Today is Day 6 of Navaratri. This is dedicated to the sixth avatar of Goddess Durga - Goddess Katyayani.She is believed to be the most violent form of Goddess Parvati. So she is also known as the ‘warrior goddess.’ She is portrayed as having four hands and riding on a magnificent lion. She carries a lotus flower and sword in her left hand and keeps her right hands in Abhaya and Varada Mudras. She symbolizes intelligence and peace. She is also known as Mahishasurmardini, as she killed the demon. It is believed that worshipping this goddess will wash away the sins of the worshippers and remove negative forces, clearing hurdles for those who are confronting problems in their married life.
That's a small story on the significance of Day 6 in Navaratri. Coming to the food, in frame is the Arisi Vella Puttu (Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu) that I offered as prasadam to Goddess today. This is a traditional sweet made in the tamil households on Navaratri.
🌱 This is a healthy dish as it is made using jaggery syrup, which is iron-rich.
Ingredients:
Rice Flour 1 cup
Jaggery 3/4 cup
Grated Coconut
Turmeric Powder pinch
Cardamom Pod 1
Cashewnuts few
Ghee 2 or 3 tsp
Method:
Roast the cashewnuts and cardamom in ghee. Keep it aside.
Roast the rice flour until golden brown.
Boil water with a pinch of turmeric powder. Pour it over the roasted rice flour & mix well. When you mix rice flour in water,the consistency should be such that when you hold it,it should retain its shape and when you crumble it it should fall.
Steam this rice flour (step 3) for 7 to 10 minutes. Once done, crumble it well.
Make a jaggery syrup of stone consistency. To test, pour 2-3 drops of jaggery syrup in a cup of water, it should not dissolve and if you take the drop of jaggery syrup in your finger, you should be able to rollit to a ball. That is the right consistency
To this syrup, add the steamed rice flour, roasted cashewnuts, cardamom.
Mix well and serve.