolathu mamiyar mukkile (the mother-in-law of moola girl will have to remain inside the house, meaning she will soon lose her husband), Ayilyathu mamiyar aasanthiyile (same as moolam), etc. The same moolam for a boy brings all luck to him. Aan moolam arasalum (a boy with moola star will rule the world). Such adages are attached to various other birthstars also, some bringing luck and someothers not so much luck. For example, Dhanishta (avittam)star is supposed to bring prosperity.
Avittam Tahvittu Panayile Panam ( a person with avittam birthstar will make money in any field he enters). Kettai kotta kettum (a person with birth star Jyeshta will make palaces), Makam poranda mangai (a girl born on maka star has all luck showered on her), Bharani dharani aalvan (a person with birth star Bharani will rule the world), Chithirayappan theruvile (a child with chitra star will bring illluck to its father), Athathappan arayolum (father of a child with Hastha star will live only until the child reaches the height of his father's waist) etc. We have living examples to prove all these as utter non-sense. In our own family, we have children with birthstars, chithirai, atham and the fathers have had a long and healthy life. Similarly, Mrigaseersha, Anusham, Swathi, Uthram are all supposed to bring loads of luck.
This has led to a very interesting phenomenon today. Today, in India, most of the children are delivered through ceasarian section (the doctors can plan for the surgery so as not to interefere with their other appointments) and hence the doctors ask the parents to decide on the date and time (and hence the birth star) they like their child to be born.
The first question he asked me was, "is your sister-in-law's son married"? I was a little taken aback from his abrupt enquiry, as we had never discussed my sister-in-law. However, he was more surprised when I answered in the affirmative. I would say, he was rather disappointed. He tried to make his question clear to me, in case I was sleepy. He said, I am asking about your sister-in-law's doctor son. I assured him that, I have only one sister-in-law and she has only one son, who happens to be a doctor and he got married last year. Out of curiosity, I asked him, whom was he groom-hunting for? He said, it is for my daughter, her birthstar is Moola. I exchanged a few niceties and that was that.
The day a daughter is born with the birth star, Moola, the father starts worrying about her marriage. As such, there are so many parameters to be matched in an Indian arranged marriage. Added to it, if the girl has a birthstar as Moola or Ayilyam, the father is doomed. It is believed that a girl with a birthstar as Moola or Ayilyam brings bad luck to the father-in-law. So, no family, where both parents are alive, agrees to take a girl having moola or Ayilya star as daughter-in-law. The father has to start looking grooms only from families where only one of the parents is alive. Thats how, my friend suddenly remembered about my sister-in-law's son.
I have often wondered how can it be that only in Kerala Brahmin community, the girl with Moola or Ayilya will bring bad luck to her father-in-law. I have heard that In the other communities in Kerala, a girl with Moola star is considered to be very auspicious. There are other communities where the girl's birth star is not considered during the time of marriage.
What happens to the fathers-in-law of such girls whose birth star may be Moola or Ayilya. Again, in our own community, there are families, who do not consider Moola or Ayilya as inauspicious and agree to marry a girl having Moola or Ayilya star and have lived happily with both the in-laws having long life. When I said this to a friend of ours, who was hunting for a groom for his only sister with Moola star,(finally this girl got married into a family where both father and mother were alive and they had a long life even after making a girl with Moola star as their daughter-in-law), he told me,"when you have a large variety to shop from, why would you want to buy a shop soiled item?"
My own aunt,whose birth star was Moola, married her own cousin with the consent of her uncle and aunt and there was no problem in the family.
All said and done, with all modern thinking, when it comes to marriage, we still want to cling on to the old sayings like, Moolathu mamiyar mukkile (the mother-in-law of moola girl will have to remain inside the house, meaning she will soon lose her husband), Ayilyathu mamiyar aasanthiyile (same as moolam), etc. The same moolam for a boy brings all luck to him. Aan moolam arasalum (a boy with moola star will rule the world). Such adages are attached to various other birthstars also, some bringing luck and someothers not so much luck. For example, Dhanishta (avittam)star is supposed to bring prosperity.
Avittam Tahvittu Panayile Panam ( a person with avittam birthstar will make money in any field he enters). Kettai kotta kettum (a person with birth star Jyeshta will make palaces), Makam poranda mangai (a girl born on maka star has all luck showered on her), Bharani dharani aalvan (a person with birth star Bharani will rule the world), Chithirayappan theruvile (a child with chitra star will bring illluck to its father), Athathappan arayolum (father of a child with Hastha star will live only until the child reaches the height of his father's waist) etc. We have living examples to prove all these as utter non-sense. In our own family, we have children with birthstars, chithirai, atham and the fathers have had a long and healthy life. Similarly, Mrigaseersha, Anusham, Swathi, Uthram are all supposed to bring loads of luck.
This has led to a very interesting phenomenon today. Today, in India, most of the children are delivered through ceasarian section (the doctors can plan for the surgery so as not to interefere with their other appointments) and hence the doctors ask the parents to decide on the date and time (and hence the birth star) they like their child to be born.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Recipe: Nonbu Adai
Among the various things that delayed my blogging as I said yesterday, was the continuing power shutdowns, we have been experiencing since last week. The power shout downs are anywhere between 1 hr to 8 hrs of duration many times a day. With the result, by the time, I settle down to blog, the power fails and by the time the power is restored I am busy with something else. Today we had a power shutdown from 10am to 6 pm and again from 6.30 pm to 7.30pm. They say, there is problem in the orissa grid.
Before we have another power shutdown, let me write about Nonbu neyvedyam.
Nonbu Neyvedyam
As Savitri was in the forest, the neyvedyam for the nonbu was made from very simple things immediately available at the forest. The raw materials are riceflour, jaggery , coconut and moongdal. It is called Nonbu adai.We have invented a savoury form of adai also to go with it, as in the olden days, we fasted until the nonbu time and that was the first meal we were eating on that day.
Nonbu Adai.
Ingredients:
Rice flour 1 cup
Moong dal 2 tbsps
Jaggery 1¼ cup
Coconut gratings ½ cup
Cardamom powder 1 tsp.
Plantain leaves to steam the adais.
Method:
Roast the rice flour to a golden colour. Roast the moong dal also to a golden red colour. Cook the moong dal with just enough water, until half done. Melt the jaggery in 2 cups of water. When the jaggery is melted add the half cooked moong dal, coconut gratings, cardamom powder and roasted rice flour and cook until all the water is absorbed. Allow to cool.
Make small pieces of plantain leaves. Make small balls of the cooked rice flour (the size of a small orange) and keep on the plantain leaf. Flatten with the palm and make a small hole in the centre. Keep the plantain leaves on a steamer and steam for 10 mnts. This is offered with a blob of butter.
Savoury adai.
Ingredients:
Rice flour: 1 cup
Moong dal 2 tbsp.
Coconut gratings ½ cup
Green chillies 2 or 3 cut into small pieces
Mustard 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Hing ½ tsp.
Curry leaves a few sprigs
Oil 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Plantain leaves to steam the adai.
Method.
Roast the rice flour and moong dal separately to a golden brown colour. Cook the moong dal in just enough water, until half done. Heat the oil in a pan and add the hing. Add the mustard. When mustard starts spluttering, add the urad dal, green chillies and curry leaves. Add 2 cups of water, salt to taste and the coconut gratings. When the water starts boiling add the half cooked moong dal and rice flour and cook until all the water is absorbed. Allow to cool.
Make balls of the cooked rice flour and flatten on plantain leaves and steam for 10 mnts.
Before we have another power shutdown, let me write about Nonbu neyvedyam.
Nonbu Neyvedyam
As Savitri was in the forest, the neyvedyam for the nonbu was made from very simple things immediately available at the forest. The raw materials are riceflour, jaggery , coconut and moongdal. It is called Nonbu adai.We have invented a savoury form of adai also to go with it, as in the olden days, we fasted until the nonbu time and that was the first meal we were eating on that day.
Nonbu Adai.
Ingredients:
Rice flour 1 cup
Moong dal 2 tbsps
Jaggery 1¼ cup
Coconut gratings ½ cup
Cardamom powder 1 tsp.
Plantain leaves to steam the adais.
Method:
Roast the rice flour to a golden colour. Roast the moong dal also to a golden red colour. Cook the moong dal with just enough water, until half done. Melt the jaggery in 2 cups of water. When the jaggery is melted add the half cooked moong dal, coconut gratings, cardamom powder and roasted rice flour and cook until all the water is absorbed. Allow to cool.
Make small pieces of plantain leaves. Make small balls of the cooked rice flour (the size of a small orange) and keep on the plantain leaf. Flatten with the palm and make a small hole in the centre. Keep the plantain leaves on a steamer and steam for 10 mnts. This is offered with a blob of butter.
Savoury adai.
Ingredients:
Rice flour: 1 cup
Moong dal 2 tbsp.
Coconut gratings ½ cup
Green chillies 2 or 3 cut into small pieces
Mustard 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Hing ½ tsp.
Curry leaves a few sprigs
Oil 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Plantain leaves to steam the adai.
Method.
Roast the rice flour and moong dal separately to a golden brown colour. Cook the moong dal in just enough water, until half done. Heat the oil in a pan and add the hing. Add the mustard. When mustard starts spluttering, add the urad dal, green chillies and curry leaves. Add 2 cups of water, salt to taste and the coconut gratings. When the water starts boiling add the half cooked moong dal and rice flour and cook until all the water is absorbed. Allow to cool.
Make balls of the cooked rice flour and flatten on plantain leaves and steam for 10 mnts.
Nonbu
Once again, I was forced into a long hibernation. I was busy going about making preparations for the Soundarya Lahari Pooja I had planned. I had to invite many of my friends for the function. This is a function thought about and performed by a small group of ladies who had practised reciting the 100 slokas of the great Sankaracharya. Our teacher here has given music to it and each sloka is sung in a different raga. The function is a simple one in which we assemble in the house of the one desirous of conducting it and sing the slokas. We perform a simple pooja to a specially decorated picture and or an idol of any deity preferably DEVI in whose praise the slokas have been rendered. At the end of the recitation Arathi is performed and a neivedyam is offered. Depending on the time of day we arrange lunch or light refreshments to all the invitees. The function at our house was spread over a little over three hours. I was also planning for a Goa trip immediately thereafter, which also needed some hectic reorganizing of my various projects scheduled for the last week of March. At the end, however, the Goa trip did not come through due to other reasons.
Soundarya Lahari Pooja, of course, was conducted in a highly satisfying manner with the Blessings of Annaporneswari. It was well attended and it went off as planned in every detail.
In between on 14th March, we celebrated "Karadayan Nonbu" or more simply Nonbu(in typical Kerala Iyer lingua). This is a very important festival in our calendar. This festival is celebrated at the time of Meena Sankramam (the time the sun enters the Pisces sign, according to the solar calendar) and hence the time of offering the pooja falls at different times of the day in different years. We offer Pooja any time during the 24 hours, from the wee hours to mid-afternoon to evening to midnight. Hence, this festival is very different from all the festivals, which are celebrated on a particular day of the year at a particular time.
