Manoharam Kombu

The first functions for my kids happened here in USA thousands of miles away from my home town. I know I missed all of them there in India, but there were quite many things that I did not want to compromise during these functions were the specials things that we prepare for the functions, our traditional attire, the homam we perform and other rituals. One of the foods that we prepare for the occasion is the 'Paruppu thengai Koodu' and they can be filled with quite many things.

The Kombu adorns in the special occasions like marriage, house warming, seemantham, Ayushomama, Upnayanam etc. In all these occasions, it is shaped as cone and other times, they can be made in the form of balls.

I first prepared the Gunjaladdu for my daughter's Ayushomam and now for my son's Ayushomam, I have prepared Manoharam.

Maa Vilakku

An age old tradition of lighting lamp with maa vilakku. They are done by both the sub-sects, iyer and iyengar. The Saivites do it on any of the Fridays of Thai month or on aadi month in Tamil calendar. The Vaishnavites prepare on Purattasi month.

We light lamp in our home, and invite the Godess (ambal) to our home in the form of "Jothi". This is a wonderful experience every-time. We all can say slokas praising Goddess Parvathi, and recite Lalitha Sahasra namam on these days.

Purana Poli

"Pazhayana Kazhithalum Pudhiyana Pugudhalum", Lets clean our houses and get rid of old unused items. Lets not burn, rather recycle and donate.

The great series of festival, Pongal starts with Bhogi. Staying here I miss drawing Kolams, eating Sugarcane.
The recipe for Bhogi is Purana Poli, Paruppu Vadai, and Payasam.

Sankaranthi Kootu

A very special kootu, Sankaranthi kootu, is a great one to go along with pongal. Although, we never try to prepare this on any other days. Somehow, life moves like a flash, we also rush around things. This is yet another simple kootu,

Pongal is not a single day festival, it is a series of 3 days. The festival is also called as Harvest festival. The farmers worship Lord Indhra and Sun God for appropriate rain and abundant yield. So, these days helps for the family unity. Like that this kootu is prepared with lots of vegetables along with field beans and pray God for family unity.

Thalagam

I really think that the women in my family live through cooking. The stories that they tell about how they learned to make a certain dish and what occasions they cook it on tell a lot about themselves and our family history. Recently I've gotten to know my mother-in-law a lot better by learning to cook from her, importantly I've learned the dishes my husband loves the most. In-fact, he is specific to have that particular taste for these dishes.  She is the best kind of mother-in-law, I have met no other friend who can claim a the same with their m-in-laws to the one I have with mine. Knock on wood.

I have already shared  about each of our likes to food at home. Sundar hails from southern part of Tamilnadu, Nagercoil, specifically the village Erachakulam. This dish is traditionally prepared there, and usually on the occasions of Thiruvathirai as a side dish for Kali.

Thiruvathirai Kali

Thiruvathirai Kali is prepared on the auspicious occasion of Thiruvathirai. Cendanar of Naukoor, a disciple of Paddinattu Adigal, used to eat only after feeding some Saiva devotees. Due to a constant bad weather he could not get together all the essentials for a proper meal. He had no option but to mix water with flour and prepare a mashed paste. Lord Siva understood his predicament. He wanted the people to know how sincere his devotee was to him. Therefore he disguised himself as a Siva devotee and visited Cendanar’s hut and enjoyed what was given to him as food. The temple attendants saw the premises scattered with the mashed paste the following morning. Inquiries led to an understanding of Cendanar’s piety and he was thereafter bestowed with all due respect. This incident took place in a Markali Thiruvathirai. This is why Thiruvathirai Kali forms an important prasad on this holy day.

All these traditional sweets are loved by Sundar. He craves for them, I should say. And he loves to have Thalagam along with this.

Pori Urundai

Authentic recipe prepared only on the Karthigai Deepam day. They form a great snack for the kids too.
Aval Pori and Nell Pori are the two famous dishes prepared on the auspicious occasion of Thirukarthigai/Karthigaideepam.

