Sweet and Spicy Mango Pachadi

Yet another Pachadi to celebrate this Ugadi, with season fresh Raw Mangoes and Neem Flowers, sweetened with Jaggery. This is even made on Tamil New Year Day at our home (very similar to Ugadi Pachadi to mark the mix of all flavours). I have made this pachadi in OPOS way this time to make it even more easier. If you have bottled tadka ready you can add along with fresh neem flowers on opening else you can add freshly made tadka.

Happy Ugadi :) 

Ugadi Pachadi / 6 Taste Pachadi

Ugadi Subakankshalu!!! May this festival usher in prosperity and lot of new beginnings. Ugadi is the Telugu New Year which is celebrated by Hindus in Andhra. Yugadi/Ugadi in sanskrit means the beginning of new age. On this day, a very special and traditional dish is made called Ugadi Pachadi/6 Taste Pachadi  with Raw Mango, Coconut, Tamarind, Jaggery, Chillies and Neem Flowers. This marks that all these flavors will be balanced in our life and is a very easy to make dish.

Jaggery- Sweet- Which represents the happiness of life
Tamarind - Sour- That signifies the sour moments of life which makes our life worth living
Salt- Which represents the fear
Neem Flowers - Bitter- That means sadness
Mango - Tangy- Which represents disgust
Chillies - Spice- That signifies anger

Happy Ugadi dear all :) 

IruPuli Kuzhambu

A recipe which I learnt from a neighbor some years back which she often use to do. I remember tasting it during my childhood days when my grandma used to make but never had a chance to get her version. As it tasted similar to my grandmom's version, I ensured I save this to my diary. Many of the authentic recipes I learnt from my neighbor aunty who is a skilled cook.Her Pongal Kuzhambu and Poricha Kuzhambu are my favourites.

This Irupuli Kuzhambu is made in different ways, a combination of two sour agents among Tamarind, Sour Curd and Mango. Any two will be combined to make this, as it has two souring agents it got this name. The Methi Seeds gives a unique aroma to this Kuzhambu. Its paired with Kali Kindina Dosa which is another favourite dish of mine, which also I happened to revive after going through the post of the cooking legend Chithra Viswanathan amma (Chitvish).

Goes well with Hot Rice and Spicy Potato Curry too :) 

Kendhata / Pongal Kuzhambu - Tanjore/Mayavaram Style - Pongal Special Recipes

Pongal is the traditional South Indian Harvest festival equivalent to Thanksgiving in Western Countries and it is celebrated elaborate and in a grand manner, for four days all over South India. It is celebrated on the First Day of the Tamil Month Thai (10th Month in Tamil Calendar). First day is celebrated as Bhogi where we dispose old worn out house hold materials and buy new ones. Second Day is the Perum Pongal or Soorya Pongal, during which people make Sweet Pongal and White Plain Pongal before Sun in new pots and offer it to Sun God as Sun being the major source of light for crop cultivation. We offer Sugarcane, Pongal and Banana on this day . Third Day is Celebrated as Maatu Pongal which is more for the Cattles and it is celebrated grand in village sides, even though people living in cities miss the chance of seeing such grand celebrations. Fouth Day is end of the Pongal Festival which is called Kaanum Pongal (Kaanum means Reunion), on which day people go and visit relatives houses and have some sort of get togerher in public places like Beach, Park etc.,
Pongal recipes include Sarkarai Pongal made out of New Rice with Milk, Jaggery and White Plain Pongal. Also we make Pongal Kuzhambu with all the veggies that are available during the season as a mark of offering the produce to the Sun God.

Here am sharing one authentic Pongal Kuzhambu Recipe which is a traditional recipe of Thanjavur/ Mayavaram, called as Kendhata. My Mom who hailed from Mayavaram is an expert in making this recipe and this is one recipe which I have always cherished as a child. It has the goodness and flavour of all country vegetables, lentils, tubers,..even they add Amla and Sugarcane Pieces. On Pongal Day night, they used to add water to the White Pongal and keep. The next day morning, they add in lot of fresh curds, chopped shallots and green chillies with salt as needed and prepare creamy curd rice. This Kuzhambu is reheated and made thick (we call it SundaKuzhambu) and served with the cold curd rice. Its heavenly to have this combo. Happy to share this traditional recipe for this Pongal. Thanks to mom for sharing me the recipe.

Happy and Prosperous Pongal to all :)

Kadigara Rasam

In my Rasam Series, this is yet another interesting recipe from my grandma and the name itself shows that..Isn't it ? As a child, I always loved to hear her cooking stories that she tells every day to make me sleep..She tells a lot of Rasam Varieties and this name when she says every time, I laugh like anything..and hence this remains evergreen in my mind... I never had that curiosity to ask her the reason behind this name...
Yes...Its Kadigara Rasam my Grandma calls it...

Not only it has unique name but it has unique taste too..Its nothing but the rice washed water that we call Kazhuneer which imparts a unique color and taste to this Rasam..

Try this one and you will definitely have a special liking for it :)