Thengai kuzhambu

Thengai kuzhambu is a simple side easy to do and very tasty with any vegetable curry. Vegetables like lady's finger, brinjal, capsicum, drum stick and ash guard can be used.

Ingredients:
Vegetable pieces - 1 cup.
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Rice flour - 1tbs
Salt - 1tbs

For grinding:
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Cumin seeds(jeera) - 1/2tsp
Daniya seeds (coriander seeds) - 1/2tsp
Red chilli - 7
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
Hinge - a pinch

For seasoning:
Oil - 1tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hinge - a pinch
Curry leaves

Method:

1. Cook the vegetable in one cup of water adding salt, turmeric powder and hinge.
2. Soak tamarind in hot water. Remove the seeds and seed coats if any.
3. Grind coconut, cleaned tamarind, jeera, red chilli, daniya and hinge into a thick paste.
4. Add the paste to the cooked vegetable and mix well. Add 2 cups of water.
5. Boil it for 3 minutes. Add rice flour paste and mix well. Boil again for a minute.
6. Season with the given ingredients.

Note: If the consistency is thin add some more rice flour paste.

12. Keerai kuzhambu

Keerai kuzhambu

It is a simple side dish for lunch that goes with any fried vegetable curry like brinjal, kovaikai, sepangkhangu, lady's finger, potato and carrot. Mulai keerai/ arai keerai/ siru keerai can be used. Lettuce can also be used.

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1 cup 

Tamarind - 1 big lemon size.

Green chilli - 7

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Hinge - a pinch

Salt - 1tbs

Keerai - 1 bunch (kattu)

Seasoning:

Sesame oil - 1tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Channa dal -1/2 tsp

Urid dal - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli - 4

Methi seeds - 1tsp

Hinge - a pinch

Method:

1. Clean the greens and soak in water for 10 minutes and rinse twice and cut into small pieces.

   

   
   
   
   
   
2. Pressure cook toor dal with turmeric powder and hinge. Smash well and keep aside.
3. Soak Tamarind in hot water and extract the syrup.
4. Season all the ingredients add tamrind water and greens (keerai).
5. Cut the green chillies in length wise and add to the tamarind water. Allow it boil till the leaves are cooked.
   
   
   
6. Add smashed toor dal and allow it boil. If the consistency is watery add rice flour paste to thicken.

11. Puli illa poricha kuzhambu and puli keerai

Puli illa poricha kuzhambu and puli keerai

This is an excellent and exclusive lunch combo of my in-laws native, Tirunelveli.  Mixing rice with ghee or coconut oil and having these side dishes will be nutritious and tasty.

Puli illa poricha kuzhambu 

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1cup

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Hinge - a pinch

Rice flour - 1tbs

Salt - 1tbs

Brinjal - 1/4 Kg 

Snake guard (pudalangai) - 1

Cluster beans - few (optional)

For grinding:

Grated coconut - 1 ladle (karandi)

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Pepper - 4

Red chili - 2 (or you can use  1 red chili and 1 green chili)

For seasoning:

Coconut oil - 1tbs

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urid dal - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1/4 tsp

Hinge - a pinch

Curry leaves

Method:

1. Pressure cook the Toor dal with turmeric powder and hinge.
2. Cut all the vegetables into very small pieces and cook in a vessel adding turmeric powder and hinge.
   
   
   
3. Grind all the ingredients given into fine paste. 
   

   

   
   
   
   
4. Mix the paste, cooked and smashed toor dal and cooked vegetables.
5. Season with the ingredients mentioned.
   
   
   

Puli keerai

Any greens like arai keerai, mulai keerai, siru keerai or the lettuce can be used.

Ingredients:

Keerai - 1kattu (bunch)

Tamarind - 1 small lemon size

Salt - 1tbs

Hinge - a pinch

Seasoning: 

Sesame oil - 2 tsp

Red chlli (broken)- 5 or 6

Methi seeds - 1tsp

Hinge - a pinch

Method:

1. Clean the green, Soak in water for 10 minutes and rinse well twice to remove the mud and odour.
2. Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract one cup of thick syrup. 
3. Cook the keerai (greens) in tamrind water with salt and hinge. Smash well, Add rice flour, mix well.
4. Season with the ingredients mentioned and boil once.
   

