Varalakshmi Vratam Recipes 2015 | Varalakshmi Vratam Menu

Varalakshmi Vratam is on 28th August and this is a small effort to categorize all Naivedyam recipes at one place for Varalakshmi Vratam, So that it would be easy for those who celebrate the festival as they can plan the menu ahead. While at our place the menu would be constant with Bele Holige as main sweet and a variety rice like Lemon Rice or Pulihora along with vada, sundal and few usual other items. You can choose the varieties according to your convenience.

I am sharing a sample menu with you which we usually prepare at my place but one can adapt the menu and change according to your convenience.We usually serve lunch on a banana leaf during festivals.

• Salt
• Pickle
• Sundal - one/two varieties
• Stir fry - one/two varieties
• Plain dal
• Main sweet - one variety
• Kheer/Payasam - one/two varieties
• Vada/Bajji - one/two varieties
• Fryums/Papads/Mor Chillies
• Rice variety
• Plain Rice
• Dal
• Sambar
• Rasam
• Curd 

Main Sweet Varieties(ONE- compulsory):

1. Karida Kadubu Fried Modak
2. Bele Holige Pappu Obbattu
3. Boorelu | Suzhiyan | Sugunta
4. Garugu Obbattu-Holige with rice flour and coconut stuffing
5. Haalu Holige | Paala Poori | Paal Poli
6. Groundnut Holige | Shenga Holige
7. Karida Kayi Kadubu | Fried Modak with Coconut stuffing
8. Pooran (Puran) Poli | Bobbatlu
9. Sajjappa | Sojja Appalu | Halwa Poori

Kheer/Payasam(ONE or TWO Varieties):

1. Moong Dal Kheer / Pesara Pappu Payasam
2. Carrot Kheer
3. Hayagreeva/Chana dal Sweet
4. Korra biyyam Payasam | Fox Millet Kheer
5. Poha Kheer/Aval Payasam
6. Paal Payasam | Rice Kheer with Chana dal 
7. Paal Payasam / Rice Milk Pudding
8. Palathalikalu Payasam 
9. Rasayana | Balehannu Rasayana
10. Sabudana(Sago) Kheer | Saggubiyyam Payasam
11. Semiya Kheer | Vermicelli Payasam
12. Sooji Ki Kheer | Rava Payasam
13. Undrallu Payasam | Paal Kozhukattai
14. Semiya Kesari

Sundal and stir fry varieties(ONE or TWO varieties from each category):

1. Lobia Sundal/Alasandula Guggillu
2. Kabuli Chana Sundal
3. Peanut sundal
4. Kala Chana Sundal | Black Chickpeas Sundal 
5. Mixed Bean Sundal
6. Sweet Corn Sundal
7. Beans Stir fry
8. Beans-carrot Palya
9. Raw Banana Stir fry
10. Beetroot Stir fry with Coconut
11. Cabbage Carrot Stir fry
12. Cabbage Pesarapappu(moong dal) Dry Curry 

Vada/Snack varieties(ONE or TWO Varieties):

1. Alasandula(Lobia) Vada/Fritters
2. Aratikaya(Raw Banana)  Bajji
3. Masala Vada/Chana dal Vada
4. Mixed Dal Ambode(Vada)
5. Medu Wada/Uddina Vade/Gaarelu
6. Mosaru Ambode/Dahi Dal Vada
7. Dahi Vada/Perugu Vada/Mosaru Vade
8. Avarekaalu Kadubu/Spiced Steamed Rice flour Dumplings

Rice Varieties(ONE or TWO Varieties):

1. Aava Pettina Pulihora | Tamarind Rice with Mustard flavor
2. Coconut Rice
3. Dabbakaya Pulihora/Indian Grapefruit Rice
4. Lemon Rice/Chitrannam
5. Mamidikaya Pulihora/Maavinkay Chitranna
6. Pulihora/Puliyogre
7. Chintapandu pulihora - Andhra style
8. Gongura Pulihora | Gongura Rice | Sorrel Greens Rice
9. Raw Mango Rice/Mamidikayi Gojju Annam
10. Rava (Biyyapurava) Pulihora | Pindi Pulihora
11. Mamidikayi Gojju Annam/Raw Mango Rice -Version2
12. Methi-Peas Bath
13. Lemon Sevai | Khara Shavige
14. Ottu Shavige with Kayi Halu and Sweet powders

Dal/Stew/Rasam Varieties(All Varieties-ONE each):

