Devi Navratri Special - South Indian Style Tamarind Rice and Ginger Vada

Navaratri festival is the most auspicious time for worshipping Goddess Durga in ten forms. As per Puranas, it is believed that Goddess Durga, divine mother, had destroyed the evil forces of the Demon Mahishasura during this time. Simply, we can say Dussehra is nothing but good winning over evil. Each state celebrates Dussehra in its own ways. The way of Celebrating the festival may be different from place to place but each and every celebration is Unique!! You can observe complete devotion and dedication in people towards Goddess Durga on these Navaratri Celebrations. Here too people celebrating Devi Navaratri Celebrations grand!!! In Telangana, the Telangana government wonderfully organized the "Batukamma Festival" and people celebrating the Batukamma festival were very grand !! All most of each and every road is decorated with colorful flowers and sticks. In Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh this Devi Navaratri celebration celebrates in a traditional way like worshipping Lord Durga with Ashta kalasha pooja, samoohika ashtothara sahasranamavali pooja, Lalitha parayana, kumkuma pooja, Chandi yagam, etc. The ninth day of Devi Maha Navaratri is called Durga Ashtami !! an auspicious day of Devi Navaratri according to Hinduism.  It falls on the Ashtami tithi of Chaitra month according to the Hindu calendar. This day is also known for "Astra Pooja" (Worshipping Weapons). Usually, people perform pooja to their Machinery in their industries and factories. Durga avatar is the most Powerful avatar out of all avatars.

On this Durga Ashtami day, we can chant Durga Dwa trisannammala stotram, Durga Ashtakam, and Lalitha sahasranama Parayanam which are the most powerful stotras, and offer Vadapappu, Panakam, Lemon Juice, Pulihora(Chidrannam), and Allam Garelu. Yesterday I made Tamarind Rice (Pulihora) and Allam Garelu (vada) For Goddess Durga. Here I am giving you the powerful sloka of Goddess Durga. As Goddess Durga loves 9 numbers please chant this sloka 9 times to get courage and power!!

Let us learn how to make special & traditional Tamarind Rice and Ginger Vada !! 

Tamarind Rice:

Ingredients :

1 cup Raw rice

75 grams Tamarind (soaked in water)

1/2 bowl Cooking oil

1table spoon Turmeric Powder

Salt to taste

For Tempering / Tadka :

Groundnuts: 20 gms

Bengal gram: 2 tablespoons

Split Black gram: 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds:  1 tablespoon

Dry Red chilies:  3-5 broken

Asafoetida:  1/4 tablespoon

Curry leaves: 2 stems

Green Chillies: 6- 8, slit lengthwise

Method :

1. Cook the rice in such a way that each grain is separate. Let it cool for some time.

2. Spread the cooked rice in a wide bowl, add the required amount of salt, turmeric powder, a few curry leaves, and 1table spoon of oil and mix well.

3. Soak tamarind in water and extract thick juice from it. Discard the pulp.

4. Heat a pan with oil, add ground nuts and broken red chilies, let them fry for a few seconds, separate from the oil, and add to cooked rice.

5. To the same pan, add chana dal, urad dal, fry till they become a golden color, then add mustard seeds, curry leaves and fry for a few minutes. Separate them from oil and add to cooked rice.

6. To the same pan, add thick tamarind juice, a pinch of turmeric powder, and a pinch of powdered jaggery, and a pinch of red chili powder to balance more sourness of tamarind.

7. Now add chopped green chilies to the tamarind juice. Let it cook on low flame for a few seconds, chillies become tangy at this moment.

8. Now add this tamarind extract and green chilies to the cooked rice and mix well. 

9. Delicious, tangy and tasty Tamarind Rice is ready to be served.

Ginger Vada:

Ingredients :

Black gram:     2 cups

Green Chillies: 10 -12 

Ginger: 3-inch pieces

Salt  to taste

Oil 

Method :

1. Soak Urad dal for 3 hours with sufficient water.

2. Blend the soaked black gram(urad dal) along with green chilies, ginger pieces, and the required amount of water with minimum water. Do not add too much water. The batter should be thick and mix the batter vigorously with hand or spoon in one direction to get smooth vada.

3. Heat a wide thick bottomed pan (Kadai) with sufficient oil for deep frying.

4. Now take a small quantity(big lemon size)of ground paste(batter) and spread this paste on a plastic sheet or any plantain leaf(arati aaku) by applying water to the hand each time. Make a small hole in the middle. Gently drop it into the hot oil.

5. Fry the Garelu/ Vadas on low flame till they turn into golden brown color. Continue the process with the remaining batter.

6. Hot Vada is ready to serve :)

7. Serve it hot with Ginger chutney or Coconut chutney and sambar.

Hope you enjoyed both dishes "Tamarind Rice and Ginger Vada". Wishing you all Happy Durga Ashtami !! May Goddess Durga bless you and your loved ones on this auspicious day!!:)  Meet you tomorrow with another interesting recipe, till then bye...