Friday, September 01, 2006

Thriketa - Day Six of onam--Festival Of Kerala

Thriketa - Day Six

ThriketaTriketta or Thriketa is the sixth day of the carnival of Onam. A feeling of joy and jubilation can be felt amongst the people of Kerala at this time. Cultural programmes and social gatherings are organised by various cultural societies all over the state. People of all religions caste and creed participate in these events as the festival of Onam has come to be seen as a secular festival. Government of India too celebrates Onam as the National Festival of Kerala.

There are no set rituals marked for the day of Triketta. It marks the time for home coming for people staying away from their families for various reasons; Onam is the time for family get together and nobody likes to be away from family and dear ones. Joys of festivities doubles in the company of family members and close friends. On this happy note, Pookalam gets a more beautiful design and fresh flowers.

Lady's Finger Kichadi

ingredients:

Lady's finger pieces 3 1/2cup
Thick Curd from 1/2 litre milk 2cups
Green chillies 2
Dry Red chillies 3
Mustard 1dsp
Grated coconut 1/2cup
Curry leaves 2 springs
Oil 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

  1. Slice the ladies finger in small round pieces.
  2. Fry lady's finger in oil till crisp. Ground coarsely grated coconut, green chillies and mustard. Season mustard, red chilli and curry leaves in 2 tsp oil. Lower the flame add curd and the ground ingredients. Keep stirring. Add fried ladies finger and salt. Remove from fire when it boils.

Anizham - Day Five of onam-Festival Of Kerala

Anizham - Day Five

AnizhamAnizham is the fifth day of Onam celebrations. High point of the day is the grand Snake Boat Race event called Vallamkali, which takes place on the fifth day of the Onam. The hugely popular competition happens on the banks of the river Pamba at Aranmulla. A multitude of domestic and international tourists come to witness the colourful spectacle of the race.

A large number of long snake like boats called chundan vallams participate in Vallamkali. Each picturesquely decorated boat is oared by hundreds of oarsmen dressed in the traditional dhoti and turban. Boats are oared on the rhythm of vanchipattu or boat songs. Vallamkali is essentially a team event as a single mistake by a oarsman can lead to overturning of the boat.

On the home front, more flowers are added to the Pookalam laid in the front courtyard of the house. Women become extremely busy making preparations for Thiru Onam and a general atmosphere of excitement prevail at this time in Kerala.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Visakam-Day Four of Onam -Festival Of Kerala


Visakam-Day Four Vishagam or Visakam is the fourth day of the Onam festivities. Since the number of days left for the big days are few now, the excitement becomes obvious among the people of Kerala. Brisk activities in the market and households can be witnessed on the day of Visakam.
Athapoovu Competetions
An integral tradition of Onam, Pookalam has come up as an art form. Competitions for decorating Pookalams are organised all over the state. Creativity of the designers is unleashed through such competitions as they come up with innovative designs each year

Injipuli - Special Onam Recipe

Ingredients

Ginger-1/2 kg
Green chillies-1/2 kg
Oil-1 cup
Mustard-1 tsp
Turmeric-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Bengal gram-1 tbsp
Urad dal-2tbsp
Fenugreek seeds-2 tbsp
Jaggery-4 tbsp
Tamarind-4 tbsp
Black sesame-1 1/2tbsp(roasted)

Method of preparation
Cut ginger and green chillies into small pieces and keep aside. Heat oil in a deep pan. Add the mustard and all the dals, ginger and green chillies and saute for a minute. Now, add water, tamarind paste, turmeric, salt and jaggery to this. Keep stirring and cook on a low flame till it becomes reduced to half. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Chodhi-Day Three of Onam Festival


Chodhi-Day Three of Onam Festival
Third day of the ten day long festival of Onam is called Chothi or chodi. The day is marked by lots of activities. Frenzied shopping can be witnessed in all the market place as everybody buys new clothes and accessories for the grand festival of Onam

Aranmula Uthrittathi - Boat Event of Onam
This is another superb boat event organized in connection with Onam. This annual event takes place on the day of Uthrittathi Asterism at Aranmula. It’s meant to relive mythology that narrates a story of Lord Krishna crossing the river on that particular day. It is assumed that the spirit of the Lord is present on all the boats hence there is no competition of any sort in this event. Onam Recipe

