தீபாவளி 2009

தீபாவளின்னாலே பலகாரம்.. பட்ஷணம்.. ஸ்..ஸ்.. நாக்குல எச்சி ஊருது..வருஷத்தில ஒரு முறை எல்லாரும் கூடி கொண்டாடும் ஒரு விழா.. விலைவாசி Complan குடிக்கற குழந்தை கணக்கா ஏறிகிட்டே போகுது ஆனா மக்கள் வெள்ளமும் ரெங்கநாதன் தெருவில் அலைமோதுது.. ஒன்னுமே புரியல! காலை பாலில் தண்ணியயும் தண்ணீரில் பாலையும் கலக்கும் பால் காரன் முதல் சாயங்காலம் கடை போடும் பக்கோடா காரன் வரை Recision பற்றியும் IT பற்றி பேச ஆரம்பித்துவிட்டார்கள்.. இப்படி இருக்கற காலத்துல எங்க வீட்டு HOME Ministerடமிருந்து அறிக்கை வந்தது .. அதை பார்த்து எனக்கு தலை சுற்ற ஆரம்பித்து விட்டது.. அது...பிறவு சொல்றேன்... அடுத்த மடலில்...

அனைவருக்கும் என் உள்ளம் கனிந்த தீபாவளி நல் வாழ்த்துக்கள்.


Recipes...

Here is a delectable collection of traditional Diwali Recipes to help you make this Diwali celebrations more zestful!! The collection includes Recipes for Diwali deserts and snacks. Choose and cook your favorite Diwali Recipe with love and delight your dear ones in a very special way!!

Wheat Laddu

Ingredients:
1 cup Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Gram Flour
11/2 cup Sugar Powder
1/4 cup Grated Coconut
1/4 cup Dry Fruit almonds, raisins, kaju etc
1 cup Ghee

Preparation:
1. Heat the ghee.
2. Put both the flours in the heated ghee.
3. When nearly roasted put coconut and sliced dry fruit in the mixture.
4. Now put the ground sugar in the mixture and stir thoroughly.
5. Take off from the heat quickly and make laddus. You may also put the mixture in an oil based thali & make small pieces.



Soan Papdi

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup Gram Glour
1 1/4 cup Maida
250 gms Ghee
2 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cup Water
2 tbsp Milk
1/2 tsp Cardamom seeds crushed coarsely
4" squares cut from a thin polythene sheet

Preparation:
1. Sift both flours together.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan. Add flour mixture and roast on low till light golden. Keep aside to cool a little, stirring occasionally.
3. Prepare syrup simultaneously. Make syrup out of sugar, water and milk. Bring syrup to 2 1/2 thread consistency.
4. Pour at once into the flour mixture. Beat well with a large fork till the mixture forms threadlike flakes.
5. Pour onto a greased surface or thali and roll to 1" thickness lightly. Sprinkle the elaichi and gently press down with palm.
6. Cool, cut into 1" squares, wrap individually into square pieces of thin plastic sheet. Store in an airtight container.



Mushrooms in Onion Gravy
Ingredients :
200 gm Mushrooms
3 Onions
2 Tomatoes, finely chopped or pureed
3 Green chillies, finely chopped
Coriander leaves
Salt as per taste
Red chili powder as per taste
A pinch of garam masala powder
A pinch of cardamom powder
Oil

Preparation :
1. Slice mushrooms, boil them and keep aside.
2. Make a paste of the onions.
3. Heat oil in a wok and add the onion paste; cook till the paste turns golden brown.
4. Add the tomatoes, green chilies, salt and red chilli powder.
5. Cook the tomatoes till the gravy leaves the sides of the wok.
6. Add water if required.
7. Add the mushrooms and cook for a while.
8. Season with garam masala powder, cardamom powder and coriander leaves.




Besan ki Barfi
Ingredients :
Besan 1 kg
Sugar 1 kg
Water 1/2 liter
Ghee 1 kg
For garnishing: Pistas, Almonds

Preparation :
1. Fry besan in ghee on low flame for about 30 mins till it becomes pink and ghee separates.
2. Mix sugar and water into a syrup.
3. Add this syrup to the besan and mix well.
4. Pour this mixture into a greased tray.
5. When it cools cut into cubes and garnish with pistas and almonds.