This year the time for the pooja was at 8.15pm, which was a very convenient time to do the pooja. This pooja is especially done for the well being and long life of the husband and even little girls are made to perform this pooja so that they will get a good husband and a happy married life. The neyvedyam (offering) for the pooja is a very simple steamed sweet cake and butter. The ladies and girls also wear a "manjal charadu"(a thread dipped in turmeric paste), similar to one tied during the time of marriage. In the olden days, when we were children, it was a practise to keep this manjal charadu till the next nonbu or as long as it lasted. We never removed it on our own. These days most people remove it the next day after the pooja, for reasons best known to them.
This pooja is conducted in remembrance of the dedication and determination of the faithful mythological Savitri, in bringing back the life of her husband Satyavan from the God of death, Yama. The story goes as follows. Savitri was a princess of a rich kingdom in ancient India and was the only child of her parents. When she reached marriageable age, she told her father that she would herself search for a suitable husband for her. She went on a tour of the vast kingdom traversing the various landscapes and forests and mountains. At last in a forest, she met an old couple and their young and handsome son serving them, living in a simple hut. She found out that the couple were the king and queen of a nearby kingdom, banished from their kingdom by their enemies. Savitri was overcome by the devotion shown by the son to his old parents and decided that he was the suitable husband for her. The name of this young man was Satyavan. True to his name, Satyavan was very honest and dedicated to his parents. Savitri returned to her parents and announced that she would marry only Satyavan. The King and the queen were not very happy to marry their only child to the son of a banished king. But Savitri was steadfast on her decision and the parents had to yield to her. The palace astrologer, however warned her that according to his horoscope, Satyavan had only one more year's life left and he would die in a year. Savitri was not to be discouraged with this announcement either. The marriage of Satyavan and Savitri was performed and Savitri went to live with her husband and in-laws in the forest. Savitri took care of her husband and old in-laws with dedication and devotion and followed Satyavan whenever he went inside the forest in search of food and fuel. Days passed and the last day of Satyavn's life as per the prediction dawned. Savitri insisted on accompanying Satyvan to the forest. Satyavan made Savitri sit under a tree and went to fetch fruits and logs for fuel. After sometime, he returned feeling very tired. Savitri made him lie in a bed made of fresh green leaves keeping his head in her lap. As Satyavan started closing his eyes, there appeared in front of Savitri, a huge figure with a bison for his vahana. Savitri with her dedication and devotion could immediately recognize the figure as that of Yama, the God of death. She immediately saluted him and asked him the purpose of his visit. Yama replied that as destined Satyavan's life span was over and he had come to take his life to the other world. Saying this Yama started walking away with Satyavan's soul. Savitri left the body of the lifeless Satyavan under the tree and started following Yama. Yama forbade her from following him, saying she could not follow him to the other world, as Yamaloka was inaccessible to living beings. Only souls of dead beings are taken there. Savitri insisted on following her husband’s soul. Yama could not stop her from following him. At last, Yama agreed to grant her three wishes on condition that she would go back. She agreed. She asked as the first boon, that her in-laws get back their lost kingdom which Yama granted readily. For the second wish she asked that, as she was the only child of her parents, they get more children. This was also granted by Yama immediately. As the last wish, she asked that she be granted the wish of having many children which also was granted by Yama in his eagerness to get rid of her. Only after granting this wish, did Yama realise that he had been tricked into granting Satyavan life, as a pious and pathivratha (chaste) woman like Savitri cannot have children if Satyavan were to be dead. Yama had to accept his defeat and restore the life of Satyavan. Savitri came back to the tree where she had left the lifeless body of Satyavan. By the blessings of Yama Satyvan woke up as if from his sleep and Savitri narrated the happenings to him. To offer her gratitude to the Gods, Savitri immediately made a simple neyvedyam with available things on hand and tied the mangala sutra once again as her husband had got back his life. This neyvedyam is also offered on a leaf of a forest tree, as against the usual plantain leaf used for all poojas.(more about this special, but simple neyvedyam later)
To instil such dedication and devotion in married life, this story is repeated to the young girls and the pooja is performed every year at the time of meena sankramam.
Soundarya Lahari Pooja, of course, was conducted in a highly satisfying manner with the Blessings of Annaporneswari. It was well attended and it went off as planned in every detail.
In between on 14th March, we celebrated "Karadayan Nonbu" or more simply Nonbu(in typical Kerala Iyer lingua). This is a very important festival in our calendar. This festival is celebrated at the time of Meena Sankramam (the time the sun enters the Pisces sign, according to the solar calendar) and hence the time of offering the pooja falls at different times of the day in different years. We offer Pooja any time during the 24 hours, from the wee hours to mid-afternoon to evening to midnight. Hence, this festival is very different from all the festivals, which are celebrated on a particular day of the year at a particular time.
This year the time for the pooja was at 8.15pm, which was a very convenient time to do the pooja. This pooja is especially done for the well being and long life of the husband and even little girls are made to perform this pooja so that they will get a good husband and a happy married life. The neyvedyam (offering) for the pooja is a very simple steamed sweet cake and butter. The ladies and girls also wear a "manjal charadu"(a thread dipped in turmeric paste), similar to one tied during the time of marriage. In the olden days, when we were children, it was a practise to keep this manjal charadu till the next nonbu or as long as it lasted. We never removed it on our own. These days most people remove it the next day after the pooja, for reasons best known to them.
This pooja is conducted in remembrance of the dedication and determination of the faithful mythological Savitri, in bringing back the life of her husband Satyavan from the God of death, Yama. The story goes as follows. Savitri was a princess of a rich kingdom in ancient India and was the only child of her parents. When she reached marriageable age, she told her father that she would herself search for a suitable husband for her. She went on a tour of the vast kingdom traversing the various landscapes and forests and mountains. At last in a forest, she met an old couple and their young and handsome son serving them, living in a simple hut. She found out that the couple were the king and queen of a nearby kingdom, banished from their kingdom by their enemies. Savitri was overcome by the devotion shown by the son to his old parents and decided that he was the suitable husband for her. The name of this young man was Satyavan. True to his name, Satyavan was very honest and dedicated to his parents. Savitri returned to her parents and announced that she would marry only Satyavan. The King and the queen were not very happy to marry their only child to the son of a banished king. But Savitri was steadfast on her decision and the parents had to yield to her. The palace astrologer, however warned her that according to his horoscope, Satyavan had only one more year's life left and he would die in a year. Savitri was not to be discouraged with this announcement either. The marriage of Satyavan and Savitri was performed and Savitri went to live with her husband and in-laws in the forest. Savitri took care of her husband and old in-laws with dedication and devotion and followed Satyavan whenever he went inside the forest in search of food and fuel. Days passed and the last day of Satyavn's life as per the prediction dawned. Savitri insisted on accompanying Satyvan to the forest. Satyavan made Savitri sit under a tree and went to fetch fruits and logs for fuel. After sometime, he returned feeling very tired. Savitri made him lie in a bed made of fresh green leaves keeping his head in her lap. As Satyavan started closing his eyes, there appeared in front of Savitri, a huge figure with a bison for his vahana. Savitri with her dedication and devotion could immediately recognize the figure as that of Yama, the God of death. She immediately saluted him and asked him the purpose of his visit. Yama replied that as destined Satyavan's life span was over and he had come to take his life to the other world. Saying this Yama started walking away with Satyavan's soul. Savitri left the body of the lifeless Satyavan under the tree and started following Yama. Yama forbade her from following him, saying she could not follow him to the other world, as Yamaloka was inaccessible to living beings. Only souls of dead beings are taken there. Savitri insisted on following her husband’s soul. Yama could not stop her from following him. At last, Yama agreed to grant her three wishes on condition that she would go back. She agreed. She asked as the first boon, that her in-laws get back their lost kingdom which Yama granted readily. For the second wish she asked that, as she was the only child of her parents, they get more children. This was also granted by Yama immediately. As the last wish, she asked that she be granted the wish of having many children which also was granted by Yama in his eagerness to get rid of her. Only after granting this wish, did Yama realise that he had been tricked into granting Satyavan life, as a pious and pathivratha (chaste) woman like Savitri cannot have children if Satyavan were to be dead. Yama had to accept his defeat and restore the life of Satyavan. Savitri came back to the tree where she had left the lifeless body of Satyavan. By the blessings of Yama Satyvan woke up as if from his sleep and Savitri narrated the happenings to him. To offer her gratitude to the Gods, Savitri immediately made a simple neyvedyam with available things on hand and tied the mangala sutra once again as her husband had got back his life. This neyvedyam is also offered on a leaf of a forest tree, as against the usual plantain leaf used for all poojas.(more about this special, but simple neyvedyam later)
To instil such dedication and devotion in married life, this story is repeated to the young girls and the pooja is performed every year at the time of meena sankramam.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Recipe: Paruppu Kanji
Paruppu Kanji always brings back memories of Sivarathri to me. Paruppu kanji was always associated with; in fact, it was the most important ingredient of Sivarathri. When we were children, the elders in the family observed a dawn to dusk fast on Sivarathri day. After the evening pooja, they ate some salt less food. That's how Paruppu Kanji got its place in Sivarathri celebrations. Paruppu kanji also went with, vella dosa and Obattu in our house.
After dinner, the whole village observed a Jagaran on Sivarathri night. There was no TV those days. We had to invent our own variety entertainment programmes. The men folk played cards. The women folk assembled in one place and spent the time reciting religious stories and singing devotional songs and comparing various issues connected with family. We children ran from group to group and showcased our talents in singing and dancing. It was a night for us to remember till the next Sivarathri. The jagaran did not end with the night. We had to keep awake the whole of next day and could sleep only in the night to get the full blessings for keeping awake. Now back to Paruppu Kanji.
This Parippu Kanji was made in enormous quantity on Sivarathri night. After we had our fill of it during dinner, we also had more of it at intervals, when we were keeping awake for Sivarathri.
Paruppu Kanji is made of moong dal and hence is a rich source of protein. It also contains jaggery which gives lots of glucose to the fasting body. That may be reason why it was included in the Sivarathri menu, in the first place. Let me today give the recipe for Paruppu Kanji.
Moong dal ¼ cup
Jaggery ¼ cup + 1 tbsp.
Milk 1 cup
Dry roast the moong dal to a light pink colour (this gives out a good aroma). Cook the moong dal with 3 cups of water, until very soft.(This can be done in a pressure cooker).Add the jaggery and boil for 5 minutes, until the raw smell of jaggery disappears. Add the milk and boil well. Paruppu Kanji is ready to drink.
ENJOY!
Tips: In our family, the moong dal is always fried to a light pink colour before it is cooked. Be it for paruppu kanji or for any other curries. The grains do not form a sticky mess when cooked, if the dal is roasted.
After dinner, the whole village observed a Jagaran on Sivarathri night. There was no TV those days. We had to invent our own variety entertainment programmes. The men folk played cards. The women folk assembled in one place and spent the time reciting religious stories and singing devotional songs and comparing various issues connected with family. We children ran from group to group and showcased our talents in singing and dancing. It was a night for us to remember till the next Sivarathri. The jagaran did not end with the night. We had to keep awake the whole of next day and could sleep only in the night to get the full blessings for keeping awake. Now back to Paruppu Kanji.
This Parippu Kanji was made in enormous quantity on Sivarathri night. After we had our fill of it during dinner, we also had more of it at intervals, when we were keeping awake for Sivarathri.
Paruppu Kanji is made of moong dal and hence is a rich source of protein. It also contains jaggery which gives lots of glucose to the fasting body. That may be reason why it was included in the Sivarathri menu, in the first place. Let me today give the recipe for Paruppu Kanji.
