Aadi Pirappu

According to the Tamil calendar, Aadi is the fourth month of the year. The first day of this month, usually falling on July 16-17, is celebrated as Aadi Pandigai or Aadi Pirappu, which is an important festival to most Tamils, especially newly-weds. The Aagamas and the Vedas ascribe no special significance to the day and so it is seen and celebrated more as a traditional festival.

Aadi is also a sacred month. The birth of Aadi itself known as Aadi Pirappu, is important and on that day special food is prepared to herald the month - the aadi kool, a porridge which is served to all who may call on that day. Together with this, Aadi Sevvaai, the Tuesdays in the month of Aadi, Aadi Puram, the Puram asterism in the month of Aadi and Aadi Amaavaasai, the Amaavaasai day in the month of Aadi, are all important days. Despite all these important days, the month of Aadi is considered an inauspicious month for occasions like weddings, housewarming ceremonies etc. [Aadi Pirappukku nallai viduthalai, Poem by Navaliyur Somasunthara Pulavar]

Vadagam

Vadagam from Jaffna, which is made of "Kohomba" (Margosa) flower. This is fried and consumed specially with rice and curry as a bite in Tamil cuisine.

Rasavalli

'Rasavalli' - "King Yam", candied/mashed, ultimate desert of Tamil cuisine

Pongal Day

on Pongal Day

On Pongal Day

Pongal

Pongal

Kumbam

Performing pooja to Kumbam; a pot filled with water and on the mouth of it is placed a coconut and in between the coconut and the mouth of the pot are placed mango leaves. The pot is placed on a bed of paddy or rice spread on banana leaf or tray.

Kumbam symbolises prosperity.

Panangkatti

Panangkatti

Palmyrah sugar (Panangkatti), packed in - handmade caddy, made with golden dried palmyrah leaves.

Panangkai Panniyaram - Palmyrah Fruit Sweets

Ingredients:

Fully ripened Palmyrah fruits- 2
Sugar-250grams
Salt-to taste
Thick coconut milk-1/2 cup
White coconut oil or vegetable oil-1 bottle to fry
Steamed wheat flour-250grams

Method:
Bake the Palmyrah fruits in a very low fire or grill.
When cool,wash the fruits and remove the skin.
Break the fruit and take the seeds,and
sprinkle in little water and squeeze out the juice.
Similarly squeeze all the seeds. Then put the juice
on a muslin cloth and squeeze. Thus the pieces
of husks are removed and clear puree/juice is obtained.
Now add the steamed wheat flour, coconut milk, sugar,
salt with the juice and mix well. The batter should be thick
enough that could fall from the fingers when dropped.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, when the oil is boiling,
take some batter in the fingers and drop little by little in the oil.
The dropped batter will blow and get fried. Turn them with frying
spoon now and then. When they turn to a yellowish red colour,
collect and put them on a strainer.When drained,spread them on a
piece of paper to take off the oil.

Bottled Palmyrah puree is available in most Tamil - Sri Lankan/Asian and Indian Food Stores.

BON APETIT!

Vattrapalai Kannaki Amman

Temple Pongal and Kaavadi falls on 'Vaikasi Visakam', which is the 2nd Full Moon after the Tamil New Year in April, This year on May 23, 2005.

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