   

   
   
   
   

Note: You can grind tamarind removing the seeds and seed coats and other unwanted things in it after soaking in hot water. Greens can be smashed using blender or you can smash it in mixie but water should be removed and whipper switch should be used once or twice only.

10. Puli sertha poricha kuzhambu

Puli sertha poricha kuzhambu

We can use any vegetable or mixed vegetables. only with ash guard or only with brinjal and lady's finger will also be good. On dwadasi day, brinjal and lady's finger puli sertha kzuhambu will be the main dish but pasi parupu will be used. Other vegetables like chow, ash guard, avaraikai, vazhakai, drumstick can be used.

Ingredients:
thur dhal/ moong dhal - 1 cup
tamarind - 1lemon size
salt -1 tbs
hinge - a pinch
turmeric powder
curry leaves
chopped vegetable - 1cup

For grinding:
oil - 1tsp
Urid dal - 1 1/2tbs
pepper -1/2tsp
red chilli - 5
daniya -1tsp
methi seeds- 1/2tsp
hinge - a pinch

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
hinge - a pinch
curry leaves
grated coconut -1tsp
oil - 1tsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook the dhal with hinge and turmeric powder and smash well and keep it aside.
2. Extract the tamrind juice to 1 1/2 cups and cook the vegetables adding curry leaves, turmeric powder, salt and hinge.
3. Roast the ingredients for grinding and grind it to fine paste.
4. Add the paste to the smashed dhal mix well and then add to the boiling tamarind juice with the vegetables. Boil for two minutes.
5. Season with the ingredients given.

Keerai (spinach) masiyal சுவையான கீரை மசியல்

Keerai masiyal

This is the best side dish along with vatha kuzhambu, verum kuzhambu mor kuzhambu and milagu kuzhambu,
Mixed with little of this kuzhambu and keerai will be delicious side dish for curd rice.

Ingredients:
Spinach - 1bunch (1 kattu arai/ siru/ mulai keerai)
Salt - 1/2tsp
Rice flour - 1tsp
Hinge - a pinch
Lime (Chunnambu) - a pinch

For seasoning:
Urid dal - 1tsp
red chilli  -2 (broken)
Hinge - a pinch
vepambu dried - 1/2 tsp (optional)
poosanikai vathal/ kuzhambu vathal - 2 (broken)
Coconut oil/ cooking oil - 1tbs

Preparation:
Washing and cleaning the spincah is very important.
Separate the leaves and very tender stem from the bunch.
Soak in water in a big vessel for atleast 10 mins. Rinse well.
Slowly take out the leaves from the top of the water leaving the mud particles at the bottom. You may use strainer. Do this at least two time and then wash under running water once. Leave it for a while for the water to drain.

Method:

1. Cook the spinach in a vessel along with a cup of water, salt and hinge by stirring occasionaly.
2. Strain the remaining water in a vessel and take the spinach and just whip in once or twice in the mixer jar. You may use blender also.
3. Now transfer it to the vessel and clean the jar using the cooked water. 
4. Add rice flour and mix well. Boil it for once.
5. Season all the ingredients mentioned. This is the most important one. As much as possible have all the ingredients mentioned. This adds the flavor and taste.

Note: While whipping in care should be taken that the water is strained completely and whipped once or twice only. It helps to have spinach coarse.

9. parupilla araitha kuzhambu/ mangotai kuzhambu

Parupu illa kuzhambu      

Any vegetable that are used for making sambar like drumstick raddish etc can be used for this kuzhambu. Sour mangoes that are cut and dried in hot sun can be used instead of the vegetable. Even the mango seed (kottai) can also be used.

Ingredients:

Tamraind - 1 lemon size

Salt - 1tb

Turmeric powder - a pinch

For grinding:

Channa dal - 2tsb

Daniya seed - 2tbs

Red chilli - 8/9

Methi sedd- 1/4 tsp

Coconut (grated) - 2tbs

Hinge - a pinch

Oil - 1tsp

Seasoning:

Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp

Hinge - a pinch

curry leaves

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in hot water. Extract 4 cups of juice.
2. Cook the vegetable in tamrind extract adding salt and turmuric powder.
3. Heat the pan add the oil and roast all the ingredients mentioned for grinding except coconut till the dal turns brown
4. Grind roasted items and coconut into fine paste.
5. Mix with tamarind extract and allow it to boil for a minute.
6. Season the kzuhambu.