Moong dal ¼ cup
Jaggery ¼ cup + 1 tbsp.
Milk 1 cup
Dry roast the moong dal to a light pink colour (this gives out a good aroma). Cook the moong dal with 3 cups of water, until very soft.(This can be done in a pressure cooker).Add the jaggery and boil for 5 minutes, until the raw smell of jaggery disappears. Add the milk and boil well. Paruppu Kanji is ready to drink.
ENJOY!
Tips: In our family, the moong dal is always fried to a light pink colour before it is cooked. Be it for paruppu kanji or for any other curries. The grains do not form a sticky mess when cooked, if the dal is roasted.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Living with the kids.
This question has been troubling me for a long time. I have tried to get an answer from various people about their expectations from various relationships. I have never been able to get a satisfying answer.
During the recent past, once again I am being troubled with this question. I come across more and more incidents of people (especially older people) complaining that they do not know what to do when they go to spend time with their children living away from their home. Be it within India or outside. The constant complaint is that they find time hanging in their hands or they feel lonely. This is true even if both husband and wife are alive or only when one of them is alive. They just are not able to feel at home in their children's home.
Just, yesterday, one of my friends was telling me about her sister, who had come to spend a few days with her only living son and his family. From the second day of her arrival, she started missing her own home and wanted to get back. I asked her, what was her problem? The answer was that she did not know how to spend her time.
This set me thinking once again. How can a mother feel lonely with her own child? Have we faulted and if so where? Do we blame the mother or the grown up child? Whosoever is at fault, I could well imagine the scenes that would follow in this particular situation. Two more times the mother says, I am longing to get back to my own home, the son would ask her, when shall I book your return ticket and I am sure the mother would feel very hurt, not realising she put this question into her son's mouth. On the other hand, the son never felt like, sitting with the mother and asking her, how he could make her feel more at home in his place. As far as I can see, it is only a question of some give and take or adjustments in lifestyle on both sides. But nobody wants to spell it out.
Time was, when people had respect for each other and time and patience to listen to each others' doubts and troubles and if possible, suggest a way out. People also felt free to confide in others and accepted the others' suggestions with open mind. A mother could always tell her son what she felt or what was not acceptable to her and the son graciously accepted her views. Today's older generation, not wanting to complain like their parents or in-laws did, are trying to be nice but at the same time are not able to keep up with the fast pace of life the youngsters are leading. Or can we blame the changing values or the values the children miss in today's world of fast living and the unending quest for money and comforts? Or is this an indication to the elderly that they should accept the age old "VANAPRASTHASRAMAM"?
More on the subject later.
During the recent past, once again I am being troubled with this question. I come across more and more incidents of people (especially older people) complaining that they do not know what to do when they go to spend time with their children living away from their home. Be it within India or outside. The constant complaint is that they find time hanging in their hands or they feel lonely. This is true even if both husband and wife are alive or only when one of them is alive. They just are not able to feel at home in their children's home.
Just, yesterday, one of my friends was telling me about her sister, who had come to spend a few days with her only living son and his family. From the second day of her arrival, she started missing her own home and wanted to get back. I asked her, what was her problem? The answer was that she did not know how to spend her time.
This set me thinking once again. How can a mother feel lonely with her own child? Have we faulted and if so where? Do we blame the mother or the grown up child? Whosoever is at fault, I could well imagine the scenes that would follow in this particular situation. Two more times the mother says, I am longing to get back to my own home, the son would ask her, when shall I book your return ticket and I am sure the mother would feel very hurt, not realising she put this question into her son's mouth. On the other hand, the son never felt like, sitting with the mother and asking her, how he could make her feel more at home in his place. As far as I can see, it is only a question of some give and take or adjustments in lifestyle on both sides. But nobody wants to spell it out.
Time was, when people had respect for each other and time and patience to listen to each others' doubts and troubles and if possible, suggest a way out. People also felt free to confide in others and accepted the others' suggestions with open mind. A mother could always tell her son what she felt or what was not acceptable to her and the son graciously accepted her views. Today's older generation, not wanting to complain like their parents or in-laws did, are trying to be nice but at the same time are not able to keep up with the fast pace of life the youngsters are leading. Or can we blame the changing values or the values the children miss in today's world of fast living and the unending quest for money and comforts? Or is this an indication to the elderly that they should accept the age old "VANAPRASTHASRAMAM"?
More on the subject later.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Recipe: Cauliflower Fried Rice
I prepared cauliflower fried rice, slightly different from the usual method I have been cooking all these years. And the result, it was much more tastier and easier to prepare.Before I forget, how I prepared it today, let me publish it here.
Ingredients:
cauliflower 1 small
small onion 1 handful(about 100gm) (pearl onion) (sambar onion)
Rice 150gms(¼ cup)
ghee 1 tsp.
cinnamon ½" stick
cloves 2 nos.
big cardomom 1/8 of a pod
turmeric powder 1 tsp
salt to taste
oil 1 tbsp.
shahjeera ½ tsp.
coriander leaves to garnish
to grind:
coriander seeds 1 tbsp.
jeera 1 tsp.
poppy seeds(khus khus) 11/2 tsp
ginger 1 " piece
green chillies 3 nos.
kasoori methi 1 tsp.
pudina 1 sprig
black pepper 1/2 tsp
tomatoes 150gms
Method:
Grind all the spices except tomatoes to a fine paste. Add tomatoes and grind well. Keep it aside.
Wash and soak rice in double quantity of water for 15 minutes. Heat ghee in a pan and add cinnamon, cloves and cardomom. When they start spluttering add the drained rice(reserve the water in which the rice was soaked) and fry until rice starts spluttering. Remove and cook in the soaked water in a pressure cooker.
Cut the cauliflower into florets and wash in warm water in which 1/2 tsp of salt has been dissolved.clean and cut the pearl onions into two.Heat oil in a pan and add the shahjeera.
When it splutters add the pearl onions and fry till transparent. Add the ground mixture and fry till all the moisture evaporates and oil starts separating. Add the cauliflower florets and fry for 2 mnts. add trumeric powder and salt and cook closed, until cauliflower is cooked crisp.
Remove the cooked rice and add to cauliflower mixture and mix well. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.
This rice can be served with raita or thayir pachadi or papad or chips.
ENJOY!
Ingredients:
cauliflower 1 small
small onion 1 handful(about 100gm) (pearl onion) (sambar onion)
Rice 150gms(¼ cup)
ghee 1 tsp.
cinnamon ½" stick
cloves 2 nos.
big cardomom 1/8 of a pod
turmeric powder 1 tsp
salt to taste
oil 1 tbsp.
shahjeera ½ tsp.
coriander leaves to garnish
to grind:
coriander seeds 1 tbsp.
jeera 1 tsp.
poppy seeds(khus khus) 11/2 tsp
ginger 1 " piece
green chillies 3 nos.
kasoori methi 1 tsp.
pudina 1 sprig
black pepper 1/2 tsp
tomatoes 150gms
Method:
Grind all the spices except tomatoes to a fine paste. Add tomatoes and grind well. Keep it aside.
Wash and soak rice in double quantity of water for 15 minutes. Heat ghee in a pan and add cinnamon, cloves and cardomom. When they start spluttering add the drained rice(reserve the water in which the rice was soaked) and fry until rice starts spluttering. Remove and cook in the soaked water in a pressure cooker.
Cut the cauliflower into florets and wash in warm water in which 1/2 tsp of salt has been dissolved.clean and cut the pearl onions into two.Heat oil in a pan and add the shahjeera.
When it splutters add the pearl onions and fry till transparent. Add the ground mixture and fry till all the moisture evaporates and oil starts separating. Add the cauliflower florets and fry for 2 mnts. add trumeric powder and salt and cook closed, until cauliflower is cooked crisp.
Remove the cooked rice and add to cauliflower mixture and mix well. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.
This rice can be served with raita or thayir pachadi or papad or chips.
ENJOY!
Monday, March 06, 2006
What is in a Dress?
There was time, when we could identify people belonging to different parts of India from their dress, especially the ladies. In the case of men also, it was almost possible, though they all wore a white unstitched cloth (Veshti or Panje or Mundu or soman or Dhothi as it was differently called in different parts of India) in different styles unique to their regions.. During the Colonial rule the trousers coat and suit were introduced in our country. Gradually, all men working in corporate offices and Govt. Offices started wearing the uniform trousers and shirts (to this day, people wear Mundu and shirt to work in Kerala and dothi in West Bengal, UP etc.).Our Parliament showcases, its members wearing the traditional dress of India.The unstitched veshti continues to be the traditional dress for all religious occasions. In Kerala, men are not allowed inside the temples in any other dress than a Mundu. Even wearing a shirt inside the temple is not allowed. They can, however, cover their upper torso with another piece of cloth (melmundu), if they wish.
Now coming to more interesting dress habits of ladies, we can find a great evolution that has taken place. In the South, towards the end of 19th century and in early 20th century (when my grandma was growing up), the girls wore an unstitched colored cloth, by name, "chithadai" just wrapping it around their waist. Those days, girls were married when they were 7 or 8 years of age and sent to their in-laws' house once they attained their puberty. From then on, they wore a 9/8 yards long, colored cloth (pudavai) and covered their upper body with the end of this pudavai. There was no other type of dress known. By the 1920s ladies started wearing a stitched blouse to cover their upper body.
Even then, in Kerala, only ladies belonging to upper class were allowed wear blouses. The working class was not permitted to cover their upper body. I have seen women belonging to this era, who continued not to wear a blouse even as late as 1960s.
In Kerala itself, there was a distinct dressing pattern among the various communities in the early 20th century and it was very easy to identify people belonging to different communities by their dress code. The ladies belonging to the Iyer community (Tamil Brahmins or Palghat Brahmins or Iyers,) wore a 9 yards pudavai with a blouse, the Namboodiri Brahmin ladies wore a mundu at the waist level and tied another mundu at armpit level to cover their breasts and never went out without an umbrella covering their face and upperbody (umbrella made with palm leaves), even inside the temple. The other Hindus wore a Mundu(Onnarayum Mundum, it was called) and blouse with a smaller mundu (Neryadhu) to go over their upper body . The Christian women wore the mundu in a different style with the pleats hanging out at the back with a long white blouse (chattayum Mundum) and a Neryadhu over their upper body. They covered their head only while going to the church. They could also be identified by the thick earrings hanging from their upper earlobe. The Muslims of Malabar area wore colourful pudava as Mundu and colourful, long blouses with long sleeves. They also covered their upper body and head with a colourful "thattam." From around 1940, girls up to the age of their puberty started wearing stitched long skirts reaching up to their ankles and long blouse. Once they attained their puberty they followed their elders' dress pattern (by which time, most of them were married).
After the age of marriage for girls was raised to 18 by a law, the unmarried girls wore a half saree over their long skirts to cover their upper body (by this time, most of the girls were going to schools). By 1950s almost all the girls went to school at least up to 7th standard and a good number of them continued till 10th standard. A small percentage of well to do girls went to colleges. So all the girls, irrespective of their community wore long skirt and half sarees when they were in their teens. Around this time, people started migrating outside their villages and state and went to work in different parts of India and learnt new dress codes. Little girls got colourful frocks and girls started wearing short skirts (below their knees) and blouses until they were 10 or 11 and once in their teens continued with half sarees and long skirts. Around this time, married women of Iyer community started wearing 6 yards sarees on a day to day basis and wore their 9 yard sarees only on religious functions. Women of other communities also started coming out of their traditional dresses (mundus of various styles) and started wearing 6 yards sarees and blouses.(Many women in Kerala had started working as teachers, nurses and a good percentage of those in the metros as administrative assistants by then).
