PerumAL Theerttham and Kalkandu Pongal

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear Srimathi Krishna Priya :

 

Thanks for sending us the recipe for

Kalkandu Pongal . I hope You do not mind

sharing this special recipe with our List

Members .

 

Many of our Mahaa Lakshmis might wish to

create this special PrasAdham for Sriman

Naryana and Andal and offer it to Them

and partake that divine PrasAdham on

Pongal day .

 

adiyEn's Father , Vaikunta Vaasi , Poundarikapuram

VaradachAr Swamy had a vow once to offer this

rarely offered KaRkkaNDu Pongal to the Lord of Seven Hills

as a special TaLikai .This was some Thirty years ago .

Sapthagireesan enjoyed the special NaivEdhyam

and sent a huge vessel full for us to take home to

Chennai . For a whole week until the PrasAdham was

distributed to relatives , friends and neighbors ,

our residence was filled with the sugandham of

Ghee , Pacchai KaRpooram , Jaathipathri , Cardamom ,

sweet raisin and their integrated fragrance ( sugandham)

from the Seven Hills of the Lord . That fragrant

memory wafts before adiyEn's mind even today .

It is an unforgettable experience and rare anubhavam .

 

Thank you srimathy Krishna Priya for facilitating the recall

of this special event at Thirumala three decades ago .

 

The inclusion in the URL Quoted by you on PerumAL

Theertham preparation is also much appreciated .

 

Namo SrI VenkatEsAya ,

V.Sadagopan

 

P.S : At the time of BhOjyAsanam during the NithyArAdhanam

on SankarAnthi day , please recite Sri VenkatEsa AshtOttharam

used every morning at the Lord's sannidhi at Thirumalaai and invite

AlarmEl MangA SamEtha Sri ThiruvengadamudayAn to Your homes

for the Special Pongal NaivEdhyam :

 

http://www.sundarasimham.org

 

It is the 96th e-book in that series .

 

************************************************************

 

Pongal special

 

 

 

 

Kalkandu Pongal (Sugar Candy Rice Pudding)

 

http://theyumblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/perumal-theertham-and-kalkandu-pongal\

/

 

Kalkandu Pongal - Sugar Candy Rice Pudding

 

Ingredients

 

a.. Rice - 1 cup

b.. Moong Dal - ¼ cup

c.. Milk - ½ litre

d.. Kalkandu (Sugar Candy/ Rock Sugar) - 1 ½ cups

e.. Cardamom - 6 nos

f.. Saffron - 10 to 12 leaves

g.. Ghee - 1/3 cup

h.. Cashew - 4 tbsp (or more)

i.. Dry Grapes - 4tbsp (or more)

*cup = 225ml measures approximately 8oz. Arakapadi is one of the many

traditional measures used in Tamil Nadu. Most cup measures translate into

Arakapadi measures.

 

Method

 

1.. Wash Rice and Dal and pressure cook together with 3 cups of water.

2.. Take out the Rice and Dal and mash using 2 tbsp Ghee. Transfer to a

heavy bottomed pan.

3.. Add ½ litre milk and cook on low fire. Add the Sugar Candy and keep

cooking on a low to medium fire stirring occassionally for approximately 5

minutes. The Pongal will now be in a semi solid state - it will become

thicker as it cools.

4.. Crush the Cardamom and add to Pongal. Mix well and transfer to a

serving dish.

5.. Dissolve the Saffron with 1 tbsp lukewarm milk.

6.. Toast the Cashew and Dry Grapes separately with the remaining ghee in

a Kadai.

7.. Decorate the Pongal with Cashew and Dry Grapes and Saffron Milk.

Serve Hot or Chilled.

 

Perumal thirtam and Kalkandu Pongal

 

 

- Latha and Lakshmi