Injithair

Ingredients

Nicely chopped ginger – 4 spoons
Curd – 6 spoons
Salt – as required

Method of preparation
Mix all the ingredients and stir well. The injithair is ready.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Chithira-Day Two of Onam


Chithira is the second day of celebrations in the ten-day-long Onam festivities. There are not any marked rituals for this day but people offer their prayers to evoke the divine blessings.
Athapoovu Competetions
An integral tradition of Onam, Pookalam has come up as an art form. Competitions for decorating Pookalams are organised all over the state. Creativity of the designers is unleashed through such competitions as they come up with innovative designs each year

Theeyal

Ingredients

Large onions - 2(sliced fine) Garlic cloves - 2 Grated coconut - 1 cup Shallots -1 cup Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp Chili powder - 1 tbsp Jackfruit seed- 100 gm(cut into 4) Tuvar dal-1/3cup Coriander seeds - 1 tsp Green Chilly(slit)-3 Salt to taste Oil-4 tsp Tamarind extract - 1 tbsp Turmeric powder - 1 tsp Curry leaves - a few

Method of preparation
Heat two tsp of the oil in a frying pan and add ½ cup of the chopped onions. Saute the onions well till brown, add the curry leaves, coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds. Stir for a few more minutes and remove and keep aside. On a low heat, dry roast the coconut till it becomes brown. Blend the coconut with the onion mixture adding half a cup of water. In the meanwhile, cook the dal and jackfruit seed in pressure cooker with water. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the curry leaves and remaining onions and shallots and fry till brown. Add the tamarind extract and ½ cup water and salt. When it starts to boil, add the blended paste and dal and cook on a low flame for 15 minutes.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Atham – 1st Day of Onam


Atham – 1st Day of Onam

Atham is the first day of Onam and hence regarded as holy and auspicious by the traditional people.

Athachamayam:
was a triumphant march of the Maharaja of Kochi, with or without military intent from Tripunithura, the then capital of the Cochin state, to the Vamana Temple at Thrikkakara. To many, it is unmistakably a military venture. To others it is an occasion to show off uninhibited regal pomp. But to quite a few, it is merely a celebration to herald Onam, the festival of peace and equity, remembering the days when everything was in abundance

Onam Recipe

Sambar

Ingredients

Toor dal-1 cup(washed and soaked for 30 minutes)
Tamarind-size of a golf ball or Tamcon paste-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds pinch
Salt-as required
Oil-2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Dry grated coconut-3 tsp
Cilantro/coriander leaves- (optional)
Curry leaves(a few)
Jaggery or sugar- 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds -1/2 tsp
Green chillies- 3
Red chillies-5
Cilantro seeds -3 tsp
Bengal gram -2 tsp
Cumin seeds -1/2 tsp
Onion -1
Vegetable-Tomatoes, Drumstick, Okra, Capsicum, Radish, Carrots, Onions

Method of preparation
Cook the toor daal in the pressure cooker with double quantity of water, turmeric and salt. Keep aside to cool. Now, heat oil in a separate pan for about a minute and roast together whole chillies, bengal gram, coconut, curryleaves, coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds till coconut turns golden brown. Then, grind all of these into a smooth paste ,adding a little water from time to time. Put the tamarind with salt and water into a pan. Bring it to a boil. Add this to the toor dal and let it boil for sometime.

Add the vegetables and cook till done. Finally, mash the pressure cooked toor daal, Mix everything and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Season with mustard seeds .