Note: If dried sour mangoes and thier seeds are used, size of the tamrind should be as that of a small lemon. Use more mango pieces. The seed coat can be broken to eat the seed inside. But the seed will be different taste like that of a betal nut.

8.verum kuzhambu

verum kuszhambu

The easiest and tastiest kuzhambu if the kuzhambu podi is a good one. We can use, brinjal, lady's finger, drum stick, raddish or poosanikai vathal for this kuzhambu. Along with keeria it is the tastiest dish. Can be kept for the next day.

Ingredients:

Sambar powder/ kuzhambu podi - 2 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - 1 big lemon size
Hinge - a pinch
Turmeric powder - a pinch
salt - t tbs
Rice flower - 1  to 2 tbs.
Curry leaves
coriander leaves (optionsal)
Any one of the vegetable - few pieces

Seasoning:

oil - 2 tsp
Mustard -1/2 tsp
Urid dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 2 (broken)
Hinge - a pinch
curry leaves.

Method:

1. Heat the pan with oil and mustard seeds.
2. Add all the other ingredients given under seasoning except curry leaves after the mustard seed splutters.
3. Add the sambar powder and chilli powder and saute for a minute and add the curry leaves.
4. Extract the tamarind juice using 4 cups of water and add to the pan after it cools.
5. Add the sliced vegetable, turmeric powder, salt, hinge, curry leaves and boil.
6. After the vegetable is cooked add a thick paste of rice flour, Switch off the stove once the gravy just starts boiling. Do not boil for a long time.

Note: For poosanikai vathal, First fry the vathal using the oil, drain the oil and then use it for seasoning. Add few vathal while the kuzhabu is boiling. Add the rest of the vathal before serving. Crispy vathal will make it more tasty. If the consistency is thin, add more rice flower paste.

1. parupu kuzhambu

Parupu kuzhambu is the simplest gravy.
Vegetables that can be used - Brinjal, ash guard, carrot, raddish, drumstick, lady's finger,capsicum etc
Ingredients:
Thur dhal - 1cup
Tamrind - 1 big lemon size
Salt - 1tbs
Hinge - apinch
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Sambar/ kuzhambu podi - 2 and 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
coriander leaves
Green chilli - 3

For seasoning:
Mustartd seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hinge - a pinch
Red chilli -1
Curry leaves
Gingely oil/ ghee - 1tsp

Method:

1. Soak thur dhal and tamrind in separate vessels in hot water.
2. Pressure cook thur dhal adding hinge and turmeric powder.
3. Add salt to the soaked tamarind and extract the juice. (you can use two cups of water to squeeze the tamarind)
4. Cook the vegetable in tamarind water adding turmeric powder.
5. Fry the sambar powder adding very little gingely oil and add to the tamarind juice.
6. Mash the cooked thur dhal and add to the tamarind, sambar powder gravy.
7. Add green chillies (choped lenght wise) and boil the mixture for 2 mins.
8. Season it using the items given under seasoning.

7. Milagu kuzhambu

Milagu kuzhambu is the best dish during the winter season.

Ingredients: 
Tamarind - A large lemon size
salt - 1tb
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Fresh curry leaves - 1/2 cup

For frying
Gingely oil - 1tbs
channa dal/ kadalai parupu -1/4 tsp
Thur dal - 1tbs
Daniya - 1bs
Red chilli -4
Pepper -1/2 tbp
Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
Hinge - a pinch
For seasoning
Gingely oil- 1tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
Hinge - a pinch
curry leaves
optional - Sundaikai vathal/ brinjal
Method:

1. Soak tamrind in hot water for half an hour and remove the seeds or seed coat if any.
2. Fry all the items given under frying till the dhal turnd into golden brown with a good aroma.
3. Grind all the fried items along with tamrind and salt into a fine paste.
4. Heat the oil and add mustard seeds. Add turmeric powder after the seeds splutter. Add hinge and curry leaves. 
5. Add the paste and saute for two minutes.

Tips: You can make a large quantity and preserve it by making it into a thick paste adding more gingely oil. It lasts for 6 months if refrigerated and handled carefully with dry hands and spoon.

If you are doing for 1 day, you can have a the consistency as that of other kuzhambu adding sufficient water. For this either you can fry sundaikai before seasoning and keep aside and do the rest of the method then finally add the sundaikai after switching off the stove(This leaves sundaikai cripsy when you eat). Or you can use brinjal after cooking in tamarind water.