Kalyana Rasam

Generally, there is a feel that Rasam are made only when sick. But this rasam changes that trend and makes us feel like a special occasion with its special aroma while cooking!

This Rasam made in Brahmin marriages have a distinct and exotic taste. There are quite a lot other ingredients like pineapple used to give a distint taste to the rasam. I felt that this tasted like the kalyana Rasam when I prepared. The original recipe was to dry roast the ingredients. I tried by frying the ingredients in ghee/oil. I felt that the method which I fried in ghee was more flavourfulllll and it tasted like the kalyana Rasam.

Paal Kozhakattai

Paal Kozhakattai is a traditional sweet recipe of Tamilnadu. It is easily prepared and quite different ways to prepare depending on our taste and time limits. We can prepare using normal milk or using coconut milk. Well, I like to use both, as I do want the flavor of coconut milk to be there. But am lazy to take lot of coconut milk. SO I mix them and it tastes great! It is not too sweet, so anyone who are quite conscious on their sweet intake can try this out.
This would be a different healthy dessert for the kids too!

Modhagam

Its Sankatahara Chathurthi for this month. Every Sankata Hara Chathurthi reminds me of  when Shyam and Hasini were boen. Like I told in the previous Chathurthi post, I prepare Modhagam or any other kind of kozhukattai for the day and offer it to temple. Sri Guruvaayoorappan temple in NJ is where we celebrated my daugthter's Ayushhomam. And we visit there on these occasions and spend our time there. The temple is so beautifully constructed, you feel the Sanctity the moment you enter the gate!
Now they are constructing this temple to a even bigger and beautiful temple. They also have sort of donation going in the temple for their construction. People, who like their kids' names to be inscribed in the new temple, can donate for the temple and let the holy spirit grow and bless us!

Modhagam is a yummy snack and also widely used dish for neivedhyam for vinayakar chaturti or Ganesha festivals.
Also whenever we do other varieties of kozhukattai and if we have left over pooranam, then we can use that pooranam to prepare modhagam and this way we do not need to throw away the left over Pooranam. Any kind of pooranam can be used to prepare modhagam. Here I am showing thengai poorana modhagam, a very traditional way! Try this and let me know your feedback!

Mor Kuzhambu

Mor Kuzhambu is a scrumptious Buttermilk curry to have along with the rice. In Iyengar homes, these are made on auspicious days. 
Lovely Mor Kuzhambu and a different version is here, rather called the Iyengar version. This is also called as Varuthu Aracha Mor Kuzhambu. This also my MIL style of mor kuzhambu, a yummy and delicious style.

Poricha Kootu - Variety 2

This is yet another variety of Poricha Kootu. It is done on most of the function or on the special  days.
The peppercorns gives the nice aroma in the kootu. And it is a great variety in kootu during the winter time. Cold is switching between each of us in our home. So, all pepper dishes are going on. Today we had Pepper Rasam, pepper kootu with veggies for our rice.

Venn Pongal

Pongal o Pongal! Pongal is a long way...not very long, but atleast we have some other festivals coming before. I do not wait for any occasion to prepare ven pongal. When my mouth waters for the dish, I make it! Its just my favorite at home, so no one else requests. Rather, Sundar asks for the sweet pongal!

Poricha Kootu (dhal gravy)

I do this Kootu when I feel bored to cook sambar and veggie separately. The work is simple, without affecting the vegetable intake. Just mix it with hot rice or it is great with chapathi some days. Fresh, green vegetables are preferred. I have used Snake Guard to make the kootu.

Sankatahara Chaturthi!

Mooshika Vahana
Mooshika vaahana modhaha hastha
Chamara karna vilambitha suthra
Vamana rupa maheswara puthra
Vigna vinayaka padha namaste

Namavali
Pahi pahi Gajanana
Parvathi thanaya gajanana