Navratri recipes: Paasi Parippu Payasam, Ela Ada and more

Earlier, we'd shared with you recipes for sundal, sughiyan and sweet payaru pongal. Here, we bring you some more recipes of the traditional snacks served during Navratri.

The Paasi Paruppu payasam (green gram kheer) is a tasty traditional preparation that is famous throughout South India.

It requires just a few ingredients and can be made with very little effort.

Paasi Paruppu Payasam

Ingredients

• 3/4th cup split green gram dal
• 1/4th cup channa dal
• 3/4th cup jaggery
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp coconut sliced and chopped
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 10-15 cashewnuts
• A pinch of cardamom powder

Method

• Mix both the dals together and soak in water for 20 minutes.
• Pressure cook for three whistles or until soft with very little water. Once the pressure drops, open the lid and mash the dals lightly.
• Some of the channa dal can be left as whole.
• Boil the jaggery with 1/2 cup water.
• After it dissolves, filter it to remove any impurities.
• Now mix in the mashed dal, add milk and stir well. You may replace cow’s milk with thick coconut milk.
• Add the cardamom powder.
• Finally fry the coconut pieces and cashewnuts in ghee and garnish the mixture.
• Adjust the consistency by adding more milk before serving.

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Rava Laddus

A Anuradha of Velachery shares with us this recipe for Rava Laddus.

Ingredients

• 2 cups rava/semolina
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1-1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 10-15 cashewnuts
• 1 cup boiled milk
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method

• Dry roast the rava till you get a nice aroma.
• In a pan, heat some ghee and fry the grated coconut.
• Chop the cashewnuts finely and fry them in ghee.
• Heat the milk.
• When it comes to a boil, mix the rava, sugar and grated coconut.
• Add cashewnuts and cardamom powder and mix well.
• Gradually add hot milk to a part of the mixture and form small balls.
• If the milk gets warm while making the laddus, heat it again before adding it to the mixture.
• These laddus stay fresh for almost two weeks.

Ela Ada  (Serves 4 to 6)

Manjula Nair shares with us this recipe of the Ela Ada or Poo Ada.

Although it is primarily made from rice and coconut, during Navratri, women substitute it with wheat or raagi as well.

Ingredients

• 2 cups rice powder
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 cup grated jaggery
• 4-5 tbs ghee
• 1 long banana leaf
• Pinch of salt

Method

• Take the rice powder in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt to it.
• Add water gradually to avoid lumps and make a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into eight or ten balls.
• Cut the banana leaf into 4-6 even square pieces.
• Turn on the gas and slightly heat the banana leaf on both sides till it slightly changes colour.
• Grease each piece of banana leaf with ghee/oil.
• Place a rice ball in the centre of the leaf and spread it evenly with your fingers leaving a gap of ½ inches at the border.
• Sprinkle a layer of coconut on top of this.
• Now on one side of the leaf, sprinkle some jaggery atop the coconut.
• Carefully fold the other side of leaf.
• Repeat it with the remaining balls.
• Place them in an idli steamer and cook on a slow flame for about ten minutes.
• Before serving, separate the ada from the ela (leaf).