Women in other parts of India were also wearing sarees in different styles unique to their regions. In Tamil Nadu, Iyers wore their 9 yard saree in one style and Iyengars wore theirs differently. The Chettiar women wore their sarees in another style. In Karnataka and Andhra the 6yard saree was worn differently by different communities. In Maharastra there was an 8 yard saree worn something similar to the south Indian 9 yard saree apart from the modern 6 yards saree. Other parts of India had their own distinct styles. I remember, when I was in college, in Vizag, a girl coming from Assam, wearing something similar to south Indian long skirt and half saree(Dhavani or veni it was called), in a different style. Salwar and Kameez were worn only in the northern parts of India, especially in Punjab (it was more commonly known as Punjabi dress), Haryana and Kashmir. By the 1960s, with the popularisation of Hindi Cinema, in South India few girls (daughters of the so called society ladies and really big executives) in big cities started wearing Salwar and Kameez to colleges. We had girls wearing short skirts also in our college. Still Madras, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra retained their "pavadai dhavani" culture.
Even in the 1970s and 1980s South Indian women living in various parts of our country continued to wear their own traditional dresses (saree mostly) and the younger girls, though were wearing half skirts and blouses to schools as per the school uniform codes, were wearing long skirts and pavadai dhavani during religious and social get togethers, which were more often those days. People still had time for each other and enjoyed visiting friends and relatives even on week days (now a days, the men folk are mostly in their work places till late in the evening and non-working women are busy with their childrens' studies and TV serials).
By 1990s with more numbers of women taking up employment, there came a revolution in the dress code. A very good percentage of women started wearing salwar-kameez to work and by the late 1990s this became a more common dress than saree. Even women in rural Kerala started wearing salwar-kameez in place of long skirts. Around this time, it also became a common practice among women all over the country to be attired in their night gown while at home. In rural Kerala, this became their everyday dress, whether working in the fields or working as domestic helps or shopping. This brought a socialistic change in dress code, as both the mistress and the maid were dressed in night gowns.
By the 2000s, with the soft ware boom and many young girls visiting or migrating to western countries on work or for studies or after marriage, the under 30 women in India very naturally moved over to jeans and shorts and short tops and the like. They were of course, restricted by stringent dress codes at their work places. One of the big software companies had this in their appointment letter. "Ladies may wear only sarees and blouses or salwar kameez with dupatta or formal western dress. They will not be allowed to come to work in jeans and tops." I asked the girl, who had received this appointment letter, if she would obey this dress code, if this were ordered either by her mother-in-law or husband. Without batting an eyelid, she replied, "I would, if they would give me a fat salary as this company is offering." So, it all boils down to what one is getting in return.
But to this day, women want to look in their traditional best on their home visits or during religious functions or weddings. Yet, it is shocking to see some women in our country while imitating the West seem to have forgotten their (Western) culture of still maintaining a dress code for every occasion. Each country has its on special dress codes for weddings or social functions or funerals, especially. Even the NRIs living in these countries meticulously stick to the dress code. In India, on the other hand, we see people wearing jeans to temples, religious functions, funerals. There is a nonchalant attitude among them. When I see such inappropriately dressed women, especially women who are past their prime(who have grown up in traditional orthodox families), I am not able to understand, what makes them to forget their culture and make themselves laughing stock.
Now coming to more interesting dress habits of ladies, we can find a great evolution that has taken place. In the South, towards the end of 19th century and in early 20th century (when my grandma was growing up), the girls wore an unstitched colored cloth, by name, "chithadai" just wrapping it around their waist. Those days, girls were married when they were 7 or 8 years of age and sent to their in-laws' house once they attained their puberty. From then on, they wore a 9/8 yards long, colored cloth (pudavai) and covered their upper body with the end of this pudavai. There was no other type of dress known. By the 1920s ladies started wearing a stitched blouse to cover their upper body.
Even then, in Kerala, only ladies belonging to upper class were allowed wear blouses. The working class was not permitted to cover their upper body. I have seen women belonging to this era, who continued not to wear a blouse even as late as 1960s.
In Kerala itself, there was a distinct dressing pattern among the various communities in the early 20th century and it was very easy to identify people belonging to different communities by their dress code. The ladies belonging to the Iyer community (Tamil Brahmins or Palghat Brahmins or Iyers,) wore a 9 yards pudavai with a blouse, the Namboodiri Brahmin ladies wore a mundu at the waist level and tied another mundu at armpit level to cover their breasts and never went out without an umbrella covering their face and upperbody (umbrella made with palm leaves), even inside the temple. The other Hindus wore a Mundu(Onnarayum Mundum, it was called) and blouse with a smaller mundu (Neryadhu) to go over their upper body . The Christian women wore the mundu in a different style with the pleats hanging out at the back with a long white blouse (chattayum Mundum) and a Neryadhu over their upper body. They covered their head only while going to the church. They could also be identified by the thick earrings hanging from their upper earlobe. The Muslims of Malabar area wore colourful pudava as Mundu and colourful, long blouses with long sleeves. They also covered their upper body and head with a colourful "thattam." From around 1940, girls up to the age of their puberty started wearing stitched long skirts reaching up to their ankles and long blouse. Once they attained their puberty they followed their elders' dress pattern (by which time, most of them were married).
After the age of marriage for girls was raised to 18 by a law, the unmarried girls wore a half saree over their long skirts to cover their upper body (by this time, most of the girls were going to schools). By 1950s almost all the girls went to school at least up to 7th standard and a good number of them continued till 10th standard. A small percentage of well to do girls went to colleges. So all the girls, irrespective of their community wore long skirt and half sarees when they were in their teens. Around this time, people started migrating outside their villages and state and went to work in different parts of India and learnt new dress codes. Little girls got colourful frocks and girls started wearing short skirts (below their knees) and blouses until they were 10 or 11 and once in their teens continued with half sarees and long skirts. Around this time, married women of Iyer community started wearing 6 yards sarees on a day to day basis and wore their 9 yard sarees only on religious functions. Women of other communities also started coming out of their traditional dresses (mundus of various styles) and started wearing 6 yards sarees and blouses.(Many women in Kerala had started working as teachers, nurses and a good percentage of those in the metros as administrative assistants by then).
Women in other parts of India were also wearing sarees in different styles unique to their regions. In Tamil Nadu, Iyers wore their 9 yard saree in one style and Iyengars wore theirs differently. The Chettiar women wore their sarees in another style. In Karnataka and Andhra the 6yard saree was worn differently by different communities. In Maharastra there was an 8 yard saree worn something similar to the south Indian 9 yard saree apart from the modern 6 yards saree. Other parts of India had their own distinct styles. I remember, when I was in college, in Vizag, a girl coming from Assam, wearing something similar to south Indian long skirt and half saree(Dhavani or veni it was called), in a different style. Salwar and Kameez were worn only in the northern parts of India, especially in Punjab (it was more commonly known as Punjabi dress), Haryana and Kashmir. By the 1960s, with the popularisation of Hindi Cinema, in South India few girls (daughters of the so called society ladies and really big executives) in big cities started wearing Salwar and Kameez to colleges. We had girls wearing short skirts also in our college. Still Madras, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra retained their "pavadai dhavani" culture.
Even in the 1970s and 1980s South Indian women living in various parts of our country continued to wear their own traditional dresses (saree mostly) and the younger girls, though were wearing half skirts and blouses to schools as per the school uniform codes, were wearing long skirts and pavadai dhavani during religious and social get togethers, which were more often those days. People still had time for each other and enjoyed visiting friends and relatives even on week days (now a days, the men folk are mostly in their work places till late in the evening and non-working women are busy with their childrens' studies and TV serials).
By 1990s with more numbers of women taking up employment, there came a revolution in the dress code. A very good percentage of women started wearing salwar-kameez to work and by the late 1990s this became a more common dress than saree. Even women in rural Kerala started wearing salwar-kameez in place of long skirts. Around this time, it also became a common practice among women all over the country to be attired in their night gown while at home. In rural Kerala, this became their everyday dress, whether working in the fields or working as domestic helps or shopping. This brought a socialistic change in dress code, as both the mistress and the maid were dressed in night gowns.
By the 2000s, with the soft ware boom and many young girls visiting or migrating to western countries on work or for studies or after marriage, the under 30 women in India very naturally moved over to jeans and shorts and short tops and the like. They were of course, restricted by stringent dress codes at their work places. One of the big software companies had this in their appointment letter. "Ladies may wear only sarees and blouses or salwar kameez with dupatta or formal western dress. They will not be allowed to come to work in jeans and tops." I asked the girl, who had received this appointment letter, if she would obey this dress code, if this were ordered either by her mother-in-law or husband. Without batting an eyelid, she replied, "I would, if they would give me a fat salary as this company is offering." So, it all boils down to what one is getting in return.
But to this day, women want to look in their traditional best on their home visits or during religious functions or weddings. Yet, it is shocking to see some women in our country while imitating the West seem to have forgotten their (Western) culture of still maintaining a dress code for every occasion. Each country has its on special dress codes for weddings or social functions or funerals, especially. Even the NRIs living in these countries meticulously stick to the dress code. In India, on the other hand, we see people wearing jeans to temples, religious functions, funerals. There is a nonchalant attitude among them. When I see such inappropriately dressed women, especially women who are past their prime(who have grown up in traditional orthodox families), I am not able to understand, what makes them to forget their culture and make themselves laughing stock.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
What is in a name
What is in a name? A rose by any name...be that as it may. We all love to have a beautiful name over which we have no choice, just like we have no choice over our parents. Even before we know how to pronounce our name, we have been stamped with it. Of course, these days, people have the option of changing their names legally, if they don't like their given names. Otherwise, how will we see so many advertisements like, I, so and so, shall henceforth be known as si and si. The only thing, I don't understand is, how can he expect people to start calling him si and si overnight, when all along they were calling him as so and so. I am also told that certain communities in India change the name of the girl after marriage. I am not sure how much say she has in this process.
In the olden days, it was customary to name a child after its grand-father or grand-mother or a village deity or some great personalities, etc. It was said that this way, forefathers' names could be remembered at the time of various religious rites. Just so the still living elders should not be offended, when the child who is named after its grandma or grandpa, is called by their name, the child was usually called by a pet name. Here again, there were ingenious ways of finding a pet name. For instance, parents who lost their elder children named their child as "Pichai"(alms), as if to tell God, it is your alms to us, don't take him also away or "Kuppai" (worthless ), so that God will not consider of taking away something that is worthless. Mostly, there was a pattern followed, in all the families. The oldest was Konthai(just child in vernacular), the next was "Ambi"(younger), and then Papa(again a small child). And names like Rasa(prince) Chellam(the favourite one), Mani(precious jewel), were very popular. Similarly, girls were named: Kunja(the younger one), Ammini(just a girl), Thankam(gold), Shonnam(Gold), Rasai(princess), Ponnu(Gold), etc. When one got only daughters, the 3rd or 4th was named "Mangalam" (vote of thanks) or "Sampoornam" (finale) so that, the next would be a son or when one already had a dozen or so of kids, they were named samporrnam or Mangalam, so that there won't be any more additions to the family(no birth control devices were known then and the children are gifts of GOD).