Saturday, August 26, 2006

Names of the seeds in Different languages

English

Tamil

Malayalam

Telugu

Kannada

Hindi

Bengal gram

Kadalai parupu

Kadalaparippu

Senaga pappu

Kadale bele

Chana dal

Green gram

Payathamparupu

Cheruparipu

Pesara pappu

Hesaru bele

Moong dal

Black gram

Ulunthamparuppu

Uzhunnuparippu

Mina pappu

Udiina bele

Urad dal

Red gram

Thuvaramparupu

Thuvaraparippu

Kandipappu

Thoragibele

Toordal

Thymol

Omam

Vaum

Vaumu

Oma

Ajwain

Aniseed

Sombu

Perinjeerakam

Sopu

Badesepi

Saunf

Jaggery

Vellam

Vellam

Bellam

Bella

Gud

Sugar

Sakarai

Panjasara

Chakara

Sakkare

Shakkar

Ghee

Neyi

Neyi

Neyyi

Thuppa

Ghee

Curds/Yoghurt

Thayir

Thayer

Perugu

Mosaru

Dahi

Butter

Vennai

Venna

Venna

Benne

Makhan

Buttermilk

More

Majjiga

Majjige

Turmeric

Manjal

Manjal

Pasupu

Arasina

Haldi

Tamarind

Puli

Puli

Chintapandu

Huli

Imli

Poppy seeds

Kasakasa

Khasakhasa

Gasagasalu

Gasagasa

Khuskhus

Pepper

Milagu

Kurumulagu

Miriyalu

Ollemenasu

Kalimirchi

Nutmeg

Jathikai

Jathikai

Jajikayi

Jajikayi

Jaiphal

Mustard

Kadugu

Kadugu

Avalu

Sasive

Rai

Ginger

Inji

Inji

Allam

Shunti

Adhrak

Garlic

Poondu

Vellulli

Ullipayilu

Bellulli

Lasun

Rice sticks

Sevai

Rice flakes/Beaten rice

Aval

Aval

Attugulu

Avalakki

Chivda/Poha

Gramflour

Kadalamaavu

Kadalapodi

Senaga pindi

Kadalehittu

Besan

Riceflour

Arisimaavu

Aripodi

Biyyampindi

Akkihittu

Allpurposeflour

Maidamaavu

Maida

Maidapindi

Maida

Maida

Drumstick

Murungakkai

Muringakaya

Munnakaya

Nuggekayi

Sago

Cilantro/Coriander
leaves

Kothamallli

Malli Ela

Kothimira

Kothambari Soppu

Coriander seeds

Kothamalli verai

Malli

Dhanialu

Kothambari Beeja/Dhaniya

Dhania

Ladiesfinger/Okra

Vendaikkai

Vendakaya

Bendakaya

Bendekayi

Bindi

Spinach

Keerai

Cheera

Paalak

Paalak

Paalak

Mint leaves

Pudhina

Pudhina

Pudhina

Pudhina

Pudhina

Semolina

Ravai

Rava

BombaiRawa

Rave

Sooji

Cracked Wheat

Godhumai ravai

Gothambu rava

Godumalu rawa

Godi rave

Curry leaves

Karivepilai

Karivepila

Karivepaku

Karikevu

Kadi patti

Vermicelli

Semiya

Semiya

Semiya

Shavige

Semya/Sevai

Sago

Javarisi

Saggubiyyam

Sabkakki

Sabudhana

Cardamom

Yelakkai

Ellakkaya

Elakayi

Yelakki

Elaichi

Cinnamon

Pattai

Krugapatta

Lavang patta

Chakke

Dalchini

Cloves

Grambu/lavangam

Karayam Poo

Lavangam

Lavanga

Lavang

Cumin Seeds

Seerakam

Jeerakam

Jilakara

Jeerige

Jeera

Cashewnuts

Mundhiri paruppu

Kashunandi

Jeedipappu

Godambi

Kaju

Fenugreek

Vendhayam

Uluva

Menthulu

Menthe

Methi

Dry red pepper

Sigappu/vara milagai

Kollamulaku

Yendu mirapakayalu

Onamenasina kaayi

Lal mirch

Sesame seeds

Ellu

Ellu

Nuvvullu

Ellu

Til

Saffron

Kumkuma poo

Kesari

Kukumpoovu

Kesari

Kesar

Lima Beans

Mocha paruppu

Amarapayar

Anamulu

Chapparada avare kaaye

Wheat

Godhumai

Godhambu

Godumalu

Godi

Gehu

Garbanzo beans/chick peas

Kondai kadalai/ Kabul kadalai

Senagalu

Kadale kaalu

Channa