Panguni Pongal Aaki Vaithal (Panguni Pongal Festival Celebration Foods At Native)

Panguni Pongal Aaki Vaithal ( Panguni Pongal Festival Celebration Foods At Native)

' Panguni Pongal' festival is celebrated today at our native Virudhunagar. This festival is celebrated towards Goddess Mariamman on the month of Panguni (April) every year.

 A special occasion for foodies in this pongal is Aaki Vaithal.. After 21 days of fasting, on the night of pongal people who have venduthal will do this at home. Its nothing but, people who have 'venduthal' have to prepare special dishes as an offering to goddess. 

There are people in our native who used to do this 'Aaki Vaithal' for generations together. My Ayamma (Grand Mother) is one among them. She has been doing since ages. She was telling that As for as she knows, aaki vaithal has been done at our home from her Mother -in-law's Grand mother time.. . And the procedure has been inherited through generations. She has been following the very same old procedure.. 

Very happy that me, who is in  sixth generation  have got such a traditional recipe.. 

For Aaki Vaithal, we have to prepare 5 special dishes. In Aaki Vaithal, we are offering to Goddess 'Mariamman', her sister Goddess 'Pechiamman' and to Kaval Deivam 'Vairavasamy'.

All these dishes, have to be prepared without Sauteing , Roasting or Seasoning. All these are done to get blessings from Goddess. And my sister has sent me the photos of Aaki Vaithal at my ayamma's home.. Very happy to share those with you along with the recipes.. We have to prepare 5 dishes in total. Those follows..

Chicken Kuzhambu:

Ingredients:

Chicken with Bones  - 1/4 kg

Small Onion               - 8-10

Chopped Coconut       - 2 tbsp

Turmeric Powder          - 1/4 tsp

Salt                                - As required.

Oil                                  - 1 tbsp

To Grind:

Coriander Seeds          - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli                    - 1

Pepper                          - 1/2 tsp

Cumin Seeds                - 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

• Chop small onions. Grind everything under 'To Grind'.  Wash and chop chicken into bigger size pieces.
• Take a cooker. Add chicken, chopped onions, ground masala, enough salt ,turmeric powder and oil to it. cook well for 5 whistles.
• You shouldn't  saute or anything.

Karuppati Kozhukattai:

This is the very essential part in Aaki Vaithal..

Ingredients:

Paccharisi Maavu     - 1 kg   (Raw rice flour, Like Idiyappam Flour)

Karupatti                   - 1/4 kg

Procedure:

• Add very very little water to karupatti and boil it in low flame till it reaches kambi patham. Add rice flour and mix it. Shape them like kozhukaati and steam it.

Panakkaram:

And a refreshing drink with karuppati (Palm Sugar)

Ingredients:

Tamarind         - 3 lemon size ball

Lemon             - 1

Karuppati        - 1/2 cup

Water              - As required ( I needed 4 cups of water)

Procedure:

• Place everything in a clay pot. Mix everything together and filter it after some time. My Ayamma usually mix in the next day morning.
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Brinjal -Dry Fish Kuzhambu:

Ingredients:

Brinjal                  - 1/4 kg

Drumstick            - 1

Pachai Dry Fish   - 2 (Dry Fish)

Ellu Punnaku       - few (Residue from Gingelly Oil Extraction Procedure)

Tamarind             - a lemon size ball

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt                       - As required.

Oil                        - 1 tbsp

To Grind:

Small Onions       - 5

Tomato                 - 1

Kuzhambu Podi    - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

• Chop Brinjal and Drumstick into bigger pieces. Grind everything under 'To grind'.
• Take a cooker. Add chopped vegetables,  ground masala, Dry Fish ,Ellu Punnaku ,enough salt ,turmeric powder and oil to it. cook well for 2 whistles.
• You shouldn't  saute or anything.
• No need of seasoning.

And this Vellai Pongal topped with Vella Katti  is prepared specially for 'Bairavar'. This pongal should be prepared in clay pot.

Vellai Pongal with Vella Katti:

Ingredients:

Paccharisi       - 1 cup  (Raw rice)

Moong Dal     - 1/4 cup

Vella Katti      - 4

Water              - 4 cups

Procedure:

• Wash and Soak rice and moong dal together for 30 minutes. Boil  water in pot. After the water boils, add soaked rice and moong dal. Cook till all the water has evaporated.
• Take it in a laddle and serve it on Banana leaf. Top it with Vella Katti.