Parents who couldn't waste their time in inventing endearing pet names for their children named them, chuppalai, ammalai, cheethalai, konthai, kunjaan , kichan etc. Some people are called Amman (uncle), athai(aunt)akka(elder sister)anna(elder brother) and so on, by the whole community.
There was a family, where the oldest son was Ambi, the next Kunjambi and the youngest chinnambi.(They couldn't think of any new names, perhaps).
When I had my first baby, my young brother who was only about 5 at that time asked me what the child's name would be. When I replied that, naturally, he would be named after his paternal grandfather, i.e Subramanian, my brother started crying aloud. In between sobs, he said "even if you name him as Subramanian, don't call him by that name or the usual pet name for Subramanian - Chuprai. Then his friends will start making fun of him by calling him, Chupramania-Apravaya. Find a nice name for him." There were always some small jingles for all the names, like the above. Ammini-kummini, echumi-pachadi for Lakshmi, Naana-koona for Narayanan, Balan-olan , Raman-kooman,etc.
Then, of course, we had the famous (?) nicknames, given by the friends and community at large, depending on the person's behaviour pattern, stature or looks. Many of these names were an honour to the conferred persons and some could be used only in the absence of the persons. Some names, though not very pleasing got stuck. People wouldn't recognise the person by his original name. There were names attached with humorous anecdotes about a person, a humorous comparison of a person's physical characteristic (an unduly tall and thin individual being referred as "arappana" or a very crafty personality as "Sakuni" , a very charitable man referred to as "Karnan", somebody who had the habit of snatching away others' belongings was called "Kakkai").We even had a "Mother Theresa", who was always helpful to others. Some of the not-so-palatable description of a person's disability is "nondi", "loose", "castor oil", etc. Some names, though not very pleasing got stuck. People wouldn't recognise the person by his original name. Though such nick names were used very often in our village, I must admit that most of the time references to people by the nick names were very seldom done to insult or offend them; rather they were used as identification. They just got stuck to them. There is an innocent humour when you hear them used in the villages. May be their practice has something to do with the humour adopted by the artists performing classical arts such as "Ottan Thullal", "Chakyar Koothu" etc which were part and parcel of the village life in the years not so long ago. The locals did not forget to honour the achievers of academic pursuits. Decorations such as "Pundit", "Dikshitar", etc were conferred and referred with respect by the entire village. By and all life was very interesting and such names served also as a means of remembering various personalities and incidents. They also gave rise to humorous literary activities.
Times changed. People had more exposure. The younger generation migrated outside the hometown and home state and they started naming the children differently. Though the practice of naming the child after grandparents continued, that name was mostly used only during religious rites. The child was given a modern name like, Pratap or Prasad or Vikram, etc. Names depicting seasons such as spring (vasantha or vasanth) or celestial stars like Ashwini, Rohini, Swathi (mostly the name of the birthstar) became more popular. Then came the "Kumar" era. Every child was named as some kumar, Ratheesh kumar, Santhosh Kumar, Prem Kumar, Ram Kumar, Krishna Kumar, Ramesh Kumar. There was a 'sh' era also. We had names ending in 'sh,' like Rajneesh, Lathish, Umesh, Ramesh, Suresh, Yogesh, Monish, etc. Among girls, it was the "Shree" endings, that became very popular, We had Vijayashree, Jayashree, Umashree, Ramashree, Divyashree, Rajashree, Lakshmishree, etc. Then came the big era of permutations and combinations. Children were named taking an alphabet or two each from the parents name. Couple who had names, Sundar and Uma would name their child as Suma. Kamala and Balan named their child as Kala or Mala, Rajan and Vasanthi named their child as Ravin. As long as it made some sense, it was ok. But which child would pardon its parents, if he or she were named Chimsi or Baiji or Vitu or Bindish or Ripu? Can you guess what would be the name of the parents of a girl by name, "Simla" or Ditu. , may be Simpson and Kamala or Divakar and Tulsi? It has become a very interesting pastime for me to read the credit columns of TV serials, these days. The names that roll out, like, Titu, Jojo, Mimi, Nano, engages me in a big guessing game of what would be the name of the parents.
People have other reasons to name their children also. I am reminded of an interview, published somewhere. A girl whose name was something like, Lisi Jayaram (whose father's name was something like Joseph or Mathew) was asked how she got a surname as Jayaram, when her father's name was Joseph or Mathew? The girl unabashedly said, "My mother wants me to become a great singer like Vani Jayaram".
And then there are children of patriotic parents who have names like, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Subash Chandra Bose, etc. The parents, for sure did not know that Gandhi and Bose were the surnames of the great leaders. (Many people in rural India still think Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Mahatma Gandhi).
Of late, we have started naming the children and calling them also by names like Lakshmi, Parvati, Krishnan, etc (neo spiritualism) and the old nick names like, Ammu, Paru have also started reappearing. May be the cycle is starting all over again.
In the olden days, it was customary to name a child after its grand-father or grand-mother or a village deity or some great personalities, etc. It was said that this way, forefathers' names could be remembered at the time of various religious rites. Just so the still living elders should not be offended, when the child who is named after its grandma or grandpa, is called by their name, the child was usually called by a pet name. Here again, there were ingenious ways of finding a pet name. For instance, parents who lost their elder children named their child as "Pichai"(alms), as if to tell God, it is your alms to us, don't take him also away or "Kuppai" (worthless ), so that God will not consider of taking away something that is worthless. Mostly, there was a pattern followed, in all the families. The oldest was Konthai(just child in vernacular), the next was "Ambi"(younger), and then Papa(again a small child). And names like Rasa(prince) Chellam(the favourite one), Mani(precious jewel), were very popular. Similarly, girls were named: Kunja(the younger one), Ammini(just a girl), Thankam(gold), Shonnam(Gold), Rasai(princess), Ponnu(Gold), etc. When one got only daughters, the 3rd or 4th was named "Mangalam" (vote of thanks) or "Sampoornam" (finale) so that, the next would be a son or when one already had a dozen or so of kids, they were named samporrnam or Mangalam, so that there won't be any more additions to the family(no birth control devices were known then and the children are gifts of GOD).
Parents who couldn't waste their time in inventing endearing pet names for their children named them, chuppalai, ammalai, cheethalai, konthai, kunjaan , kichan etc. Some people are called Amman (uncle), athai(aunt)akka(elder sister)anna(elder brother) and so on, by the whole community.
There was a family, where the oldest son was Ambi, the next Kunjambi and the youngest chinnambi.(They couldn't think of any new names, perhaps).
When I had my first baby, my young brother who was only about 5 at that time asked me what the child's name would be. When I replied that, naturally, he would be named after his paternal grandfather, i.e Subramanian, my brother started crying aloud. In between sobs, he said "even if you name him as Subramanian, don't call him by that name or the usual pet name for Subramanian - Chuprai. Then his friends will start making fun of him by calling him, Chupramania-Apravaya. Find a nice name for him." There were always some small jingles for all the names, like the above. Ammini-kummini, echumi-pachadi for Lakshmi, Naana-koona for Narayanan, Balan-olan , Raman-kooman,etc.
Then, of course, we had the famous (?) nicknames, given by the friends and community at large, depending on the person's behaviour pattern, stature or looks. Many of these names were an honour to the conferred persons and some could be used only in the absence of the persons. Some names, though not very pleasing got stuck. People wouldn't recognise the person by his original name. There were names attached with humorous anecdotes about a person, a humorous comparison of a person's physical characteristic (an unduly tall and thin individual being referred as "arappana" or a very crafty personality as "Sakuni" , a very charitable man referred to as "Karnan", somebody who had the habit of snatching away others' belongings was called "Kakkai").We even had a "Mother Theresa", who was always helpful to others. Some of the not-so-palatable description of a person's disability is "nondi", "loose", "castor oil", etc. Some names, though not very pleasing got stuck. People wouldn't recognise the person by his original name. Though such nick names were used very often in our village, I must admit that most of the time references to people by the nick names were very seldom done to insult or offend them; rather they were used as identification. They just got stuck to them. There is an innocent humour when you hear them used in the villages. May be their practice has something to do with the humour adopted by the artists performing classical arts such as "Ottan Thullal", "Chakyar Koothu" etc which were part and parcel of the village life in the years not so long ago. The locals did not forget to honour the achievers of academic pursuits. Decorations such as "Pundit", "Dikshitar", etc were conferred and referred with respect by the entire village. By and all life was very interesting and such names served also as a means of remembering various personalities and incidents. They also gave rise to humorous literary activities.
Times changed. People had more exposure. The younger generation migrated outside the hometown and home state and they started naming the children differently. Though the practice of naming the child after grandparents continued, that name was mostly used only during religious rites. The child was given a modern name like, Pratap or Prasad or Vikram, etc. Names depicting seasons such as spring (vasantha or vasanth) or celestial stars like Ashwini, Rohini, Swathi (mostly the name of the birthstar) became more popular. Then came the "Kumar" era. Every child was named as some kumar, Ratheesh kumar, Santhosh Kumar, Prem Kumar, Ram Kumar, Krishna Kumar, Ramesh Kumar. There was a 'sh' era also. We had names ending in 'sh,' like Rajneesh, Lathish, Umesh, Ramesh, Suresh, Yogesh, Monish, etc. Among girls, it was the "Shree" endings, that became very popular, We had Vijayashree, Jayashree, Umashree, Ramashree, Divyashree, Rajashree, Lakshmishree, etc. Then came the big era of permutations and combinations. Children were named taking an alphabet or two each from the parents name. Couple who had names, Sundar and Uma would name their child as Suma. Kamala and Balan named their child as Kala or Mala, Rajan and Vasanthi named their child as Ravin. As long as it made some sense, it was ok. But which child would pardon its parents, if he or she were named Chimsi or Baiji or Vitu or Bindish or Ripu? Can you guess what would be the name of the parents of a girl by name, "Simla" or Ditu. , may be Simpson and Kamala or Divakar and Tulsi? It has become a very interesting pastime for me to read the credit columns of TV serials, these days. The names that roll out, like, Titu, Jojo, Mimi, Nano, engages me in a big guessing game of what would be the name of the parents.
People have other reasons to name their children also. I am reminded of an interview, published somewhere. A girl whose name was something like, Lisi Jayaram (whose father's name was something like Joseph or Mathew) was asked how she got a surname as Jayaram, when her father's name was Joseph or Mathew? The girl unabashedly said, "My mother wants me to become a great singer like Vani Jayaram".
And then there are children of patriotic parents who have names like, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Subash Chandra Bose, etc. The parents, for sure did not know that Gandhi and Bose were the surnames of the great leaders. (Many people in rural India still think Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Mahatma Gandhi).
Of late, we have started naming the children and calling them also by names like Lakshmi, Parvati, Krishnan, etc (neo spiritualism) and the old nick names like, Ammu, Paru have also started reappearing. May be the cycle is starting all over again.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Recipe: Podipodicha Pulinkari
This pulinkari was a favourite of my grandmother's, especially so if it was made with jackfruit (ripened) and my grandfather detested the curry. The usual conversation at meal time whenever the pulinkari was made went something like the following:
Grnadpa: What is for Lunch?
