In Tamil nadu, during Navarathri people worship Goddess Durga for the first three days, Goddess Lakshmi for the second three days and Goddess Saraswathi for the last 3 days. People used to offer some sweets and sundal recipes for God in front of Golu. Even though navarathri is a 9 days festival, the day that comes before Navarathri.
In a heavy bottom pan, add ghee and roast cashewnuts and raisins and transfer to a bowl. Keep aside
Add moong dal, rice to the same ghee and roast for a minute in medium flame
Add milk to it and bring to boil
Mash rice, dal and add powdered jaggery. Mix well until it dissolves
Stir well. Add cardamom powder, roasted cashewnuts and raisins. Now switch off the flame
Serve hot
RAVA LADOO
INGREDIENTS
Rava: 100 gms
Ghee: 30 ml
Cashewnuts, chopped: 10 gms
Raisins: 10 gms
Sugar: 100 gms
Cardamom powder: 5 gms
Milk: 30 ml
METHOD
Roast rava until it is transparent
Heat ghee and fry cashewnuts untill it turn golden brown colour. Fry raisins untill it gets puffed up. Keep aside
In another vessel, prepare sugar syrup by taking 1 cup sugar and ¼ cup water
Boil milk and keep aside
In a vessel, add roasted rava, sugar syrup, roasted cashewnuts and raisins and cardamom powder
When it is warm enough, prepare ladoos with your palm
Serve warm
SAGO PAYASAM
INGREDIENTS
Sago: 100 gms
Sugar: 125 gms
Milk: 450 ml
Cardamom powder: 5 gms
Cashewnuts:10 nos
Ghee: 30 ml
Raisins: 10 gms
METHOD
Wash and soak sago for 30 minutes. Cook them well until it is transparent and soft
Add milk and simmer further for payasam to running consistency
Add sugar and cardamom powder to it. Simmer payasam to thicken consistency
Heat ghee in a pan. Fry cashewnuts and raisins untill they turn golden brown colour
Pour fried cashewnuts and raisins to payasam. Remove from the stove
Serve hot
SWEET POTATO AND CHESTNUT KHEER
INGREDIENTS
Sliced sweet potato: 2 nos medium sized
Canned water chestnuts: 5 nos cut into quarters
Fresh coconut milk: 2 cups
Jaggery (grated or powder): 1 cup
Sago: 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder/ nutmeg powder
METHOD
Soak sago for an hour prior to preparation.Strain and keep aside
Wash and slice sweet potatoes into ½ cm roundels
In a vessel, boil sweet potatoes and soaked sago with a pinch of salt in just enough water to cover the potatoes. Cook well
Once sweet potatoes soften and sago turns transparent, add coconut milk and jaggery. Bring to a boil. Add chestnuts and cardamom/ nutmeg powder at the end
Chestnuts give a nice bite to this special kheer, a festive offering on Navaratri
