Aavani avittam or Upaakarma falls on the Poornima(full moon day) in the month of Aavani (mid august to mid september). The Star Avittam also rises on the same day every year.
On this day all men and boys change their sacred thread (Poonal). For Thalai Aavani Avittam or the first festival after the upanayanam of the boys, Homa is performed using 1008 peepul twigs (samithu) reciting the Kamo karshi japam. Generally the changing of thread is performed in a common place in a locality which is usually a hall in the temple.
After a breakfast of Idli and Appam the boys(Brahmacharis) and men go to the temple where the sasthrigal or vadhiyar (priest) help them by teaching the mantras. Usually the men perform this ritual with out eating anything.
For lunch an elaborate menu is followed as this is the only festival exclusively for men.
I am planning the following Menu. Click on links to get the recipes. Some are posted below.
- More(curd) khuzhambu
- Beans paruppusali ( recipe below)
- Pudalangai(snake gourd) kootu
- Inji thengai pachadi (recipe below)
- Elumichai sathamudu (recipe below)
- Paarangikai paal kootu
- Poori paayasam
- Aamavadai
Pictures will be posted after neivedyam.
Beans parrupusali
Ingredients
- Beans – 1/4 kg
- Toor dal – 1 cup
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
- Red chilli – 1 no
- Hing – 1/4 teaspoon
- Oil – 3 table spoons
- Channa dal – 1 teaspoon
- Urad dal 1 teaspoon
- Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
Method
- Wash and soak the toor dal for 1/2 hour in warm water.
- Grind to a thick paste adding red chilli, hing and salt.
- Wash and cut the beans to small pieces.
- Add hing, turmeric powder and 1 table spoon oil and micro high for 6 minutes.
- Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds.
- When it crackles add urad dal and channa dal and fry till golden.
- Add the ground dal care fully and stir well. Cook on a medium flame stirring occasionally it the dal cooks.
- Add the boiled beans and mix well.
- Cook for 3 more minutes and put off the flame.
Inji thengai pachadi
Ingredients
- Ginger – 1 inch piece
- Grated coconut 1/2 cup
- green chilli – 1 no
- salt to taste
- Fresh curds – 1 cup
- Oil – 1 teaspoon
- Urad dal – 1 teaspoon
- Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
- Curry leaves – 1 twig ( finely chopped)
Method
- Wash and chop the ginger, add coconut, green chilli, salt and grind to a fine paste .
- Mix with curd in a serving bowl.
- Heat oil in a kadai,add mustard seeds. when it crackles add the urad dal and fry till golden.
- Add the curry leaves and pour on the ginger pachadi.
Elumichai saathamudu( lemon rasam)
Ingredients
- Toor dal – 1/4 cup
- Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
- Tomato – 1 no
- Lemon – 1 no
- Curry leaves -1 twig
- Coriander seeds 1/2 teaspoon
- Grated coconut – 1 tablespoon
- Channa dal 1/2 teaspoon
- Hing – a small piece(Powder is also ok)
- blackpeppercorns 1/2 teaspoon
- Jeera – 1/2 teaspoon
- Red chilli – 1 no
- Ghee – 2 teaspoons
- Salt to taste
- Wash and pressure cook the Toor dal adding a pinch of turmeric powder.
- Cut tomato into small pieces and in a micro safe container micro for 1/2 minute.
- Fry the coriander seeds, channa dal, jeera red chilli, hing and pepper in 1 teaspoon ghee it golden.
- Add coconut to the fried items and grind to a smooth paste.
- Add dal, salt and 1 cup water to the tomatoes and micro high for 2 minutes.
- Add the ground paste and 1 more cup water and micro high for 3 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and add juice extracted from 1 lemon.
- Fry the curry leaves in 1 teaspoon ghee and add to the prepared rasam.
my mouth is watering.. seriously
Thanks rajitha!
Latha, I especially like the lemon rasam, I have seen several versions of it, but never tried one, will give this one a try…
themistressofspices.wordpress.com
Aruna, lemon rasam is very tasty and healthy1 I prepare several versions of lemon rasam! latha.
What a wonderful menu you have planned there. Such a nice pairing of dishes. Can’t wait for the pictures. I love lemon rasam.. will try it.
I posted the recipes for people who want to cook for the festival.This it self was a delayed post as I was busy attending marriages and grihapravesams!
That is a grand menu!! I made a little snack for you!:))
Asha, I have seen your sunday menus! latha.
Your commentary on the upakarma is excellent as is the food planned for the day! Good work Lata-Keep it up!
Thankyou prema! All the encouraging comments motivate me to Keep going! latha.
After I finished making poli, I had energy left for making only rasam. Every year I think of skipping poli, my mom’s words ring in my ears “Purushalukku vara ore function”…hmmm. So I end up making them….
Sughanya dear the secret of retaining energy is to think the menu is quite simple! 25 years back I used to make list of items I have to prepare and plan how to go about it. Now I start many items simultaneously and use both stoves and the microwave in one go. Practice makes you perfect. latha.
Hi Latha,
Wow you’re menu looks soooo good! I am so hungry just reading about it!
You should post the recipes for all items and pictures soon!
Cannot believe you make all this for avani avattam! Imagine diwali in your home then 🙂
Cheers
Latha
Thanks latha! I just make small quantities of some items and for the sweets I have a lot of friends around waiting to get a their share of my festival food!
Lathaji, I almost went into that festive cooking mood after reading those lovely recipes. Will have to try inji thenga pachadi, its new to me.
Thanks lakshmi! The pachadi is very simple and tasty.
[…] Vadai, Beans Parrupusali, More Kozhambu This vadai is made using channa dal or kadalai paruppu. I use cabbage and carrot to […]
I’m enjoying home food at my mom’s place 🙂 but we didn;t make the avani avittam special food… I got pizza instead 🙂
and I see the jarigai veshti again 🙂
Jarigai veshti came out for uncles Aavani avittam, so I made use of it! latha.
Liked your paruppusuli. Goes well with morkuzhumbu.
Inji thengai pachadi is new to me
I am bookmarking lot of recipes from here. Dunno when i will find my time to prepare all these
[…] Elumichi saathamudu (Coconut flavoured Lemon Rasam or Soup) […]
I really love this and got something to do for tomorrow.
dear Latha,
very very nice blog and excellent write up about our culture and for me this website is Godsent.
I am preparing for the Janmashtami here in Singapore and will start from mostly saturday to make bhakshanams.
thanks for all the recipes, will let you know the outcome.
Veena
In the Inji thengai pachadi, I added chopped tomatoes ( marinate ) and it tastes good.
In the Inji thengai pachadi, I added chopped tomatoes ( marinate ) and it tastes good.
Missed the email address ( net )
I was browsing to get some recipe for 2mrw avani avitam… Great i got the entire menu prepared!
Tailor made
Thanks
Sandhya
Dear Latha Mami,
I am a pregnant woman in the US craving South-Indian food and wishing I knew how to cook them! I came across your blog and it has been a real treasure and life saver. I tried Paruppusili with broccoli last night and it came out great! and I also made sambar using your recipe for vendakka sambar. It was divine! It gave me such encouragement that I can actually make this stuff! I can’t wait to try more kuzambu and thayir vadai.
Thanks for your wonderful recipes and keep writing!
latha
i am an iyer girl i need to know the avani avittam receipes can you just mail me before that please
All recipes simply superb and very well explained. Finally, an authentic Iyengar recipe treasure. Thanks Latha!
Latha,
Thanks for the detailed recipes, have tried the entire menu on this aavani avittam & came out very well. I got credit from my husband too….
Thanks to you and to “theyumblog”….
Keep rocking 🙂