Grandma: Podipodicha Pulinkari
Grandpa: Unkamma Pulinkari (Your mother pulinkari!)
Even to this day, whenever I make this pulinkari, I am reminded of the scene in our ancestral home on pulinkari days, when we children used to burst out laughing. We made it a point to be at the dining hall, when my grandfather came to eat his lunch, when pulinkari was made. My little cousin had named this pulinkari as grandma's ammapulinkari.
Once my youngest brother who was then 3 years old, told a neighbour, my mother has made "mooku podicha pulinkari" today. The lady came to my mother curious to know, what this new dish was and we all had a hearty laugh.
All said and done, it is wonderful pulinkari (sambar) to go with rice or dosa or idli.
This pulinkari can be made with any lightly sweet vegetable, like, red pumpkin (squash), ripe mango, ripe jackfruit or a combination of red pumpkin and raw plantain, etc.
I give the recipe for basic pulinkari, in which any of the above mentioned vegetable can be added.
To serve 4
Ingredients
Red pumpkin 250 gms
Or
Ripe Mango 1 big
Or
Ripe Jackfruit 10 - 15 pods ( seeds removed )
Or
Red pumpkin 200 gms
Raw plantain 1small
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp
Or
Tamarind - the size of a lemon( Indian lemon. I have seen giant sized lemons at US)
Turmeric powder 1tsp.
Jaggery 25 gms.
Salt to taste
For garnish:
Oil 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds 1tsp.
Redchilly 1 no.
Curry leaves one sprig
To roast and powder:
Raw rice 1 tbsp,
Red chillies 3 nos.
Methi seeds ½ tsp
Lentil or toor dal 1 tsp.
Hing or asafoetida peasize
Wash the rice and dry roast to golden brown color along with all the other ingredients for powder. Cool and grind to a fine powder .When powdered this gives a nice aroma. Keep aside.
Cut the vegetables to 1" cubes , the jackfruit pods 1" pieces
Soak the tamarind, in 1 cup of warm water, if you are using tamarind. Squeeze the pulp and boil adding one more cup of water. Add the vegetables and cook, adding turmeric powder and salt. When vegetables are almost cooked, add the jaggery and boil for 5 more minutes. Mix the ground powder with one cup of water without lumps and add to the cooked vegetables.( If using, tamarind paste, the tamarind paste need to be added at this stage only ). Allow the mixture to come to boil. If the curry is very thick, add more water and boil.It should be thinner that sambar.(The pulinkari will thicken when it cools.) Remove from stove and add few curry leaves.
Heat another pan and add the oil for garnish. When oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and red chilli (broken into small pieces). When the mustard seeds stops spluttering and red chilli pieces have turned darker in color, remove from stove, add the curry leaves and pour into the prepared pulinkari. ENJOY.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Recipe: Capsicum (Bell Pepper) Masala fry
This is a very tasty fry, very easy to make in a very short time.
2 servings
Ingredients
Capsicum 200gms
Onion 50 gms
jeera 1 tsp.
cardamom 1
cloves 2
cinnamon ¼" piece
turmeric powder ½ tsp.
garam masala powder ½ tsp.
dhania jeera powder 2tsps.
Dosai molagai podi 2 tsp.(see recipe below)
salt to taste
oil 1 tbsp
Cut the capsicum in 1"square pieces. Slice the onions fine. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add jeera,cardomom, cloves and cinnamon. When jeera starts spluttering add the sliced onions and fry until they start changing color. Add the capsicum pieces and fry for 5 mnts.Add the turmeric powder and dhania jeera powder. Fry for another 5 mnts. Add salt and fry for another 3 mnts. Finally add the dosai molagai podi and fry for another 5 mnt. Your tasty capsicum masala fry is ready. This is very good with chapatis.
The dosa molagai podi gives the dish a cripsy texture.
Alternatively, a powder made with 1tsp sesame seeds and 1tsp groundnuts can be used.
2 servings
Ingredients
Capsicum 200gms
Onion 50 gms
jeera 1 tsp.
cardamom 1
cloves 2
cinnamon ¼" piece
turmeric powder ½ tsp.
garam masala powder ½ tsp.
dhania jeera powder 2tsps.
Dosai molagai podi 2 tsp.(see recipe below)
salt to taste
oil 1 tbsp
Cut the capsicum in 1"square pieces. Slice the onions fine. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add jeera,cardomom, cloves and cinnamon. When jeera starts spluttering add the sliced onions and fry until they start changing color. Add the capsicum pieces and fry for 5 mnts.Add the turmeric powder and dhania jeera powder. Fry for another 5 mnts. Add salt and fry for another 3 mnts. Finally add the dosai molagai podi and fry for another 5 mnt. Your tasty capsicum masala fry is ready. This is very good with chapatis.
The dosa molagai podi gives the dish a cripsy texture.
Alternatively, a powder made with 1tsp sesame seeds and 1tsp groundnuts can be used.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Recipe: Dosa Molagai Podi
Dosai Molagai podi
Ingredients:
Bengal gram dal 1cup
Urad dal 1 cup
sesame seeds 2 tbsps.
hing a small piece(size of a pea)
Whole red chillies 15 nos.
curry leaves 1 sprig(optional)
salt to taste.
oil ½ tsp.
Heat oil in a thick bottomed fry pan and add the hing. When the hing is fried, add the bengal gram dal and fry till it is light brown in color. Remove and cool. In the same fry pan, fry the urad dal, until it turn light brown in color, add the sesame seeds and fry for 3 more mnts. Add the red chillies and curry leaves and fry until the curry leaves are crisp.Cool all the ingredients and mix well. Add salt.Powder to a coarse consistency.Store in a airtight jar. Will keep for 6 months.
This powder can be served with Dosa or Idli, mixed with little oil or ghee.
This powder can be used in many curries to enhance the taste as well as to add crispiness to the curry.
Ingredients:
Bengal gram dal 1cup
Urad dal 1 cup
sesame seeds 2 tbsps.
hing a small piece(size of a pea)
Whole red chillies 15 nos.
curry leaves 1 sprig(optional)
salt to taste.
oil ½ tsp.
Heat oil in a thick bottomed fry pan and add the hing. When the hing is fried, add the bengal gram dal and fry till it is light brown in color. Remove and cool. In the same fry pan, fry the urad dal, until it turn light brown in color, add the sesame seeds and fry for 3 more mnts. Add the red chillies and curry leaves and fry until the curry leaves are crisp.Cool all the ingredients and mix well. Add salt.Powder to a coarse consistency.Store in a airtight jar. Will keep for 6 months.
This powder can be served with Dosa or Idli, mixed with little oil or ghee.
This powder can be used in many curries to enhance the taste as well as to add crispiness to the curry.
confusion
If I reacted to the postponement of my father's first anniversary in trying to think If we have been disrespectful in one way or the other, the question of," now when" was uppermost in all of us siblings. The oldest brother of mine ( the eldest son ), who according to our scriptures, is the one who has to perform the rites being in the lead, had already contacted our priest locally. He diplomatically said, the usual custom is to perform the anniversary on the 11th day ( i.e. the day we are freed from the 10 day isolation resulting from the death of our cousin) ,but in any case, you consult with your priest at your village. By now, my other brothers also started asking me about the possible dates when we could perform the rites.I could only tell them to wait until we hear from our village priest. We were all sure, he would find out some convenient date(!) to suit everyone. I also added that, if only my astute and blessed mother-in-law were alive, she would have quoted some such incident from the past. Her favorite anecdote was the postponement of her father-in-law's first anniversary rites because of the birth of a son to her sister-in-law. I had, actually, not asked her in detail about how the rites were performed on a later day, if the rites were performed on all the 4 days or it was capsuled for two days. I can never find out now.
This takes me back to my childhood days, when any such doubt would be clarified with authority by the then headpriest of our village (who happened to be my fathers maternal uncle), whom we fondly called"Amman".When he had said his opinion, there was no second opinion sought in any matter. Or on later days, after our "Amman" passed away, there would generally be a discussion among the elders in the village, as to how it was performed on similar occasions in the past. Today, if my mother has to get an opinion on this issue, she is the only elderly person in the whole village, all others being new comers to the village or a very young generation.
By evening, my older brother had received word from our village priest. "You can either perform the rites on the 11th day or perform it on a later day conveniently. You need to perform only the Sradham and the homam.My brother is yet to get the views of the other brothers.
My youngest brother, who incidentally was in town, brought up another question? If the rites could be performed on the 11th day, how do we sanctify all the clothes that we will be carrying with us on that day? A very relevant question. When someone from the close family dies, it was a practice to observe a 10 days abstenanace and social isolation from all functions and sanctify the whole house on the 11th day by washing all clothes and utensils used during this period and sprinkling holy water. If all were to reach there on the 10th day or 11th day, what will we wear when we wash all the clothes that we carry? All the customs have been drafted in days when people did not normally move out of the closeknit society. Such questions were never asked nor had to be answered. In rare occasions where people had to travel they usully arrived well in advance and such problems rarely arose. Besides, the dresses wore by the people were very simple and therefore could be shared
without much problem. The lifestyles and practices pose such technical problems these days. Today the generation of middle aged men and women face such problems when one knows about such practices and at the same time cannot observe them due to various constraints.
This takes me back to my childhood days, when any such doubt would be clarified with authority by the then headpriest of our village (who happened to be my fathers maternal uncle), whom we fondly called"Amman".When he had said his opinion, there was no second opinion sought in any matter. Or on later days, after our "Amman" passed away, there would generally be a discussion among the elders in the village, as to how it was performed on similar occasions in the past. Today, if my mother has to get an opinion on this issue, she is the only elderly person in the whole village, all others being new comers to the village or a very young generation.
By evening, my older brother had received word from our village priest. "You can either perform the rites on the 11th day or perform it on a later day conveniently. You need to perform only the Sradham and the homam.My brother is yet to get the views of the other brothers.
My youngest brother, who incidentally was in town, brought up another question? If the rites could be performed on the 11th day, how do we sanctify all the clothes that we will be carrying with us on that day? A very relevant question. When someone from the close family dies, it was a practice to observe a 10 days abstenanace and social isolation from all functions and sanctify the whole house on the 11th day by washing all clothes and utensils used during this period and sprinkling holy water. If all were to reach there on the 10th day or 11th day, what will we wear when we wash all the clothes that we carry? All the customs have been drafted in days when people did not normally move out of the closeknit society. Such questions were never asked nor had to be answered. In rare occasions where people had to travel they usully arrived well in advance and such problems rarely arose. Besides, the dresses wore by the people were very simple and therefore could be shared
without much problem. The lifestyles and practices pose such technical problems these days. Today the generation of middle aged men and women face such problems when one knows about such practices and at the same time cannot observe them due to various constraints.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Recipe - Microwave Aloo Gobi Masala
Recipe
Though,many housewives in India today, own microwave ovens, more often than not, they are used only to heat up left over food, so much so the other day some one was mentioning to me that she had bought a new oven to heat up left over food.
Having used a microwave oven to cook many traditional Indian dishes, I wish to give some recipes, which I have tried successfully.
Aloo Gobi Masala
Ingredients:
Potato 250 gms.