Karanji
Ingredients :
For Filling:
1 cup grated Dry Coconut
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 pinch Nutmeg Powder
1 pinch dry Ginger Powder
4 Elaichi
2 tsp Maida
2 tsp Poppy Seeds
2 tbsp Mixed Dry fruit pieces

For Dough:
1 cup maida
1 tsp Ghee
Salt to taste
Warm milk to prepare dough

Preparation :
1. Roast Dry coconut.
2. Roast maida in ghee.
3. Roast poppy seeds.
4. Mix all the above ingredients & grind them.

For Dough:
Mix all the dough ingredients & prepare dough (a little hard).

For Karanji:
1. Make small oval shaped puris from dough.
2. Fill the prepared stuffing inside.
3. Apply some water or milk so that it will seal properly (don't apply too much of water as it will not seal properly).
4. Deep fry it till it becomes brownish colour.
5. Serve it hot or cold.
6. Karanjis can be stored for weeks.





Sesame Seed (Til) - Khoya laddu
Ingredients :
2 cups khoya
1&1/2 cups of coarsely powdered roasted sesame seeds (til)
Powdered sugar to taste
Kesar, chopped almonds and pistas for decoration

Preparation :
1. Roast the khoya on low flame till it is very light golden yellow color.
2. Let is cool for few minutes.
3. Then add coarsely powdered roasted sesame seeds and mix it.
4. Add powdered sugar when the above mixture is luke warm.
5. Mix well and shape into small balls. If the mixture is too hot then the sugar will melt so care has to be taken that mixture should not be hot.
6. Arrange in a plate and decorate with kesar, chopped almonds and pistas.

Method for Making Khoya in Microwave:
1. Take three cups of full cream milk powder in microwave oven proof casserole.
2. Add sufficient water to make a thick paste.
3. Add 2 tablespoon of ghee.
4. Cover with plastic cling film and microwave for 3 minutes with in between stirring. (Time depends on power of Microwave oven.)





GUJIA
Ingredients :
Flour 250 grams
Khoya 500 grams
Raisins a few
Almonds 100 grams (finely chopped)
Cooking oil 3 tablespoon
Water 100 ml
Sugar 250 grams

Preparation :
Mix the oil and flour properly to form a binding consistency of breadcrumbs. Add some water and knead lightly the entire mixture. Make it soft dough and set it aside with a damp cloth covering it. Fry the khoya in cooking oil till it becomes light brown and then mix the sugar in it properly. Add the almonds and raisins, and fry for a few more minutes. Remove from fire and let it cool. Make small thick chapattis out of that kneaded dough. Fill half of the chapatti with the khoya mixture and, rolling it, seal the sides of the chapatti keeping the khoya inside it. Make the sealing look decorated by giving a look of hemming. Deep-fry these gujias until it becomes light golden brown, keeping the flame at low. Take out the gujias on a newspaper and let the oil get soaked. Serve hot or store it in an airtight container for using it on that special day.


MALPUA
Ingredients :
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups wheat flour
4 tbsp yogurt or curd
10-15 whole peppercorns
Milk
Water

Preparation :
Make a batter of all of these dry ingredients and the dahi, using 1/2 milk and 1/2 water till it is thick and of pouring consistency, similar to pancake or dosa batter. And whip till smooth. Add the 10 peppercorns. Keep aside and allow it to rise for about two hours.

Heat oil on a medium flame. Drop large ladlefuls into the oil to form circles of 6-8 inches. Typically the dough will sink and line the bottom of the karhai and rise up in the shape of a disc. Fry till golden. Drain and pat off the oil. Serve with cream or garnished with pista. Serves five.