Travalogue

Badhrinath yatra -Most memorable expereience

It has been my dream for long to visit Badhrinath temple. We just booked the tickets for the chardham  yatra with the Uttaranchal government. We were 8 members- I, m y husband, my mother in law, my brother in law, his wife, daughter, his friend and friend’s wife. Along with us, 6 others booked the same yatra, including an Italian gentleman. It was scheduled for May1st from Rishikesh. We booked our train tickets from Bombay to Haridwar on 29^th 12.05hrs by Dehradhun express as we were in Mumbai at that time. Our plan was to join the group in Rishikesh on 30^th April 2014.

The miracles that happened proved that the darshan of the Lord is not in our hands. After standing in the queue in Triambakeshwarar temple, Nashik I suffered severe heel pain from 13^th of April. It persisted this time for full 15 days. I consulted two doctors (Naturopathy and an Ayurveda doctor).Took the treatment for the 13 days without any improvement.  I was so upset that I could not walk even a few steps and was about to cancel my tickets. But 27^th morning I made my mind and decided that I will definitely go for the trip. I did my daily pooja , demanded Him to heal my pain and pleaded Lord Badhrinath to give his darshan and recited Vishnu sahasra nama with a melting heart. I was surprised to see my heel pain reduced a little that day evening. With so much pain we boarded the train with the help of my daughter-in-law and son. But to my surprise when I got down at Rishikesh station it was completely gone. I never felt the pain again after that day. Not only that we had other major obstacles but with the grace of Lord Badri Narayana, we got the darshan. I would like to share my experience.

30^th April.

We landed in Haridwar at 3.15 pm. Our train friends, a very kind Gujarati couple Mr and Mrs. P.M.Pancholi, who were on their way to Haridwar for the parayana on Lord Ram for 15 days, told us what to visit in Haridwar. Though I had made my plans their tips were very useful. They gave us good company even without a common language. It was funny and we enjoyed!

We took a rickshaw from the station to Hari-ki-pauri, paid Rs.50. I could not believe that I was finally in the holy  Haridwar, where Bagiratha did his tapas. Ujjain, Nashik, Triveni sangham and Haridwar are the four places where Khumbamela takes place because drops of Amrit accidentally spilled by Garuda. Though the sun was scorching, the water was so cold, deep and fast moving. The holy dip there rejuvenated and energized both of us.  I prayed Ganga matha to purify me from my sins and thanked God for this opportunity.  Haridwar is the gateway to Hari (God). It is said after taking a holy dip in Haridwar one is expected to visit Badhri.  We could not stay for Ganga Arthy there. We took a package cable car ticket (Uddankotla) operated by government of Uttranchal  to visit Manasa devi and Chandi devi temple for Rs.120. They both are on shivalik hills. Manasa devi fulfills our desire (to have the darshan of Lord Badhri). So visiting her and getting her blessings before going to Badhri was apt.

We left our luggage at the foot of the hill in a shop after buying some prashad for the Manasa devi. The exit of the temple led the way to the bus stand from where we were taken by a van to the cable car service to the Chandi devi temple.  From the temple another path leads to Anjani devi temple a little high above the mountain where Hanuman lies as a baby on Anjani devi’s temple.  There are other temples like makaravhini temple, daksh prajapathy temple, Bharat matha temple etc.  Time did not permit us to visit these temples. We took an auto to Rishikesh (paid Rs.400). We met our other tour members in GMVN guest house, Rishikesh where another miracle awaited us.

That night I was stunned to see fire in the window closer to our bed. The screen was swaying to catch and spread the fire. I woke up my husband and we shouted for help.  It was a narrow escape!

1^st May

Ours was the first tour after the devastating flood that occurred in 2013. So there were registration formalities followed by a pooja and media coverage at 7am. We prepared to face the situation and prayed to God for his darshan. We travelled around 250km by bus to Yamunothri. The way was through a large coniferous forest!  We enjoyed the sight of tall trees which looked like small bush on the other mountains.  The Himalayan range was undoubtedly magnificent!  We stopped near a small hanuman temple on our way and prayed for the darshan of Badhrinath and Kedarnath.  We stayed in GMVN guest house in Barkot. Our friend bought some jerkins just for Rs.700. The place and food were all very nice.