Cauliflower 250 gms(1 small head)
Onion 100gms
Green chillies 2
ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp.
dhania powder 2 tsp.
jeera powder 2 tsp.
chilli powder 1tsp.
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.
garam masala 1 tsp.
salt to tast
oil 1tbsp.
coriander leaves 1 sprig
Method:
Scrub and wash and cut potato into 1" cubes. Wash and cut cauliflower into medium sized flowerlets. slice onion.
Fill a micorwave proof dish with potato cubes and cauliflower and 1/4 cup of water and cover with clingwrap. Prick the wrap with a fork at two or three places. Microwave high for 3 mnts.Remove mix well and microwave at 70% for 5 mnts.Keep aside. Put one tabsp. oil in a glass dish and add the onion and microwave high for 2 mnts. Remove, add the ginger garlic paste, mix well and microwave high for 1 mnt. Remove add the cooked potato and cauliflower and all the other spices, except garam masala, mix well and microwave at 70% for 5 mnts, stirring once in between.Sprinkle the garam masala and microwave at 70% for 1 mnt more. Remove, mix well and garnish with finely cut coriander leaves.
Though,many housewives in India today, own microwave ovens, more often than not, they are used only to heat up left over food, so much so the other day some one was mentioning to me that she had bought a new oven to heat up left over food.
Having used a microwave oven to cook many traditional Indian dishes, I wish to give some recipes, which I have tried successfully.
Aloo Gobi Masala
Ingredients:
Potato 250 gms.
Cauliflower 250 gms(1 small head)
Onion 100gms
Green chillies 2
ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp.
dhania powder 2 tsp.
jeera powder 2 tsp.
chilli powder 1tsp.
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.
garam masala 1 tsp.
salt to tast
oil 1tbsp.
coriander leaves 1 sprig
Method:
Scrub and wash and cut potato into 1" cubes. Wash and cut cauliflower into medium sized flowerlets. slice onion.
Fill a micorwave proof dish with potato cubes and cauliflower and 1/4 cup of water and cover with clingwrap. Prick the wrap with a fork at two or three places. Microwave high for 3 mnts.Remove mix well and microwave at 70% for 5 mnts.Keep aside. Put one tabsp. oil in a glass dish and add the onion and microwave high for 2 mnts. Remove, add the ginger garlic paste, mix well and microwave high for 1 mnt. Remove add the cooked potato and cauliflower and all the other spices, except garam masala, mix well and microwave at 70% for 5 mnts, stirring once in between.Sprinkle the garam masala and microwave at 70% for 1 mnt more. Remove, mix well and garnish with finely cut coriander leaves.
Generation in the middle
I was woken up early today morning by a phone call announcing the passing away of a cousin, we grew up with. For a moment,i couldn't reract. After life took us to opposite corners of the country , perhaps, I have met him only a couple of times in the last 40 years.
When I started reacting to the message, once again my thought was, what will happen to the anniversary rituals of our father, slated for the next week? Now, the first anniversary rituals are very elaborate and important and are spread over a period of 5 days.
All arrangements for the rituals have been initiated well in advance. All my siblings and in-laws have made travel arrangements. I have already packed my bags and have booked my travel for tomorrow. The death of an immediate cousin, means a ban of all rituals for a period of 10 days at least. So, now, what?
In the village, where I grew up, it was usual practice among the folks to look for reasons for incidents such as the persent one. Cancellation or postponement of such important functions were never looked upon by the village folks kindly. Invariably they were able to link the causes with some disrespect shown to the elders or some other misdeeds!. Their argument was, there has to be some reason for everything / some malafide action committed some time. They strongly believed in "You do your duties well, you will be rewarded". Somebody doing well in life, he has done "punyakarma". Somebody having difficulties in life, he has done "papakarma".Take care of your elders, you will be taken care of by your offsprings. Help the needy, you will be helped in need. Take care of others'children, your children will be taken care of.Having grown up in these surroundings, involuntarily, my mind starts analysing the past one year, to see where we have gone wrong as to displease our forefathers? In the next moment, being bombarded by new management theories of modern days, I hush my mind not to make judgements. After all, questioning "why some thing happened or did not happen" will only bring forth some excuses so think how we can improve upon the present situation. This disagreement between the present day "me " and a childhood spent among the traditional, well meaning rural community is an everyday occurance, these days. I can never decide if this is right or that.
The present day generation, being brought up in nuclear families cannot understand why one should waste so much energy in trying to find out a reason for anything and everything. At the same time, not a day passes, without the media reporting, events like,"Last minute cancellation of ticket/ giving away to someone who wanted to travel on some urgent mission" saves somebody's life (the flight crashed), "extension of work in a foreign country cost the engineer his life"(engineer's work in the foreign country was extended by one month and he was killed in some blast there during the extended period).Do we still attach some importance to these causes and means or is to only to provide some sensational news? I am at a loss to understand.
As my husband always says,"we are destined to be a confused lot, that we are the transient generation, who have grown up imbibing certain values and are living in a period which has totally different set of values".
When I started reacting to the message, once again my thought was, what will happen to the anniversary rituals of our father, slated for the next week? Now, the first anniversary rituals are very elaborate and important and are spread over a period of 5 days.
All arrangements for the rituals have been initiated well in advance. All my siblings and in-laws have made travel arrangements. I have already packed my bags and have booked my travel for tomorrow. The death of an immediate cousin, means a ban of all rituals for a period of 10 days at least. So, now, what?
In the village, where I grew up, it was usual practice among the folks to look for reasons for incidents such as the persent one. Cancellation or postponement of such important functions were never looked upon by the village folks kindly. Invariably they were able to link the causes with some disrespect shown to the elders or some other misdeeds!. Their argument was, there has to be some reason for everything / some malafide action committed some time. They strongly believed in "You do your duties well, you will be rewarded". Somebody doing well in life, he has done "punyakarma". Somebody having difficulties in life, he has done "papakarma".Take care of your elders, you will be taken care of by your offsprings. Help the needy, you will be helped in need. Take care of others'children, your children will be taken care of.Having grown up in these surroundings, involuntarily, my mind starts analysing the past one year, to see where we have gone wrong as to displease our forefathers? In the next moment, being bombarded by new management theories of modern days, I hush my mind not to make judgements. After all, questioning "why some thing happened or did not happen" will only bring forth some excuses so think how we can improve upon the present situation. This disagreement between the present day "me " and a childhood spent among the traditional, well meaning rural community is an everyday occurance, these days. I can never decide if this is right or that.
The present day generation, being brought up in nuclear families cannot understand why one should waste so much energy in trying to find out a reason for anything and everything. At the same time, not a day passes, without the media reporting, events like,"Last minute cancellation of ticket/ giving away to someone who wanted to travel on some urgent mission" saves somebody's life (the flight crashed), "extension of work in a foreign country cost the engineer his life"(engineer's work in the foreign country was extended by one month and he was killed in some blast there during the extended period).Do we still attach some importance to these causes and means or is to only to provide some sensational news? I am at a loss to understand.
As my husband always says,"we are destined to be a confused lot, that we are the transient generation, who have grown up imbibing certain values and are living in a period which has totally different set of values".
Monday, January 30, 2006
Paru-athai
The other day, my brother told me Paru-athai passed
away. My immediate reaction was, "may her soul rest in
peace" ,literally, for, she was a woman who had lived
her life bravely, with a very strong will power and
strength of character and a load of love within her
for everyone and nothing else in this world. You
cannot say she had a checkered life nor was she an
extraordinary woman in the modern context. She was a
very very ordinary woman who had not stepped out of
the remote village she was born until her death at the
ripe age of 92, with no birthday celebrations. I doubt
if she herself knew about her birthday.
She was there ever-since I can remember. Perhaps she
was only 40, when I was a very young girl. Yet she
never looked young even then. The last I met her was
last year when I had gone to my native place after
several years. As usual she was there at the temple
and as usual she asked me with all the love and
concern in the world," how are you my child? Haven't
seen you for long. How is your family, the children
and the others?" She had the same questions to ask
everyone and she was happy if only we answered her.
She did not have any more expectations.
Who was this Paru-athai? Athai, in Tamil means paternal
aunt. No, she was not my father's sister. She was, in
fact , Paru-athai to every one in the village. No one
ever addressed her in any-other fashion. If she was
an ordinary woman, why do I think she was someone
special? Well, I feel she was a very very brave woman.
Paru-athai was a born widow! Surprising? Well, when she
was about 8 years old, she was married (she had not
even seen his face, prior to or during the ceremony).
When she was about 9 years old, one day, she was
called in while she was playing outside her house with
her friends and told she had become a widow. She did
not even understand what it meant. Anyway, she was
made to sit in a corner and everyone around cried
aloud beating their breasts. Young Paru did not know
what had happened. Nobody cared to explain to her.
When she felt hungry, no one was serving her food.
Now, young Paru cried and it was her father, who could
console his only daughter and explain to her that her
husband had died in a far away village. Paru did not
lose only her husband that day, she lost her youth,
her womanhood, her life. Her long hair,
which she adorned with flowers everyday, was cut and
her head was shaven. She was given a coarse red
unstitched cloth and she never wore any other type of
dress. She did not wear any jewelry nor was she
invited for any auspicious functions like, marriage,
baby showers etc. Yet, I have never seen her depressed
or showing any bitterness towards life. She took care
of all the children around, in the close knit society
we lived in. She was there to console the child who
fell down while playing, she was there to discipline
us whenever we children got into some mischief. She
lived with her only brother and took care of his
family and helped bringing up his children. When her
only brother died some 40 years ago, her brother's
family sheltered her and fed her and cared for her
till her death. That was the only good karma she had
earned in her previous life, perhaps.
These things flashed thru my mind when I heard about
her passing away and I saluted her will power
silently. I was telling my teenaged niece about
Paru-athai and she immediately asked me, why didn't
she drown herself and why did she have to live thru
this life with no one to love her no one for her to
love?
I have often wondered what-gave strength to people
like Paru-athai to live thru the long life that was
given to them, when they had nothing to call their own
nor any thing to look forward to. It is not one
Paru-athai, I can remember so may young widows of her
age, as I was growing up in my remote village, who had
not known what life was, who were branded inauspicious
even before they could spell the word " auspicious"
who had not stepped out of their village even once. My
husband tells me, it is their unconditional
surrendering to God that gives them the strength to
live on without any expectations. The spirituality
that they imbibed as they were growing up gave them
the will power to live life that was given to them.
I also wonder why youngsters of today feel like taking
their own life for the slightest disappointment? Why
they think life is so cheap and worthless? Why is it
that they cannot take a "no" from any one or from
life? Who are to be blamed, they or their parents or
the society? I don't get an answer.
away. My immediate reaction was, "may her soul rest in
peace" ,literally, for, she was a woman who had lived
her life bravely, with a very strong will power and
strength of character and a load of love within her
for everyone and nothing else in this world. You
cannot say she had a checkered life nor was she an
extraordinary woman in the modern context. She was a
very very ordinary woman who had not stepped out of
the remote village she was born until her death at the
ripe age of 92, with no birthday celebrations. I doubt
if she herself knew about her birthday.
She was there ever-since I can remember. Perhaps she
was only 40, when I was a very young girl. Yet she
never looked young even then. The last I met her was
last year when I had gone to my native place after
several years. As usual she was there at the temple
and as usual she asked me with all the love and
concern in the world," how are you my child? Haven't
seen you for long. How is your family, the children
and the others?" She had the same questions to ask
everyone and she was happy if only we answered her.