Festivals and Rituals

Avani Avittam (For Yajur Vedics)

• Falls in the month of Adi or Avani on the full moon day
• Rishi tharpanam is performed first
• Bachelors do 'Samitha daanam' and 'kamo karshith' japam after Maha sankalpam and then perform
• kaanda Rishi tharpanam- All these rituals can be performed with the help of family priest or elders
• All the male members should have a light meal at night
• Next day after bath, every one should perform the 'Gayathri Japam'
• The first Avani avittam that falls in the first year of one's thread marriage is called 'Thalai Avani avittam'
• Green Gram Dhal or Kondai Kadalai Sundal will be offered as Neivedhyam for the Homam' Appam & Idli will be served in the morning after japam.
• The Homam will be performed either in the house or in temples organized by Vadhyars of that area. After • that Arthi will be performed when they return home.
• Neivedhyam - Payasam, Vadai, Gingely seeds, Rice
• The other items that are to be served on this day are Curd Pachadi, Kosumalli Curry, Koottu, Pitlay,
buttermilk, soup, rasam, dhal and chips, appalams

Avani Avittam (For rig Vedic)

• Falls on 'Sukla Paksha chaaturdasi', the day prior to the full moon day.
• For rig vedics there will be no kamokarsheeth japam or Homam. They will wear the sacred thread after chanting the usual mantras for changing the thread in the morning.
• The remaining things are the same as for Yajur vedics

Avani Avittam (For Sama Vedics)

Celebrate the upakarmam on 'Ganesh Chathurthi day. All the remaining items are to be performed as per Yajur Vedas

Gokulashtami
• Falls on "Krishna paksha", Ashtami thithi i.e. eighth day after Avani Avittam
• Some elders fast on this day
• Birthday of Lord Krishna - pooja will be performed
• Neivedhyam - Murukku, Salt cheedai, Jaggery cheedai, kola vadai, Pal payasam, Aval, Jaggery, Butter, Cow's milk, Curd, banana, guava, black berry (Naval pazham) Wood apple, country apple, grapes etc.
• Pooja is to be performed in the evening/night after lighting the lamp and offering Neivedhyam
• For Vaishnavites, this festival falls on the "Rohini" star day.


Ganesh Chathurthi
• Falls on 'Avani' (shravan) on 'Sukla paksha, Chathurthi dhithi'
• Birthday of Sri Vinayakar
• This pooja will be performed to finish up our work without any hurdles, to get success to eradicate all our problems and find solutions for our problems
• Buy hand-made Vinayaka Idols, Erukamboo mala, Vilva leaves, Arugam pullu and other flowers to do
pooja
• Neivedhyams - Five Varieties of Kozhukattais (Coconut, black gram dhal, gingely seeds, modakam and round kozhukattais), Raw rice Idlis, vadai, payasam and Maha Neivedhyam (cooked rice with a spoon
of ghee poured on top), Gingely seeds balls (Ellurundai), Appam, Aval. Fruits - bananas, guavas,
country apples, naval fruits, tender cucumber and wood apples may also be used.
• Elders will observe vratham or fast on this day. After doing pooja they will have only neivedhyam items. They will offer Daanam to one Brahmachari after giving food along with dakshinai

Malaya Paksham
• Is observed at the end of Avani or Puratassai starting on 'Prathama' (after full moon day) and concluding after the fifteenth day, on 'amavasai'
• Those who have lost their father should perform 'tharpanam' on the day (thithi) coinciding with the day of the death of the father.
• Those, whose mothers are alive, should perform (Hiranya shrardham) with four Vedic priests. If both parents are not alive, the Shrardha should be performed with five priests.
• Shrardha can be performed in two ways, one is by offering dakshinai only and the other is by feeding
them and offering dakshinai as well. The items to be prepared include payasam, Vadai, Poli,
Thenkozhal, Appam; Gingely seeds balls (Ellurundai). The ingredients should be fried and freshly ground.
• If Shrardham could not be performed on the specified day due to circumstances, it may be performed on the following days viz. Mahabarani, maha vidhiapadham and madyaashtami.
• Those who perform this shrardham should have a light meal at night.


Navarathri Festival
• Falls on the first day after the new moon day in the Tamil Month 'Purattasi' (Sep-Oct)
• The house should be thoroughly washed and cleaned and kolam patterns should be drawn
• For keeping 'kolu', steps can be set on 'amavasya' day, a pair of wooden toys of a boy and a girl is placed on the kolu steps and the other dolls are arranged on the next day.
• In some houses a kalasam, a narrow mouthed vessel (Sombhu) will be smeared with lime and rice is filled in it. Mango leaves and a coconut (smeared with turmeric powder) are kept at its mouth and the kalasam is placed on the steps.
• Some sweets, snacks, sundal or fruits can be offered as 'neivedhyam' and the invitees will be given the above items with betel leaves, nuts, turmeric and kumkum along with whole coconuts, blouse material
etc. according to one's own convenience .


