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Rama Navami is a celebration of the birth of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu and a popular king who ruled Ayodhya. The seventh avatar of Vishn...

Panakam/Panagam, Neer Mor/ Flavored Buttermilk And Cucumber Kosmalli/ Cucumber Lentil Salad For Rama Navami


Rama Navami is a celebration of the birth of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu and a popular king who ruled Ayodhya. The seventh avatar of Vishnu taught human race about respect, value, love, responsibility, peace, valour, friendship, truth and honesty. In spite of all the challenges he faced being born a man, Rama was a model human being.

In the Indian tradition prasadham (food offerings), for each celebration is very distinct. On Rama Navami,
panakam, neer mor and cucumber kosmalli is offered as prasadham. It got me thinking as to why we offered panakam, need mor and cucumber kosmalli as offerings. Is it because Rama liked them according to myth or is there more to it.

Here are a few reasons that  was gathered from learned people:
Firstly, Rama was born in the month of Chitrai ( Summer) on Navami thithi (the 9th day from new moon) and Punarvasu Nakshatra (star). The weather in India is expected to be very hot during that period. Hence the best type of food offering in that climate is something liquidy, cooling and hydrating. Why panakam and neer mor in particular? Because panakam and neer mor have sugars and salts that act as electrolytes.

Secondly, Panakam is a sweet drink made with jaggery. Jaggery dissolving in water is symbolic of problems melting away from our lives.

An alternative explanation is that Panakam reduces body heat and balances pitta (a dosha in ayurveda) of the body. When pitta is imbalanced, it cause irritation and anger in people. Neer mor and cucumber kosmalli cool the body and aid digestion, provide protein and fiber for the people who fast all day long during Ramanavami. Since Rama was the personification of calmness, the food offering was intended on establishing calmness and hence help in developing Rama-like qualities.



Panakam: 



Makes 2 cups

Gadgets:
Measuring cup and Measuring Spoons
Bowl
Kettle

Ingredients:

Water - 2 cup
Jaggery - 1 cube ( achuvellam)
Cardamon - 2 pod powdered
Dry Ginger Powder - a pinch or two
Lemon powder - a few drops
Cloves - a few


Preparation:

1. Place one cube jaggery in a bowl and add cloves, elachi powder and ginger powder. Pour hot water and allow the jaggery to melt. Add 1 cup cold water and a dash of lemon juice. Mix and serve as prasadham.



Neer Mor/ Buttermilk:



Serves Two

Gadgets:

Ladle
Measuring Cup and Spoons
Bowl

Ingredients:

Curds/ Yogurt  - 1/2 cup 
Asafoetida Powder - 1/8 tsp
Salt
Water - 1 1/2 cups
Ginger - 1/4 tsp grated
Green Chili - 1 finely minced ( optional)


Preparation:

1. In a bowl add the ripped curry leaves, salt, asafetida , ginger, chili's and roughly mix it with a ladle. Add yogurt and give it a good mix. Add water and mix well. Serve as prasadham.




Cucumber Kosmalli / Cucumber Salad:
Makes a cup
Gadgets:
Cutting Board
Knife
Bowl
Measuring Cup and Spoon
Seasoning Wok

Ingredients:
Persian Cucumber - 1
Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
Green Chilies - 1
Ginger - 1/4 freshly grated
Coconut - 1 tbsp grated
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida Powder - a pinch
Cilantro - 1 tbsp minced
Water - 1 cup
Lemon juice - a dash


Preparation:

1. Soak the moong dal in water for 20 minutes. Drain the water and add to the bowl.

2. Heat the seasoning wok with oil. Add asafoetida, mustard seeds and green chilies. Allow the mustard seeds to pop before adding to the bowl over the dal.

3. Cut the cucumber into small cubes. Mix it with dal. Garnish with cilantro and a dash of lemon.







15 comments:

  1. panakam is something new to me. cucumber salad looks fantastic. nice recipes

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  2. Happy Sri Rama Navami... Lovely pics

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  3. I had panakam at the temple today. It was amazing. I wanted to make it but had no lime. Bad planning on my part.

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  4. Happy Sri Rama Navami to you Srimathi. Lovely 4-in-1 post.

    And thanks for your tip. My dad tells me the same(he has for the oast 4 yeras) and I am yet to go look for the local farmer's market. Pehaps I should. People say, as the years progress, allergies are only going to become severe. So I have to atleast do my part in preventing it. So I will go lookout for local honey.

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  5. The pooja is nice.Happy Sri Rama Navami.

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  6. mmm, yum! the pics are just fabulous... happy sri rama navami dear..
    maha

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  7. lovely presentation..

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  8. Nice healthy spread, everything looks great.

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  9. Nice presentation and good explanation..

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  10. wonderful post, never knew these were Lord Rama's favourites :)..sure all are refreshing and act as coolants :) excellent clicks dear :)

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  11. You are a talented person to come up with a recipe like this one. I'm so happy you decided to share it with the world. :-D

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  12. Perfect clicks. Nice blog here. Please visit my blog too when you get time.
    http://lavanyasrecipes.blogspot.com/

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  13. wonderful post and nice clicks :) Felt I was transported to Thretha yugam reading this post... Happy to follow you as well.

    regarding the Magic Mingle that you wanted to join us, please mail me your email ID so I could add you from May 2012 onwards. Thanks !


    Kalyani
    Sizzling Tastebuds
    Event : Pickles & Preserves Fest + Giveaway
    Event : CWS - Oats

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