Today Jan 14th was such a pious day in my motherland,India- A day when Hindus are celebrating myriad of fun filled festivals in different states like "Bhogali Bihu" in Assam,"Lohri" in Punjab,"Uttarayan & Kite Festival" in Gujarat,"Bhogi" in Andhra Pradesh,"Pongal/Makar Sankaranthi" in the rest of the country like Tamil Nadu,Kerala,Karnataka,Maharashtra,Uttar Pradesh,Bihar and Bengal and on the other side, our Muslim brothers and sisters are celebrating"Milad un-Nabi/Id-E-Milad"...and I feel darn nostalgic as always....because I can hardly feel anything here ....Thanks to Mark Zuckerberg and his creation,Facebook that keeps me updated and I kinda celebrate it with my friends there virtually atleast....though my mom sent me a Hindu calendar to remind me regarding all the important dates or festivals and other occasions...I am not doing justice to it, it seems...
Makar sankranti is a harvest festival ,an auspicious festival which stands for a holy state of transition -the end of winter ,the beginning of Spring and summer -longer days,shorter darkness/night celebrated with fun,foods,family and prayers.
During my childhood days, all Malayalis and South Indians used to look forward to this holy day back in the city,I was raised,Bokaro .For this day is a day dedicated to our Lord Ayyappa and it is therefore celebrated with fervor and gaiety in the Ayyappa temple (which also happens to be one of the most famous and big Ayyappa temple in India).
This day ,entire Mallus especially, won't be at their respective homes...they will be at the Ayyappa temple ... after a morning bath in fresh clothes gathered around temple busy in beading flowers into a colorful garland as an offering for Gods ,slicing,cutting,chopping,dicing vegetables to prepare the Sadya,the great feast comprising of atleast 10-12 vegetable dishes , Kerala rice and dessert/payasams , harmonious, peaceful mantras and prayers chanted by devotees in the temple, praying and adorning their forehead with "Chandanam" /sandalwood paste (which was offered to God),kids playing around care freely ,everyone beaming with joy and spirituality,then enjoying a yummy feast together in presence of almighty and evening starts with thalapoli,a procession carried out by girls or young ladies holding thalam (a metal plate) in their hands filled with rice,fresh paddy, flowers, coconut and a lighted lamp to welcome God back into the temple.I loved holding one so much :D.The day ended with prayers and then God's offering,a special payasam is eventually distributed to devotees as blessings.This payasam I loved like anything.It's a day to remember forever !! Every Mallu for sure got rejuvenated and refreshed overall thereafter.....I used to pray hard that my PMS and "M" didn't fall on that day of the month otherwise temples will issue "NO entry" visa :P.
However, if it was,I would be left alone at home but then my neighbours would bring some festival foods like thekua,til ka laddu,fruits etc which I would finish by the time mom,dad are back home.That was a flashback to reminisce ..........
There was no celebration as such for me this time here but since it is festival I always end up making sweets...I made Gulab Jamuns with milk powder . Usually, I used to be quite brand loyal to Gulab Jamun MTR mix but not anymore .To make this all you need - milk powder,allpurpose flour ,curd,ghee,milk and immersed in sugar syrup. Easy !!
Gulab Jamun
Ingredients
Milk powder - 1 cup
All purpose flour/Maida - 1/4 cup
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
All purpose flour/Maida - 1/4 cup
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Warm milk - 1/4 cup or as needed to make a dough
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Curds - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Curds - 2 tbsp
Salt a pinch
Oil/ghee for frying
Sugar Syrup
Sugar - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Cardamom pods - 2 or 3 nos.
Milk - 1-2 tbsp Method
- Take a bowl,add everything above except milk and mix well.
- Add warm milk little by little and knead the mixture into a dough that is little bit sticky yet that can be turned/shaped into small balls later.
- Smear little ghee on palm and make small crackless golf shaped balls .
- Deep fry them in oil/ghee till it gets golden brown .
- Keep them aside.
- Boil water and sugar together and stirring in between.
- Once it is boiling ,add milk and boil till dirt collects and floats.
- Remove the dirt/sugar scum with a spoon.
- Add cardamom pods to it.
- On medium flame ,let it simmer until it becomes just little bit sticky.
- Turn the flame off and now strain using a strainer.
- Sugar syrup is ready.
Notes:
- After soaking them into sugar syrup ,these gulab jamuns tends to expand in size.
- Sugar syrup should be "Just sticky (test it between two fingers,it should lightly stick) ,just before reaching one thread consistency.
- I made 15 Gulab Jamuns.
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Eat,love,live well,