Saraswathi Pooja
• Pooja is performed to Goddess Saraswati · All the study books and musical instruments (if available) are kept in the Pooja room and decorated with flowers and incense sticks.
• Neivedhyam will be Payasam, Vadai, Sojji appam or sukhiyan and Bengal gram Sundal
• After pooja, one kannigai will be gifted with blouse material, betel leaves, nuts, bananas, bangles,
coconut etc.

Vijayadasami
• This is performed the day after Saraswati pooja with the traditional offering Maha neivedhyam along with betel leaves, nuts and bananas.
• The books are taken out from the pooja room and some portions read out from it. Those who know Music (vocal or instruments) should sing songs
• This day is an auspicious day to start or learn anything and one will be successful in that line. This is the reason why children start schooling on this day. One can learn any art on this day.
• That night the two wooden dolls should be kept on the kolu steps in a sleeping position and the next day all the dolls are removed
Deepavali - Naraka Chathurdasi
• This is celebrated in the Tamil month of "Aipasi' on Chathurdasi thithi preceding amavasai
• All the family members should have an oil bath early in the morning. This is equivalent to the benefits derived by taking a dip in the Ganges.
• After bath they can eat sweets, snacks, Idli along with a small quantity of Deepavali lehiyam. · New dresses will be offered to all members of the family by the head.
• For newly married couples the first Deepavali is called Thalai Deepavali. They are offered gifts, dresses etc. along with sweets.
• Children play with firecrackers. Visits are made to Friends/Relatives houses- Sweets are distributed to all
• Neivedhyam items are Payasam, Sweets and Snacks

Karthika Deepam
• Is celebrated on the full moon day in the Tamil month of "Karthigai"(November-December)
• This festival is celebrated on different days by Saivaites and Vaishnavites. All Saivaites celebrate
Karthigai only on the day when Annamalai Deepam is lit at the famous Thiruvannamalai Temple
• All Sumangalis and girls have an oil bath on this day. After cleaning and washing the house, mud lamps are placed on wooden planks and then lit. The place should be decorated with kolams. The brass kuthu vilakku and other oil lamps should be cleaned well, applied with sandal paste and kumkum, flowers etc. After 5 o' clock the kuthu villakku and all the mud lamps are lit.
• Neivedhyam items are puffed rice cakes sweetened with jaggery and puffed beaten rice flakes with jaggery, Appam, Adai, betel leaves, nuts and bananas.
• All brothers give money to their sisters and the sisters in turn pray for their brother's well being during this festival. New clothes are also offered.
• During the first year after marriage, the girls will be given 'Thalai Karthikai' as a gift


Vaikunta Ekadasi
• Falls in the Tamil month of "Margazhi" on the Ekadasi day following 'amavasai'. · On this day elders fast throughout the day
• Next day morning i.e. on Dwadasi day, meals will be taken much earlier than the usual hours.
• Nellimulli curd pachadi, agathi keerai curry, bitter nut (sundakkai), vattal kuzhambu, payasam etc.
• Have Perumal dharshan at Temple
Thiruvathirai
• This day falls in Margazhi (Dec-Jan) on the pournami day
• Birthday of Lord Siva
• Neivedhyam items are Kali and 'Ezhu kari kuzhambu', banana fruits, betel leaves, nuts

Bhogi Pandigai
• This will be celebrated at the end of Margazhi (Dec-Jan) · The entire house should be washed, cleaned and decorated with kolams.
• In the early morning all the wasted/unused items should be burnt · Neivedhyam - Payasam, Vadai,
Poli etc.

Pongal (Sankranthi )
• This will fall on the first day of the Tamil Month 'Thai' (Jan-Feb) · Pithiru tharpanam will have to be performed by the persons who have lost their fathers.
• Pooja is to be done to Sun God
• Neivedhyam - Ven Pongal, Sarkarai Pongal, Vadai, Sugarcane, Ginger
• Ginger and Turmeric bunches will be tied around the mouth of the vessel for preparing pongal.
• In rural areas this function is celebrated in a grand manner