1. Moong dal /Pesara Kattu
2. Beans Sambar with coconut - Karnataka style
3. Kandi Vunta Majjiga Pulusu / Steamed Toor dal Dumplings Stew
4. Lemon Rasam
5. Holige Saaru/ Special Toor dal Rasam or Chickpeas Rasam/Senagala Kattu

Technorati Tags: varalakshmi vratam recipes, varalaksmi vratam festival recipes, festival recipes, varalakshmi vratam menu, south indian festival recipes

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Matki Usal | Moth Beans Curry | Matki Chi Usal Recipe

Usal and Misal are popular gravies which are usually served with Pav or Bhakri.While Usal is a thick gravy made up of sprouts, Misal is a thinner version of usal with the addition of farsaan(namkeen) on top and is served with pav,this combination is popularly known as Misal Pav. I usually prepare it as misal and serve it with pav but sometimes I serve usal with bhakris along with a dry sabzi. You can use various kind of sprouts like moong sprouts, yellow peas, mixed sprouts of moong,matki,kala chana and peas to prepare usal. I end up preparing either Matki Usal or Yellow peas usal most of the times.Usal is usually made spicy and slightly oily.There are various variations to the usal like Kolhapuri usal where kolhapuri masala is used which is a very spicy version and tastes slightly different from the regular version.

Check out other Maharasthrian recipes in my blog.

• Masale Bhat | Tendli Bhat | Ivy Gourd Rice
• Misal Pav
• Sabudana Khichdi - Maharastrian style
• Sabudana Thalipeeth 
• Sago Tikkis
• Bharli Vangi - Maharasthrian style stuffed Eggplants

Matki Chi Usal | Moth Beans Curry Recipe:

Serves:2-3

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:10 mins | Total time:20 mins

Cuisine: Maharasthra-India | Category: Side dish

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Matki(Moth beans) Sprouts,steamed

1 large Potato,boiled and cubed

1 Onion,finely chopped
1 Tomato,chopped(optional)

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1 tsp Kala Masala or Goda Masala or 1/4 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

5-6 Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

a pinch of Asafoetida

Salt to taste

1.5 tbsp Oil

Method:

• To sprout Matki - Wash and soak matki(moth beans) for 6-7 hrs in water and wash it once with fresh water and drain the excess water and tie in a muslin cloth or use a sprout maker to make sprouts.It will take 12-15 hrs.
• Steam the matki sprouts in cooker with a pinch of salt for 8-10 mins.
• Boil the potato and remove the skin and cut into cubes.
• Heat oil in a kadai/pan and crackle mustard seeds and add asafoetida and curry leaves and fry for half a minute.
• Add chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent.Add ginger garlic paste and tomato and fry until the raw smell goes away.
• Add steamed moth beans and boiled and cubed potatoes and fry for 2 mins.
• Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, goda(or kala) masala and salt and fry it for another couple of mins.
• Add 1/4 cup water and cover it and cook for 7-8 mins.The Usal would be thick but if you want it like a gravy add some more water and boil it.

Serve it hot with Roti/Bhakri/Pav.

Notes:

1. Usal can also be prepared with mixed sprouts or moong sprouts or sprouted Yellow peas.You need to cook them according to their cooking time.
2. Usal is usually a thick gravy but if you want it you can slightly thin it down with the addition of water and boil it again,while serving add finely chopped onions and farsaan(namkeen) on top of it which is known as misal.
3. I usually do not add tomato to usal but as I was preparing a thinner version I added a tomato,but the addition of tomato is optional.
4. The addition of Goda masala or Kala Masala adds a unique flavor to the recipe.But if you do not have it in hand you can use garam masala instead.

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Ven Pongal Recipe | Ghee Pongal Recipe | Katte Pongali

I love the taste of Ven Pongal in Tamilnadu style Hotels.It is thick,soft and is loaded with lots of ghee and simple flavours.It is usually served with Coconut chutney or thick Vegetable Sambar in Hotels and I just love the combo.My mom usually prepares a different kind of Tamarind stew to pair with pongal which we call it as Pongal Gojju,I will share the recipe some time soon.

Though Pongal is a common south Indian breakfast,the preparation process differs slightly from state to state.In Tamilnadu pongal is pale white in color with yellow specs of moong dal and is very thick,soft and mushy where as in Karnataka the pongal is bit spicy and slightly runny and is usually yellow in color. Pongal is similar to North Indian Khichdi when it comes to ingredients but the taste,texture and look is completely different.

