Thiruvathirai Kali

Thiruvathirai Kali is prepared on the auspicious occasion of Thiruvathirai. Cendanar of Naukoor, a disciple of Paddinattu Adigal, used to eat only after feeding some Saiva devotees. Due to a constant bad weather he could not get together all the essentials for a proper meal. He had no option but to mix water with flour and prepare a mashed paste. Lord Siva understood his predicament. He wanted the people to know how sincere his devotee was to him. Therefore he disguised himself as a Siva devotee and visited Cendanar’s hut and enjoyed what was given to him as food. The temple attendants saw the premises scattered with the mashed paste the following morning. Inquiries led to an understanding of Cendanar’s piety and he was thereafter bestowed with all due respect. This incident took place in a Markali Thiruvathirai. This is why Thiruvathirai Kali forms an important prasad on this holy day.

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice - 1 cup or ground rice powder - 1 Cup
• Grated Jaggery - 1 1/2 Cups
• Water - 3 Cups
• Moong Dhal - 2 table spoon
• Cardamom - 6
• Grated Cocunut - 4 table spoon
• Cashew nuts - 6
• Ghee - 2 tablespoon
• Salt - A Pinch

Method:

• Wash the raw rice in a water and rinse it. Immediately after rinsing put the rinsed rice in a Kadaai and fry it until the rice becomes golden brown color.
• Grind the Raw Rice in a mixer and the rice powder should be like Rawa. Take the contents in a bowl.
• Put the moongdhal in the kadaai and fry it till it becomes golden brown color and pour one cup of water to cook the dhal. It will take approximately 5 minutes to cook. The dhal need not cook completely. It should be in half boiled consistency. If you take one of the dhal and press it with your fingers, then it should get smashed. This is the right consistency.
• While the dhal is getting cooked, you can prepare the jaggery juice in parallel.
• Heat another pan, add water (till the jaggery immersed in the water completely) and add grated jaggery. When the jaggery dissolves completely in water, strain it to remove dust and sand particles. Keep the strained jaggery juice in a separate bowl
• Once the dhal is almost cooked, pour two cups water, strained jaggery juice and a pinch of salt.
• When the jaggery mixture begins to boil, add the powdered rice and stir well to avoid bumps. (like we do for the preparation of upma)
• Powder the cardamon and add it along with the grated coconut.
• Fry the cashews in the ghee and add to the kali. Add the remaining ghee to the kali and stir it one.