2^nd May

We left the place by 7am, reached the foot of the mountain by 10am. We were expected to be back by 4pm as it would be very cold after that. I decided to take a pony due to my previous heel pain. My mother in law though little hesitant, agreed to take the pony. But after walking to the GMVN guest house from the base which was more than 1km on the way to the mountain, she felt tired. So we arranged doli for Rs.1100 for both ways. Actually climbing up by pony may be enjoyable but climbing down will be real tough. We get hit to the seat often during the way through the steep steps. Three of us in our group hired pony for Rs.770 for up and down.  We were excited to see the snow covered mountains so closely and the flow of Yamuna was pleasing to our eyes.

It was the opening day of the yamunothri temple the deity was brought to the temple in palanquin along with us. We quickly had a holy dip in Suryakund (hot water spring), and waited for others. We can give scientific reasons but seeing ice cold water and hot water going side by side is a wonder! They cook rice in this suryakund and offer it to God.  It suddenly started to rain which resulted in a very low temperature. We had the darshan of the deity. Those who came by walk were exhausted and for the way down, some of them took doly others went by pony. The Italian and another person walked both the way.   Later I heard that they served some free meals for the yatris there in the temple. We then went back to Barkot again for the night stay.

3^rd May

We started at 7am in the morning and reached uttar kashi. We visited kashi vishwanath temple Situated in the middle of 4 mountains. Many rishis did tapas here. We then visited a hanuman temple as well. By then we heard that helicopter service to kedarnath was canceled due to weather condition and will resume after a week. We then proceeded on our yatra to Gangothri.

4^th May

We reached Harsil by 5pm. The place was an Indian army barrack for Indo-Tibetian border, so foreign tourists were not permitted to enter. We left our Italian passenger in a hotel 2km away. The GMVN guest house there was among the mountains and river. We enjoyed the beauty but shivered in the cold temperature there. We saw the Indian army emblem over the mountain.

5^th May

We left Harsil in the morning by7am and reached Gangothri at 10 am. We had already taken a bath in the hotel and decided to sprinkle Ganga water as it was damn cold. The starting place of Ganga called Goumuk is a further trek of 13km. It was an amazing site to see Ganga at Gangothri. Though it was hot outside, the water was freezing cold. Some people still had a bath in the freezing cold water. We collected Ganga water in water bottles. The story of Baghirath bringing Ganga down and being held by Lord shiva was portrayed there. We had the darshan of Baghirath and thanked him for bringing Ganga and went to the main temple.  I melted atthe site of the devi.  Our last hope to go to kedarnath was destroyed, and I pleaded to our guide to take us to Badhrinath. He said that would not be a problem. We met some yatris returned from kedarnath. We heard that they struggled a lot to reach there. Army service cracked the mountain with bombs and laid the stones over the snow. There was knee deep snow. Two ladies were unable to go up or down and got struck in the middle. 7 army people for each lifted and brought them to Lancholi to wait for others. Even the main priest could not go to the temple and perform the pooja themselves.

We reached Srinagar (Uttranchal) and had our lunch. Sun was scorching. We would have travelled for 2hrs, the rain started and slowly turned into a heavy downpour. We continued. But on the way we saw vehicles returning. We heard that there was a landslide and road was blocked. Our guide said we may have to go back to Harkot or Srinagar for the night stay. Since this is a sudden program we may not get rooms so we would have to prepare ourselves to spend the night in the bus. We did not get rooms in Harkot. We got fewer number of rooms in Srinagar and agreed to share. That evening we were worried whether we will get the darshan of Lord Badhrinath. We chanted Vishnu sahasranamam and other slokas.

6^th May

We waited for the news for the road block to be cleared. We started by 9am. My husband brought a sadhu who was struggling to go to Badhri. We accommodated him after agreeing to pay some extra amount. We visited the rudraprayag and sprinkled water. On our way we saw Tehri dam which is one of the highest in the world and reached a place called Ukimatt in Rudraprayag. Here, in the Omkareshwara temple Lord shiva from kedarnath will be brought during the 6 winter months for pooja. It is one of the Panch Kedars. King Mandhata did his penace here for Lord Shiva. We went to GMVN guest house by 12 noon and had lunch. I understood that there is no wonder in people taking so much pain to visit these places. I felt a sort of vibration seeing the grand snow clad and green mountains.  We visited the temple in the evening. A priest from Karnataka performs the pooja here. This has all been made possible by adhi shankaracharya who wanted to integrate north and south parts of India. A priest from kerala performs pooja in Badhrinath.