Ven Pongal | Ghee Pongal | Katte Pongal Recipe:

Serves 2

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 25 mins | Total time: 30 mins

Cuisine: South Indian | Category: Breakfast

Ingredients:

1 cup Raw Rice(Sona masuri or equivalent)

1/3 cup Moong dal

1/2 cup,Milk(optional)

Salt to taste

1-2 tbsp Ghee,for serving

to temper:

2-3 tbsp Ghee

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 1/2 tsp Pepper corns

10-12 Cashewnuts,halved

1 tbsp Ginger,finely chopped

a sprig of Curry leaves

a pinch of Asafoetida

Method:

• Wash the rice and lentils together and add 4 cups of water and pressure cook it directly in a small pressure cooker for 3 whistles and reduce the flame and cook for another 7-8 mins. If you want to cook it directly in a vessel,add washed moong dal to 5 cups of boiling water and cook for 5 mins and then add washed rice and cook it together for another 15-20 mins until it is cooked.
• Once the pressure drops slightly mash the rice-dal mixture.If the cooked rice-dal mixture is very thick add 1/2 cup milk and mix nicely and turn on the stove until it comes to a boil.
• Heat ghee in a tempering pan and add pepper corns, finely chopped ginger and fry for a minute and then add cashewnuts and fry until they turn slightly brown in color and turn off the stove.Add curry leaves,cumin seeds and asafoetida and splutter them.
• Add the tempering to the hot pongal and mix well and cover it immediately and let it sit for 5 mins.

Serve it hot with Coconut Chutney/Sambar/Pongal Gojju.Add an extra dollop of ghee on pongal while serving for extra taste.

Notes:

1. I prefer slightly mushy but thick consistency of Pongal.Hence I have not added much milk to it.
2. Pongal begins to thicken as it sits,it is best to consume immediately.If not you can add hot milk to the pongal and mix and serve.
3. You can add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder if you like your pongal yellow in color.
4. Add turmeric powder and 2-3 slit green chillies while tempering to turn this to Khara Pongal and also make it slightly runny which is typical Karnataka style Khara Pongal.You can garnish with freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves.

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Brahmi Tambuli | Ondelaga Tambli Recipe

'Brahmi' has lots of medicinal properties and it is said that it increases the memory power among kids. It is called as 'Saraswati aku' in Telugu and my mom uses these leaves occasionally to prepare chutney. I have not tasted it before as we never had a chance to get these leaves at the place where we stayed. During my last visit to Bangalore my mom had got those leaves for me as I wanted to attempt the Tambuli recipe from a long time.One of my kanndiga friend had introduced me to Menthya Tambuli and I followed a similar process to prepare Brahmi tambuli.Brahmi Tambuli is very easy to prepare and is similar to prepare any chutney but with curd in it.It is served cold and it pairs up beautifully with hot steamed rice and is good during hot summers.I would share the Brahmi chutney recipe, which my mom prepares some other time.

Brahmi Tambuli | Saraswati aku Tambli Recipe:

Serves 2-3

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 5 mins | Total time: 10 mins

Cuisine: Karnataka | Category: Side dish for Rice/Accompaniments

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Brahmi leaves

1 cup Curd,nicely beaten

1/3 cup Coconut,grated

1 tsp Cumin seeds

3-4 Green chillies

3-4 Curry leaves

1 Red chili

a pinch of Asafoetida

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 tsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat a tsp of oil and slightly fry the brahmi leaves until they wilt.You can skip this step and use the leaves directly.
• Blend Brahmi leaves with grated coconut,cumin seeds,salt and green chillies to a fine paste.
• Beat curd nicely and add little water to thin it out.Add the chutney and mix nicely until it is nicely incorporated.
• Heat a tsp of oil in a small tadka pan and crackle mustard seeds,asafoetida,red chili and add curry leaves and fry for a minute and add the tempering to the tambuli.Refrigerate it for 1-2 hrs.

Serve it cold with hot steamed rice,pickle,papad and curd chillies.

Notes:

• You can follow the same process with Doddapatre leaves.You need to fry the leaves a bit and then blend with the remaining ingredients.
• You can blend the brahmi leaves directly with other ingredients but I prefered to saute the leaves slightly.

Technorati Tags: brahmi tambuli, tambuli recipe ,tambli recipe, karnataka recipes, saraswati aku recipes, brahmi medicinal properies, ayurvedic cooking, side dish for rice, easy side dishes, ondelaga recipes

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