New year celebrations

I was very excited to celebrate Tamil New year/Vishu this year as this was the first time my hubby and I got to celebrate it all alone. So I had the freedom of cooking all what I wanted in my own style.:)

Apr 14,2013

Srini and I woke up early in the morning to have a vision of Chithirai Kani/Vishu Kani.The tradition asks us to walk out of our bed with closed eyes till one reaches the place where the Kani is kept and then see it as the first thing on this D-day.This feeling has always been divine every year.

The eldest in the house, then offers a precious ornament(like a ring) to all in the family to be touched and kept on both the eyes and then back in the Kani.
Then after prostrating before God, the elders give Vishu kaineetam (money) to the young ones.Once all this is done, all the family members join together and burst crackers welcoming the New year.

This time, however, we could not burst crackers here, but managed to follow all the other practices possible.

Now comes the feast part(Virundhu(as in Tamil) or Sadhya(as in Malayalam)).

My menu this year consisted of the following:

1. Pal Payasam(Kheer)
2. Paruppu Vadai or Aama Vadai
3. Kaalan( a dish similar to Kadhi)
4. Tomato Rasam
5. Potato curry
6. Beans paruppu usili(one of my favs)
7. Rice

Please click on each of the links to view the recipe.

The toughest part in preparing a feast on auspicious days is that one is not allowed to taste any of the dishes unless they are offered as naivedhyam for God.

Luckily, this time, all the dishes were perfect in their taste and we enjoyed the day to the fullest having a hearty meal. 

Happy New year once again ...:)

Rasam varieties- 4 types

"Rasam" is mostly the favorite of most of the South Indians. No wonder it is known as "Saathamudhu"(meaning, the nectar with rice). People may know the dish, rasam, but may not know that there are different types of it. Here , I have listed down the preparation of 4 types of rasams which I know. You may enjoy each type each day.

1. Tomato rasam

This is the normal rasam which is mostly made in many of our households.

Procedure:

• Boil toor dal well so that it can be mashed well( quarter cup will do, as rasam has to be watery).
• Take tamarind(1 lemon size ball) and soak it in warm water for 5 mins so that it becomes soft enough to extract out the juice.Extract tamarind juice .
• To this add turmeric(1/4 spoon), asafetida(1/4 spoon), salt and sambar powder(1 spoon).
• Add 1 tomato, cut into fairly big pieces. Add one green chilly (slit across) and allow this to boil well.
• Once it boils, add the mashed dal along with water and bring to a boil
• Now take ghee in a kadai. Add mustard. Once it splutters, add curry leaves. Add this to the rasam above. Now it is ready to be served.

2. Molagu Jeera rasam(pepper n jeera rasam)

This type of rasam is a great medicine for cough and cold.I usually add garlic to this. If you don't like, you can omit garlic. My mom used to grind some cooked rice along with this rasam and make it as a thin gruel and ask me to drink it while I was sick during childhood days.

• Prepare tamarind juice extract as mentioned in the tomato rasam recipe mentioned above.
• Grind pepper(1 spoon), jeera(1 spoon) in a blender to a co arse powder.
• Mash 2 to 3 garlic flakes(need not chop it).
• In a kadai, take oil. Once it becomes hot , add the garlic and the ground powder and fry for 2 to 3 minutes till you get the aroma.
• Transfer this into the container with tamarind juice. Add turmeric(1/4 spoon),asafetida(1/4 spoon), salt  and allow it to boil well.
• Now take ghee in a kadai. Add mustard. Once it splutters, add curry leaves. Add this to the rasam above. Now it is ready to be served.

3. Lemon rasam

This type does not need tamarind.

• Boil toor dal well so that it can be mashed well( quarter cup will do, as rasam has to be watery).
• Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard. Once it splutters,fry green chillies(2 or 3) with curry levaes.
• Add turmeric powder(1/4 spoon) and add water(2 cups). Cut 1 tomato (chopped into fairly big pieces) and add it into the water. Add salt and allow to boil.
• Now add the mashed dal and bring to boil.
• Switch off the flame  and squeeze half a lemon in it.
• Serve hot with rice.

4. Pudina rasam(Mint rasam)

• Take tamarind(1 lemon size ball) and soak it in warm water for 5 mins so that it becomes soft enough to extract out the juice.Extract tamarind juice .
• To this add turmeric(1/4 spoon), asafetida(1/4 spoon), salt and sambar powder(1 spoon).
• Grind pudina leaves(1 bunch) along with 2 to 3 flakes of garlic(if you need) and add it to the tamrind juice.
• Allow it boil well.
• Now take ghee in a kadai. Add mustard. Once it splutters, add curry leaves. Add this to the rasam above. Now it is ready to be served.
• You may also add dal(cooked , as with the other rasam types mentioned above)

Enjoy the different types of rasam everyday.