She did not have any more expectations.
Who was this Paru-athai? Athai, in Tamil means paternal
aunt. No, she was not my father's sister. She was, in
fact , Paru-athai to every one in the village. No one
ever addressed her in any-other fashion. If she was
an ordinary woman, why do I think she was someone
special? Well, I feel she was a very very brave woman.
Paru-athai was a born widow! Surprising? Well, when she
was about 8 years old, she was married (she had not
even seen his face, prior to or during the ceremony).
When she was about 9 years old, one day, she was
called in while she was playing outside her house with
her friends and told she had become a widow. She did
not even understand what it meant. Anyway, she was
made to sit in a corner and everyone around cried
aloud beating their breasts. Young Paru did not know
what had happened. Nobody cared to explain to her.
When she felt hungry, no one was serving her food.
Now, young Paru cried and it was her father, who could
console his only daughter and explain to her that her
husband had died in a far away village. Paru did not
lose only her husband that day, she lost her youth,
her womanhood, her life. Her long hair,
which she adorned with flowers everyday, was cut and
her head was shaven. She was given a coarse red
unstitched cloth and she never wore any other type of
dress. She did not wear any jewelry nor was she
invited for any auspicious functions like, marriage,
baby showers etc. Yet, I have never seen her depressed
or showing any bitterness towards life. She took care
of all the children around, in the close knit society
we lived in. She was there to console the child who
fell down while playing, she was there to discipline
us whenever we children got into some mischief. She
lived with her only brother and took care of his
family and helped bringing up his children. When her
only brother died some 40 years ago, her brother's
family sheltered her and fed her and cared for her
till her death. That was the only good karma she had
earned in her previous life, perhaps.
These things flashed thru my mind when I heard about
her passing away and I saluted her will power
silently. I was telling my teenaged niece about
Paru-athai and she immediately asked me, why didn't
she drown herself and why did she have to live thru
this life with no one to love her no one for her to
love?
I have often wondered what-gave strength to people
like Paru-athai to live thru the long life that was
given to them, when they had nothing to call their own
nor any thing to look forward to. It is not one
Paru-athai, I can remember so may young widows of her
age, as I was growing up in my remote village, who had
not known what life was, who were branded inauspicious
even before they could spell the word " auspicious"
who had not stepped out of their village even once. My
husband tells me, it is their unconditional
surrendering to God that gives them the strength to
live on without any expectations. The spirituality
that they imbibed as they were growing up gave them
the will power to live life that was given to them.
I also wonder why youngsters of today feel like taking
their own life for the slightest disappointment? Why
they think life is so cheap and worthless? Why is it
that they cannot take a "no" from any one or from
life? Who are to be blamed, they or their parents or
the society? I don't get an answer.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Recipe: Thiruvathira kari
THIRUVATHIRA KARI OR PUZHUKKU OR KOOTU, as it is known differently in different regions.
The main ingredient, in the thiruvathira kari, is a root vegetable known as "KAVATHU" or "KACHIL" in Kerala. This vegetable is availbale in all the big cities all over India, during thiruvathira season. This root comes in two colors, white and light pink. It is a big yam like root. This yam is also available in the Indian and Pacific stores (it comes from Fiji Islands, we were told) in the US.
The other ingredients are avarakkai or flat beans(Sem), red pumpkin and raw tur. Raw banana, sweet potatoes, koorka (another root vegetable available in Kerala) are also used in some regions.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Kavathu: 250 gms
Red pumpkin 250 gms
Avarakkai 200 gms
Toor pods 200gms
Turmeric powd. 1 tsp.
Grated coconut 1 cup
Green chillies 2 nos.
Curry leaves a few
Coconut oil 1 tbsp.
Mustard 2 tsp
Split urad dal 2 tsp
Red chillies 2 nos.
Jaggery a small piece
Salt to taste
Method:
Wash the kavathu in running water before cutting to remove all the soil. Scrape the skin and cut into 1" cubes. Peel and cut the red pumpkin into 1" cubes. Thread the avarakkai
and cut into 1" pieces. Remove the toor from the pods. Wash all the vegetables and pressure cook, with turmeric powder and salt. Grind the coconut and green chillies
coarsely. Heat a thick bottomed kadai and add the cooked vegetables and jaggery piece. Boil for 5 mnts., till all the vegetables are well mixed. Add the coconut mixture and boil for another 5 mnts. Remove from stove and add few curry leaves. In another small kadai heat the coconut oil and add the muxtard seeds. When the mustard starts spluttering add the urad dal and red chillies(cut into small bits) . When the urad dal turns brown in color, remove from fire, add a few curry leaves and pour into the prepared vegetable.
This a delicious vegetable. This goes well with rice, chappathi and dosa also.
The main ingredient, in the thiruvathira kari, is a root vegetable known as "KAVATHU" or "KACHIL" in Kerala. This vegetable is availbale in all the big cities all over India, during thiruvathira season. This root comes in two colors, white and light pink. It is a big yam like root. This yam is also available in the Indian and Pacific stores (it comes from Fiji Islands, we were told) in the US.
The other ingredients are avarakkai or flat beans(Sem), red pumpkin and raw tur. Raw banana, sweet potatoes, koorka (another root vegetable available in Kerala) are also used in some regions.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Kavathu: 250 gms
Red pumpkin 250 gms
Avarakkai 200 gms
Toor pods 200gms
Turmeric powd. 1 tsp.
Grated coconut 1 cup
Green chillies 2 nos.
Curry leaves a few
Coconut oil 1 tbsp.
Mustard 2 tsp
Split urad dal 2 tsp
Red chillies 2 nos.
Jaggery a small piece
Salt to taste
Method:
Wash the kavathu in running water before cutting to remove all the soil. Scrape the skin and cut into 1" cubes. Peel and cut the red pumpkin into 1" cubes. Thread the avarakkai
and cut into 1" pieces. Remove the toor from the pods. Wash all the vegetables and pressure cook, with turmeric powder and salt. Grind the coconut and green chillies
coarsely. Heat a thick bottomed kadai and add the cooked vegetables and jaggery piece. Boil for 5 mnts., till all the vegetables are well mixed. Add the coconut mixture and boil for another 5 mnts. Remove from stove and add few curry leaves. In another small kadai heat the coconut oil and add the muxtard seeds. When the mustard starts spluttering add the urad dal and red chillies(cut into small bits) . When the urad dal turns brown in color, remove from fire, add a few curry leaves and pour into the prepared vegetable.
This a delicious vegetable. This goes well with rice, chappathi and dosa also.
Recipe: Thiruvathira kali
THIRUVATHIRA KALI
Thiruvathira Kali and Kari are the naivedhyam items prepared for Thiruvathira. One of the rarest occasions when a savoury item, that too cooked vegetable, is offered to God along with a sweet dish (of course, ususally vada is offered with appam or kozhukkattai or payasam) as neivedhyam.
South Indians being rice eaters, most of the offerings also are made of rice. December-January being the season when root vegetables are harvested, these are included in the kari.
KALI
Ingredients:
Raw Rice 1 cup
Greem gram dal 1/2 cup
Jaggery 21/2 to 3 cups(depending on individual liking)
Grated coconut 1/2 cup
Cardomom powder 1tsp.
Ghee 1 tbsp.
Preparation:
Wash the rice well and dry. Roast the dried rice to a light pink color and powder. Roast the green gram dal to a light brown color. Half cook the roasted dal. Melt the jaggery in 3 cups of water and strain to remove dirt and sand particles. In a large thick bottomed kadai pour the melted and strained jaggery and boil. Add the half cooked dal and grated coconut and cardomom powder. When the mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat and add the roasted rice flour, little at a time, stirring well all the time. When all the rice flour has been added, keep stirring well until all the water has been absorbed and rice flour is well cooked. Add the ghee and mix well and remove.
The kali should have a shining surface when done.
This is the traditional kali as was being prepared from my childhood days. It can be optionaly decorated with cashewnuts and raisins fried in ghee, to make it richer.
This kali can be prepared in a pressure cooker with more ease. Cook the roasted green gram dal with one cup of water in the pressure cooker ( until one whistle ). Open and pour the strained jaggery, coconut gratings and cardomom powder. When the mixture starts boiling add the roasted rice flour gradually, stirring well. When all the rice flour has been added, close the cooker and reduce the heat to the minimum. When steam starts coming out , place the weight and cook for 15-20 mnts and switch off. Open the lid of the cooker after half an hour and pour the ghee and mix well. The kali would be ready.
Rice and green gram dal can be roasted in the microwave oven. Place the rice or dal in a thin layer in a cermaic or glass plate (do not use a plastic plate for this purpose) and microwave high for 1 minute. Mix well and microwave high again for 1 minute. Mix well and microwave high again for 1 minute. Mix well and microwave for 2 minutes in 70% power. Mix well and microwave for 2 minutes in 70% power 3 more times , mixing well in between.
Thiruvathira Kali and Kari are the naivedhyam items prepared for Thiruvathira. One of the rarest occasions when a savoury item, that too cooked vegetable, is offered to God along with a sweet dish (of course, ususally vada is offered with appam or kozhukkattai or payasam) as neivedhyam.
South Indians being rice eaters, most of the offerings also are made of rice. December-January being the season when root vegetables are harvested, these are included in the kari.
KALI
Ingredients:
Raw Rice 1 cup
Greem gram dal 1/2 cup
Jaggery 21/2 to 3 cups(depending on individual liking)
Grated coconut 1/2 cup
Cardomom powder 1tsp.
Ghee 1 tbsp.
Preparation:
Wash the rice well and dry. Roast the dried rice to a light pink color and powder. Roast the green gram dal to a light brown color. Half cook the roasted dal. Melt the jaggery in 3 cups of water and strain to remove dirt and sand particles. In a large thick bottomed kadai pour the melted and strained jaggery and boil. Add the half cooked dal and grated coconut and cardomom powder. When the mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat and add the roasted rice flour, little at a time, stirring well all the time. When all the rice flour has been added, keep stirring well until all the water has been absorbed and rice flour is well cooked. Add the ghee and mix well and remove.
The kali should have a shining surface when done.
This is the traditional kali as was being prepared from my childhood days. It can be optionaly decorated with cashewnuts and raisins fried in ghee, to make it richer.
This kali can be prepared in a pressure cooker with more ease. Cook the roasted green gram dal with one cup of water in the pressure cooker ( until one whistle ). Open and pour the strained jaggery, coconut gratings and cardomom powder. When the mixture starts boiling add the roasted rice flour gradually, stirring well. When all the rice flour has been added, close the cooker and reduce the heat to the minimum. When steam starts coming out , place the weight and cook for 15-20 mnts and switch off. Open the lid of the cooker after half an hour and pour the ghee and mix well. The kali would be ready.
Rice and green gram dal can be roasted in the microwave oven. Place the rice or dal in a thin layer in a cermaic or glass plate (do not use a plastic plate for this purpose) and microwave high for 1 minute. Mix well and microwave high again for 1 minute. Mix well and microwave high again for 1 minute. Mix well and microwave for 2 minutes in 70% power. Mix well and microwave for 2 minutes in 70% power 3 more times , mixing well in between.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)