We left Ukimat at 7am and went to Thunganth temple one of the panch kedar. It is called as second kedar. Though we could not have the darshan of Kedarnath Lord, we were happy to have the darshan of Thungnath. The temple is around 1000 years old. It was surrounded by snow. One has to climb 4km. But the path is not too steep. Ponies are available here. I took a pony to climb and came by walk and surprised that I did not even feel a pinch of pain on my heels! 

7^th May

We reached Pipalkoti and stayed there. In the morning, we set out for a day’s stay in badhri. We reached Joshimutt at 9am. We hired two 7 seater cars and started towards badhri which was 41km away from Joshimutt.  When we travelled about 20km, a stone fell from the mountain and broke the front glass. We were terrified. Thank God it was a small stone. We started chanting the namas already. We were made to wait and another taxi was called. The road is dusty rock bedded terrain impossible to repair. It was a real nightmare to travel on the edges which were completely damaged. We were taking a deep breadth each time we took a turn. Going to Badhri/Kedar and coming alive is a real question! The snow melt water was gushing fast and pushing the stones and everything on its way. By God’s grace we reached badri at 2pm. I was so happy to be in DEVLOK. Our prayers had come true. We went to the temple after the lunch.  We waited for the temple to open.

At 3pm,

 I stood outside starring the temple…….. my heart melted ………….remembering the obstacles and miracles we faced to have the darshan of this lord!

When the door opened the slogans BADHRI NARAYAN KI…. JAY! The sound of the ringing bells filled my heart and finally I was in the temple…..

Having the darshan of Garuda, we stood in the queue and recaptured all the previous events and could not believe that I am there at His feet!

The sight of the Lord led to a downpour of tears from my eyes.  I could not put my feeling in words!

...my dream to be at this holy place and I am one of the lucky ones to be in His abode…

We had the darshan of the Lord in his meditative padmasana pose. With him were Kubera, Garuda, Lord Ganesh and Nar, Narayan.

The temple is between the Nara and Narayana parvath. God descended in the form of Nara and Narayan to teach the world. On the banks of Alaknanda river the temple stands majestically. It is said that the Lord is here from Thretha yuga. He was thrown into the Alaknanda River to protect humans during the Manghol invasion. Later Adi shankara in his dream received the message and dived into the river to retrieve the idol. He built the temple and made one of his companions do the pooja. The temple was later built by King of Gharwal. It is said the flowers remain fresh and the lamp will continue to glow even when the temple is closed for winter months. It is believed that the devas do the pooja during this period.

 Since we went as soon as the temple opened for the summer months, the flowers that decorated the entrance were still afresh. We gave for the sahasranamapath pooja (Rs.770/ two persons).  We recited the Vishnu sahasranamam. We got the opportunity to stay with the God for 20 minutes. The next day we arranged for the pinda tharpan.

8^th May

Morning 6 am we took a holy dip in Tapth kund (hot water spring). At brahma kapal, we did the shrardh and tharpan for pithrus (you can pay as much as you wish). Only here the prashadh offered to God is used for shrardh and one can do shrarhd for oneself. Ladies too can perform shrardh here. The river alaknandha flows calmly and the weather was too cold to do the rituals. It is better to visit this holy place when one is young. We had the darshan of Lord badhri and thanked him for his kind darshan. The Italian who accompanied us said that we were fortunate to live in this country (India)!

9^th May

We left the Devlok (some experiences and the way people are, ensure the name for that place) and proceeded to joshimutt. We reached Kaleshwar GMVN guest house on the banks of alaknanda. It was a place of great beauty. We took a bath in the river again. The place was serene! We meditated there.

10^th May

We left Kaleshwar  at 9am and proceeded towards Joshimutt. We visited Joshimutt  Narsimhaswamy temple where Badhrnath deity comes for the winter months. 

Then we visited Devprayag where alaknanda and Baghirathi meet. It is an awesome sight. Baghirathi comes with bubbles and waves while Alaknanda comes peacefully. Both of them are deep and big. Alaknanda is slightly blackish while baghirathi is greenish. We sprinkled water and had the darshan of Lord Rama at Ragunathji temple which is little high on the steep rocks. King Dhasharatha, Lord Rama and Lakshmana did their penance here. Then we reached Rishikesh by 3pm.

