Mom's Recipies

 

Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birthday of Lord Rama .Sri Rama Navami falls on the ninth day of Hindu lunar year (or Chaitra Masa ). Navami means the ninth day in the hindu calender..People normally perform Kalyanotsavam (marriage celebration) for Lord Rama and Sita in their houses.Temples are decorated and special havans are organized, along with Vedic chanting of Vedic mantras and offerings of fruits and flowers. Many followers mark this day by Vrata (fasting) through the day followed by feasting in the evening, or at the culmination of celebrations.  The holy Ramayana is read in the temples.

The important celebrations on this day take place at Ayodhya , Bhadrachalam (Andhra Pradesh) and Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), thronged by thousands of devotees. Rathayatras, the chariot processions,  are taken out at several places,including Ayodhya.

Today we prepare Panakam (Telugu) , a sweet drink prepared from a mixture of new jaggery, cardamoms, black pepper powder and water.On this day panakam is offered as Neivedyam for Lord Rama.We also prepare Vada pappu (Split yellow moong dal )and Chalimidi (rice flour sweet) as Naivedyam or Prasadam.



Panakam Ingredients:-

1/2 cup grated jaggery
2 cups water
½ tsp ginger powder or 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 crushed cardamoms
5-6 coarsely crushed pepper corns

Method:-

Mix the grated jaggery in water and let it dissolve completely. Filter the jaggery water. Add ginger powder ,crushed cardamom and crushed pepper. Mix well and serve it at room temperature or chilled.
               This traditional Indian drink can also be served as a summer cooler or a drink to quench the thirst and its cooling properties helps to cool our system too. Ginger and its extracts aid digestion, help relieve stomachaches.

Vada Pappu Ingredients:-

1 cup yellow split moong dal

Vada pappu is split yellow moong dal (pesara pappu) soaked in water for half an hour and strained.This dal is offered and eaten raw ,uncooked and eaten along with chalimidi.

Chalimidi Ingredients:-

1cup raw rice
½ cup  jaggery.
1-2 tsp Water
½ tsp crushed cardamom.

 Method:-

Chalimidi is prepared by soaking raw rice in water for 2-3 hours and the rice is spread out on a dry cloth and left to dry completely and then ground to a fine powder.To this 1 cup rice powder add 1/2 cup grated jaggery and coarsely crushed cardamom. Wet your hands and mix the ingredients well for a few minutes till you get a smooth soft dough like appearence.You can use 1-2 tsp water while mixing the rice flour and jaggery.Chalimidi is to be eaten in combination with vada pappu.I used ready-made rice powder and it came out well.There are many ways to make this traditional recipe.