Things have come a long way.  Hope to have new glaze for the glass and painted within the next 2 weeks.  www.bettermadecabinets.com

Things have come a long way.  Hope to have new glaze for the glass and painted within the next 2 weeks.  www.bettermadecabinets.com

Tinai Paruppu Paayasam For Varamahaalakshmi Pooja - Foxtail Millet And Gram Dal Porridge

 TINAI PARUPPU PAAYASAM 

Millet is making a great come back with all grandeur. Consumers are being enlightened about the health benefits of these tiny grains. Farmers are being encouraged to grow them abundantly,with a promise of a profitable market. Millet Melas are becoming a great success in all Metros. 

Here I have used the tiny nutritional wonder called Foxtail millet (Tinai in Tamil and Navane in Kannada) with Bengal gram dal to prepare a delicious Paayasam for Varamahaalakshmi Pooja.

INGREDIENTS

 Foxtail millet (dehusked) - 1/2 cup 

Bengal gram dal - 1/2 cup 

Crushed jaggery - 1 cup 

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp 

Ghee - 1 tbsp 

Cashew nuts - a few 

Raisins - a few 

Milk - 1 1/2 cups 

METHOD 

1.Wash Tinai and Bengal gram dal and carefully decant the water.The grains are so small that they tend to run away with the water used for washing. 

2. Add three cups of water and pressure cook the washed millet and dal like you cook rice and let it cool. 

3. Dissolve jaggery in one cup of warm water and filter it. 

4. Boil the jaggery water till it becomes slightly thick. 

5. Add the cooked millet and dal and keep cooking till it blends with the jaggery syrup giving out a very pleasant aroma. 

6. Switch off flame and blend in the cardamom powder and milk. 

7. Fry cashew nuts and raisins in ghee and pour over the paayasam. 

Offer the Tinai Paruppu Paayasam to Varamahaalakshmi and savour the flavoursome prasaadam.

GOING BANANAS - Vaazhaipazha Kozhukattai For Varamahaalakshmi Pooja - Banana Dumplings

GOING BANANAS! 

VAAZHAIPAZHA KOZHUKATTAI 

Idlies, Kozhukattais, Vadaes, Chitraanna and Paayasam are the five traditional prasaadams we prepare for the Varamahaalakshmi Pooja every year. This year since we are 'GOING BANANAS!', I want to offer a banana dish to the Goddess on the auspicious day. 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING

Ripe bananas - 2 

Crushed jaggery - 1/2 cup 

Ghee - 1 tbsp 

Cardamom powder - 1 pinch 

TO MAKE THE FILLING 

1. Peel and slice the bananas. 

2. Heat a pan and add ghee, sliced bananas and the crushed jaggery.

3. Cook on low flame stirring now and then till the whole sweet mass comes together. 

4. Mix in the cardamom powder and allow to cool. 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DOUGH 

Rice flour - 3/4 cup 

Water - 1 cup 

Salt - 1 pinch 

Gingelly oil - 1 tsp 

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH 

1. Boil water with salt and oil. 

2. Add the rice flour gently into the boiling water  stirring continuously. 

3. Decrease flame and stir till the dough is cooked. 

4. When the dough comes together into a ball, switch off flame and tightly cover with a lid. 

5. Let the steam subside. 

6. When the dough is still warm but cool enough to handle, remove it into a bowl and knead it well into a smooth ball. 

7. Take a small lime size ball from the dough, knead and shape it into a cup.

 8. Place a spoon of the sweet banana filling inside the cup.

9. Fold the edges of the dough cup over the filling, press them together and seal the kozhukattai. 

10. Make all the kozhukattais similarly using the entire filling and the dough. 

11. Arrange the koozhukattais in a greased steamer and steam in a pressure cooker for fifteen minutes without using the weight. 

 Offer the steaming hot Vaazhaipazha Kozhukattais to Varamahaalakshmi and savour the prasaadam with your near and dear ones.