We took an auto and visited Tirveni ghat . We had the holy dip and had the darshan of Ganga Arti. We then visited Lakshman jula, Lakshmi Narayan mandir and Radha Krishna (iskon) temple thus completing our yatra. We could not cover many places but the bakthi grew in us. I feel visiting each temple should bring a good change in us. We have to pray to God for such changes.

6. Vatha kuzhambu

1.     Vatha kuzhambu

Type1:

Tamarind – 1 big lemon size.

Salt – 1tbs

Mustard- ½ tsp

Urid dal- 1tsp

Channa dal – 1tsp

Red chilli – 3

Methi seeds – 1tbs

Hinge – a pinch

Red chilli powder – 1 ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Oil- 3tbs preferably gingely oil

Curry leaves

Tomato – 1(chopped into two pieces)

Vathal – sundaikai/ manathakali/ kothavarangai -1 handful

( one big onion or 10 sambar onions can be used instead of vathal).

Method:

1.     Heat the oil, fry the vathal till it turns dark brown not black and remove the vathal leaving the rest of the oil.

2.     Add mustard seeds. After it splutters add urid dal, channa dal, pieces of red chilli, methi seeds and hinge. Fry till the dals turn brown. Add tomato pieces so that its skin touches the vessel. Leave it for 2 seconds.

3.     Switch off the stove and addhalf of the curry leaves, chilli powder and turmeric powder (to avoid the oil splash out and the smell of the chilli irritate the nose).

4.     Once the pan is cooled enough add tamrind extract and salt. Add half of the roasted vathal.Add the rest of the curry leaves. Allow it to boil for 5minutes.

5.     If the consistency is watery add rice flour paste.

Note: If you are using onion instead of vathal , first fry the dals and then add chopped onions and tomato. Switch off the stove and add chilli powder.

Rest of the roasted vathal can be added before serving which will be little crispy and tasty.

Type2:

          Ingredients:

          Manthakkali/ sundaikai vathal

          Sesame oil – 5tbs

          Turmeric powder – a pinch

          For grinding

          Channa dal – ½ tsp

          Daniya – 1tsp

          Methi seeds – 1tsp

          Red chilli – 6

          Hinge – a pinch

          Tamrind – 1 big lemon size

          Curry leaves – 10/15

          Salt – 1tbs

          For Garnishing

      Mustard – 1tsp

     Urid dal – 1tsp

     Red chilli – 3 (broken)

     Hinge – a pinch

     Methi seeds- ½ tsp

     Curry leaves

     Method:

1.     Heat a spoon of sesame oil and fry all the ingredients given under for grinding till the dals turn brown. Grind them into a fine paste.

2.     Extract1 ½ cup of tamrind paste after soaking it in hot water.

3.     Heat the rest of the oil and fry the vathal, drain the oil and keep the vathal alone aside.

4.     Add mustard to the rest of the oil, after it splutters add the rest of the ingridients given under garnishing and curry leaves and turmeric powder.

5.     Add the paste, salt and tamrind extract. Allow it boil for 5minutes.

6.     Add the roasted vathal.

5. Pasiparupu thakali easy sambar as a side dish to idli

   
   Pasiparupu(moongdal) thakali(tomato) easy sambar as a side dish to idli/ dosai

Ingredients:

Pasiparupu (Moong dal) – 1 cup

Tamarind – a small amla size

Sambar powder – 1 tsp

Chilli powder – ½ tsp

Hinge – a pinch

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Salt -1tbs

Oil – to fry onion

Onion – 1 big

Tomoto – 3 medium size

Green chilli – 4

Curry leaves

Coriandar leaves

For garnishing:

Oil – 1tsp

Mustard – ½ tsp

Red chilli – 1

Hinge – a pinch

Curry leaves

Method:

1. Pressure cook the moong dal. Smash it well.
2. Fry onion well till it turns little brown. Add chopped tomatoes and fry till the raw smell goes off. Add sambar powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder.
3. Soak tamrind in hot water and take the extract. It should be one cup. Add to the fried onion. Add salt and allow it boil.
4. Add the dal. The consistency should be little watery than the usual sambar. Allow it to boil for a minute. Add a spoon of rice flour paste if it is too watery.
5. Garnish with the ingredients mentioned.