Thenkuzhal | Thengozhal | Thengol - Video recipe

ThenKuzhal literally translates to Honey Pipes ("Then" meaning Honey & "Kuzhal" meaning Pipe) .. though the names sounds like a sweet dish it is actually a Savoury Snack made using rice flour and Udad dhall flour . A very crunchy and melt in mouth snack which is why its called Honey Pipe. you can eat it seamlessly and effortlessly when you take bite.

Mucchore | Manam Kombu | Mullu Murukku - Video Recipe

Mucchore (Kannada) ,Manam Kombu (Tamil) ,Mullu Murukku (Tamil) are all different names for a deep fried snack made using Moong Dhall flour and Rice flour.

In Kannada ,"Mucchore" means deep fried dough. Since we use butter to knead the dough for crispness,it is also called as "Benne Mucchore" ."Benne" meaning Butter

In Tamil "Mullu" means "Thorn" and Murukku is "Twist / Winding/Entangle" . Since ,we use a star shaped plate to press out this chakli,the shape of the chakli feels a little serrated and the shape is random as we just move the press in random order. Hence called as Mullu Murrukku since it resembles a "Bunch of Entangled Thorns".

"Manam" in Tamil is "Aroma" and "Kombu" is "Small Sticks" . This snack has a very nice aroma due to the moong dhall flour and with every bite we can feel the taste explicitly,hence aptly calle as "Manam Kombu" or " Aromatic Savoury Sticks"

Enjoy the video and make this crispy snack for evening Tea Time

Vaazhai Thandu Mor / Banana Stem Buttermilk

Vaazhai Thandu in Tamil literally translates to Banana Stem 

("Vaazhai" meaning "Banana" & "Thandu" meaning "Stem")This part of the banana plant has a lot of natural fibre and helps in digestion and flushing out toxins from the body. wide usage of banana stem is to cure kidney stone as a home remedy. It is believed that drinking this juice dissolves the kidney stone and flushes it out. Banana stem can also be used for weight management

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Aavani Avittam /Yajur Upakarma /Hayagriva Jayanti

Avani Avittam /Upakarma is the day when the men of the house change their Poonal/ Sacred thread (Janeui)  . It is a very important annual ritual for the South Indian Brahmins . 

The men in the family come together on this day and change their poonal with guidance from the family priest or an elderly person of the family who leads the Pooja by chanting the mantras /verses and the men follow it step by step . In recent times ,there are detailed videos available online making it all the more easy to follow and change the poonal.

This festival is celebrated on a Full Moon Day / Pournami in the holy month of Shravan by most of the Tamil /Kerala Brahmins who follow the Yajur Veda tradtion. Hence also known as Yajur Upakarma.  This day is also celebrated as Hayagreeva Jayanti and in  North India it is celebrated as Raksha Bandhan 

Brahmins who belong to the Rig Veda / Sama Veda tradition have a different day when they perform the Upakarma.

The ladies of the house prepare a grand feast for the family and the lunch is ready by the time the men finish changing their Poonal and the entire family enjoys a delicious festive meal . Since it is also Hayagriva Jayanti some families prepare Hayagreeva Maddi - a sweet for offering. 

The menu in most homes is a typical saatvik south indian festive  lunch where in Onions and Garlic are avoided.

2022 lunch thali for Aavani Avittam we enjoyed

• Rice + ghee + dal 
• Araichuvitta Sambar 
• Tomato Rasam
• Carrot Kosamri
• Cabbage Curry 
• Medhu Vadai
• Gass Gasse Payasam
• Curd

The elaborate lunch  and breakfast menu is mentioned below. Click on the item names for a detailed recipe

**pics and blog post updated in Aug 2022

Breakfast

• Idli with Sambar and Chutney.
• Kesari or Nei Appam or Hayagreeva Maddi 

Lunch 

• Rice
• Ghee /Nei
• Paruppu / Dal 
• Cucumber kosamri/kosmalli or Carrot kosamri  or Maangai Pachadi
  
• More kuzhambu /Majjige Huli or Araichuvitta Sambar 
  
• Beans Usili or Urulai Kaara Curry  or Cabbage Curry
  
• Chou Chou kootu or  Aviyal
• Rasam/ SaatruAmudhu
• Paruppu vadai or Thayir Vadai 
• Akkara vadisal or Sakkarai pongal or Gass Gasse Payasam
• Puliyogre 
• Curd

Aadi Perukku / Pathinettam perukku / Payinettam Perukku / Aadi 18am perukku

Aadi perukku wishes to one and all.

Aadi is a holy month as per Tamil calender and falls between July 15 to Aug 15 . Aadi or aashada marks the beginning of a lot of festive days to follow in the next few months . 

"Perukku" in Tamil means "Manifold increase".

Aadi perukku is celebrated on the 18th day of the holy month of Aadi also known as Pathinettam Perukku . Pathinettu in Tamil stands for 18 ,hence this festival gets that name too .

Invariably it will be celebrated on either 2nd or 3rd of August.

  

During this season the rivers are upto the brim and flowing in full glory as it is monsoon and this festival is celebrated to offer thanks and gratitude to the water bodies which are an essential source of human life sustainence.

Variety rice known as Chitrannam, like lemon rice,tamarind rice,coconut rice,sakkarai pongal,kalkandu saadham,curd rice etc. are prepared at home and offered as prasad to the deities at home and then carried to the river banks .A small pooja is done at the river banks and later the food prepared is enjoyed by relatives, friends and family at the river banks .

Tradition behind the Prasadam/offering...

The prasadam  is offered in odd number of preparation where in a sweet and curd rice are mandatory i.e items prepared are 3,5 ,7 or 9 in number

E.g. 

1 sweet , 3 savory variety rice and curd rice

2 sweets , 4 savoury variety rice and curd rice 

1 sweet  1 Savory mixed rice and  curd rice . 

Click each link below for the detailed recipe.

•  Lemon Rice/ Ellumchapazha Saadham
• Coconut Rice / Thengaai Saadham
• Puliyogre/ Tamarind Rice 
• Ellu Saadham / Sesame Rice 
• Capsicum Baath
• Thayir Saadham / curd Rice 
• Kadhamba Saadham
• Vegetable Baath / Mix veg rice 
• Akkara Vadisal
• Sakkarai Pongal
• Kalkandu Saadham
• Sajjige/Kesari

Along with this either Papads,Medhu Vada ,Paruppu Vada or bajjis are made for the additional crunch .

Some also make either  Mor kootu , Avial , Sundal or mor kuzhambu to be served alongside .

This year i.e Aug 3rd 2022 , I prepared a simple chithrannam prasadam for Aadi perukku with 

Lemon Rice  ,Coconut Rice , Puliyogre, Curd Rice, Brown Channa Sundal & Sajjige / Kesari

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