Sri Rama Navami Naivedyam to Lord Sri Rama

Today Sri Rama Navami !!! an auspicious day of Hindus, which we celebrate the birthday of lord Sri Rama. Sri Rama Navami will be celebrated seven days after the Ugadi festival.This festival celebrates on the ninth day of Chaitra masam i.e. Chaitra masam, Shukla paksham, Navami thithi as per telugu calender.Today's nakshatram is "Pushyami"!! Here on Sri Rama Navami day Lord Sitarama marriage will be performed in all temples and communities. Temples will be decorated with mamidi thoranams, chains of flowers and coconut leaves. You feel festival atmosphere  everywhere on Sri Rama Navami. On this day, the statues of Lord Sita and Rama will be placed together and decorate with colourful different varieties of  flowers and graceful ornaments and perform the marriage celebration with great fervor and devotion, many people will attend to watch this marriage celebration. On this Sri Rama Navami festival Panakam (a sweet drink) and Vadapappu(soaked moongdal) are the important naivedyams will be offered to Lord Sri Rama. After the pooja, these naivedyams will be given to the devotees. This Panakam really works like an energy drink to the devotees who attend to this kalyanam on red hot summer. Here in Bhadrachalam, this Srirama Navami festival will be celebrated grandly by offering "Pattu vastralu and mutyala talambralu"(pearls) to Lord Sri Rama!! Here is Rama Navami Naivedyam spread : Vadapappu, Panakam, Ksheerannam(rice payasam) 

Panakam (Sri Rama Navami special sweet drink) :
Ingredients :
Jaggery                                         :         1/2 cup
Cold water                                    :          3 glasses
Powdered Cardamom                   :         1 table spoon
Crushed Pepper                            :         1 1/2 table spoon
Method :
1. In a half cup of water, dissolve the jaggery for few minutes, till it dissolve completely.
2. Crush the cardamom and pepper into powder form.
3. Strain the jaggery syrup , then add the remaining 2 glasses of water, crushed pepper, and powdered cardamom and keep it in the fridge for a few minutes or you can add a few ice cubes before serving.
Vada Pappu(Soaked moong dal) :

Soak moongdal/Pesarapappu for an hour completely immeresed in water. Strain water and wash thouroughly twice or thrice with water and wrap in a cloth to absorb excess water. I usually offer this Vadapappu as plain dal  to god!! If you want to add extra spice, you can add green chilli pieces, raw mango pieces & coconut pieces and salt to taste.
Ksheerannam / Rice payasam:

Ingredients :
Rice:         1 cup
Moong dal or Chana dal:         2-3 table spoons
Full Cream milk:        6 cups
Jaggery:        1 - 11/2 cup 
Cardamom powder:        pinch
Cashew pieces:        few
Ghee:       2-3 table spoons
Method :
1. Grate the jaggery and keep aside
2. Crush the cardamom into powder and keep aside
3. Wash the rice , moongdal or chana dal and drain the water and keep aside.
4. In a heavy bottomed vessel, boil milk.
5. When the milk boils, turn the flame to medium.
6. Add soaked rice, moongdal or chana dal, and allow it to cook for few minutes till the rice is cooked.
7. Stirr continuous while cooking the rice.When the rice is completely cooked, add jaggery and mix well.
8. Heat another pan with 2 tablespoons of ghee, fry dry fruits till golden colour
9. Add this fried dryfruits to Ksheerannam.
10.Offer this as Nivedan to Lord Sri Rama and Celebrate the festival.