Kadalaekai Parishe - Groundnut Festival - Blog Event

BLOG EVENT

KADALAEKAI PARISHE @ CHITRA AMMA'S KITCHEN




Kadalaekai Parishe is an annual festival celebrated on the last Somvara (Monday) of the Karthika month, which usually falls inthe last week of November. It is a time when the farmers harvest groundnuts and a groundnut fair is held for two days with great festivity.

According to a 600 year old legend, a bull created great havoc to the livelyhood of the local farmers by devouring and distroying all the groundnuts grown in their fields. Unable to control the menace by any other means, the farmers finally surendered to the Lord whom they thought was in the guise of the bull, and pledged to offer the first crop to Him every year. Accordingly offering the yield to Basava - the sacred bull - and selling the produce under His surveillance became a tradition.


Kempegowda the founder of Bangalore installed a huge sculpture of a Bull which was found near by, atop the hillock. The traditional groundnut festival is held anually around the Basavana Gudi / Bull Temple and the colourful 'mela' is a feast to the beholder's eyes. Farmers from not only around Bangalore but also from the neighbouring states assemble here to sell their produce. The huge mounds and mounds of groundnuts of all colours and shapes look delightful. Balloon men, bangle vendors, hand bag shops, ceramic artifacts, colourful plastics, carts selling street food, stalls selling savouries and sugar dolls, the milling crowd, and finally the traffic police booming instructions through their speakers, everything adds to the din.



I managed to squeeze in into the fair with my friends on the second day of the fair, clicked a few pictures and bought Kadalaekai too!!

OCHI KADALEKAI RECIPE
'Ochi kadalaekai' or boiled groundnuts is a favourite 'time pass' dish of the Bangaloreans. There is never a dull business moment around an 'ochi kadalaeki' cart stalled at nooks and corners, at any point of the day. A huge aluminium vessel full of hot steaming delicious ' kadalaekai' is a star attraction for people from all walks of life. Boiled 'kadalekai' is a healthy delicious snack for a cold wintery day.

TO PREPARE
Thoroughly wash the groundnuts. Boil them along with the peel, along with a dash of salt for 15 minutes. Drain the excess water and enjoy.


Never peel and serve! It is more fun to peel, pop, and relish the cooked hot nuts one by one all by yourself.


KADALAEKAI PARISHE EVENT DETAILS
Inspired by the 'Kadlaekai Parishe' we decided to hold 'Kadlaekai parishe' at Chitra Amma's Kitchen.
What can be submitted?
Any recipe that involves groundnuts! Mains, sides, dessert, beverages, snacks, sweets, dips - all dishes are welcome! Include a photographs of the dish. You may send as many entries as you wish!
How to submit your entries?
You can submit your entries in any of the following ways:
1) Make a fresh and independent post on your blog. Please link back to this event in Chitra Amma's Kitchen. Drop us a mail with the link to your post at chitra.ammas.kitchen@gmail.com or chitra(dot)ammas(dot)kitchen(dot)@gmail(dot)com, with the following details.
Your Name:
Name of your post:
URL / Link:
You need not send any details or photos, as we will directly pick it up from your post.

2)Facebook Entries. Submit your posts and photographs on the Facebook Page of Chitra Amma's Kitchen

- This event is open till 5th January 2011. We will post a round up of all the entries within the 3rd week of Jan 2011.

- Feel free to contact us via mail or the Facebook Page or in the comments section with your questions if any.

Coconutty Squares/Thengai Burfi

I always have a fear while making Burfi's, since it involves a lotttt of Stirring and need to have an eagle-eye for the Syrup consistency. But, now-a-days i m trying to overcome that block of mine. This Coconut Squares/Thengai Burfi  I tried first with Varalakshmi Pooja's Kalasam Coconut. It turned out so well and got some great reviews from my Hubby's Colleagues. So, i made this again on request for my family friend or i should  i say more than a Friend A and his Wife R.  They are a wonderful couple, fun-filled people and anybody with A will be always Rolling and Laughing, hearing all his jokes!!!!! So, here goes this post dedicated for my Dear RA. May God Bless you and I wish you guys be as humorous and happy as you are today. 

The plus about this burfi is, no need to Stir a lot, no to need to make sugar syrup. Got this recipe from my Amma. It was very easy to make, and very quick too. Enjoy this Sweet, made without a Sweat!!!!!

Ingredients

2 cups of Freshly Scrapped Coconut

1/4 cup Water

1/2 cup Sliced Almonds

1 and 1/4 cup of Sugar

a generous pinch of cinnamon

4-5 pods of Cardamom, Crushed

2-3 tbsp of Ghee

Method

In a heavy bottom pan, take Coconut and Sugar and almonds together. Keep the Flame Simmer, add water and mix well. Keep Stirring, The Sugar will start melting and mixtures begins to boil. 

Meanwhile, Keep a Flat Plate greased with little ghee. Now add cardamom . Mix well. As the mixture, starts thickening, add ghee. When the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan, 

Put off the flame, sprinkle Cinnamon, mix well and pour the mixture on to the greased plate, smoothen the top with a greased katori.

Let it cool a bit, Mark squares with knife, Let it cool well. Cut out the squares, store it in a air-tight container. 

I promised my friend to make this once he comes back from his india trip, so i was in hurry to keep my word, made them in a jiffy as they were visiting us. 

Didn't Keep much for myself, so the final photos will be only one square and some crumbs. But believe me, let them cool for 1-11/2 hour, before taking them out. Enjoy this Nutty treat!!!

CURRY LEAVES KUZHAMBU

This is a very tasty kuzhambu. Also this can be prepared within a few minutes. Potato fry or any spicy chicken dish is very suitable for this preparation.

கறிவேப்பிலைக் குழம்பு

Ingredients:

Cumin seeds-1/2 sp
Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp
Peppercorns- half sp
Shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Garlic flakes [small]-5
Sambar onions-8
Ripe tomato-2
Curry leaves- a handful
Oil-4 tbsp
Shredded coconut- 1 tsp
Poppy seeds- 1 tsp
Karuvadakam- 1 tsp
Crushed tomato- half cup
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Heat a pan and pour 2 tbsp of oil.
Add the fennel and cumin seeds, peppercorns and fry for a second.
Then add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves, sambar onions and the tomato pieces and fry them on slow fire until the tomatoes are mashed well.
When cooled, grind these ingredients with the poppy seeds and the coconut to a fine paste.
Heat the pan again and pour the remaining oil.
Add the karuvadakam and when they start to splutter, add the crushed tomato with the turmeric powder and fry them well to a paste.
Add the ground paste with little water, the powders and salt.
Let the kuzhambu boil for 5 minutes.
The delicious curry leaves kuzhambu is ready now to serve!!