How to make Thiruvathirai Kali

Thiruvathirai also known as Arudra Darisanam is celebrated in Tamilnadu. It falls in the month of Margazhi on the Thiruvathirai star day. The main neivedhyam is Thiruvathirai Kali and 7 kai kootu.

Ingredients to make Thiruvathirai Kali:
Raw rice - 1 1/2 cups
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Bengal gram dal - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 10 to 12 nos
Cardamom - 6 nos
Ghee - 1/4  cup
Water - 3 cups (Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups while cooking if needed)

Method:
Fry rice till it becomes golden brown in colour. Fry both the dals separately till they become golden brown. Grind them together till they reach rawa consistency (this can be done at home in mixer itself). (The dals can be powdered to a fine powder consistency too).

Fry the cashew nuts in a tbsp of ghee and set aside. Grind the cardamom to fine powder and keep it ready. In a hard bottom pan add 1 cup of water and when it boils add the jaggery and let it mix well to form a syrup. Drain the jaggery so that all impurities get cleared.

Wash the pan and add the jaggery water to it and bring it to boil. Add the grated coconut and cardamom powder to it and when it boils add 2 cups of water and  the rice and dal mixture and mix it thoroughly without forming any lumps. Mash lumps if there are any. Close the pan with a lid and reduce the flame. Keep mixing it in between so that it doesnot get settled at the bottom of the pan. While stirring add ghee to it slowly. When the rice gets cooked add the fried cashew nuts and mix thoroughly.

Remove from flame and after neivedhyam serve it with 7 kai kootu.

Comments

Kalamalini said…
You could also add cooked dhal to the kali while it is being cooked, instead of adding with rice initially.