Panchadara Chilakalu

Diwali (Hindi) or Deepavali (Telugu) is the festival of lights. Its an important festival and celebrated by most of the Indians. Both children and grown ups every one enjoys this festival. In India for each festival we make some dishes- be it sweets, desserts, main courses or other things, but that is specific or specially made for that occasion.

Well for Diwali, since it is a celebration of happiness and joy, we make, eat and give away sweets.  Perhaps for  no other festival do we make or eat so many sweets and desserts. 

Any way here is one sweet or confectionery which is offered to Goddess Laksmi-Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity. She is said to be fond of sweet dishes. So she is offered, sugar cane, sweets etc.

This is known as Panchadara Chilakalu in Telugu- Panchadara means sugar Chilakalu means parrot. These are made of sugar. Sugar is made into a syrup of perhaps thick consistency and then poured into moulds. They are made into dollops, sticks or pyramid, parrot shapes. The most popular is the parrot shape and that is why they are called as Chilakalu (in Telugu) meaning parrot.The shape you are seeing of the parrot(white coloured) above is the traditional motif as seen on the walls of our temples or as block prints in Kalamkari or as thread work on our saris. Colours like pink and yellow are also added. But I am afraid they may not of good quality. So I avoid buying any other than white ones. 

These sweets were a great hit with children once. As a child I loved them when my Granny Now a days except for some festivals like this perhaps no one uses them. These sweets are distributed on Diwali and Holi (festival of colours) in North India and some parts of South India perhaps in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. In fact the dollops are stringed to make a garland and after applying colour, each person is garlanded with these sweets. 

We in Andhra use these sweets during the celebrations of Sankranti or Pongal (agricultural festival) when Sun enters Capricorn. This is the time when we get all agricultural produce specially sugar cane. So sweets made of sugar are used and distributed to friends and relatives.


Apart from this we Telugus have the tradition of distributing these figures made of sugar when a baby  speaks for the first time. But now we are slowly losing out to chocolates and other things.

Its so difficult

Sorry friends, I am so busy these days that I find no time at all to sit at one place for few minutes. I know I have been neglecting two of my blogs including this one. I will try to post as much as I can in the coming days. I have so much to share with you all. Especially since I have been visiting my native place and collecting lots of recipes on authentic Andhra Cuisine the old and traditional way.So kindly bear with me and keep an eye on my blog.

Spicy Powders from Indian Cuisine-6

I am sorry of late I am not able to post much on my blogs as I am always on the run. I am also not keeping good health. Writing out recipes as I found out is not that easy. I need time as well as the right atmosphere for it. More over when we cook, the measurements of various ingredients are not exact. They are just on an estimation. I don't bother with the measuring jars.But when I write them down I have to be very careful. Or else the dish will not be successful. That is why it takes time.

My previous posts on this topic are here.

http://spiceomylife.blogspot.com/search/label/Spicy%20Powders

Hope you are trying them out. I hope my instructions are clear and easy for you to follow. If there are any doubts or suggestions you can mail me at:

summersofindia@gmail.com

Here is one more:

1. Coriander Seeds Powder: Coriander (leaves) is known as Chinese Parsley, or Cilantro. The leaves are used very widely in Indian cuisine. Its fruit is also used. Coriander seeds or rather dried fruits are known as Dhania(धनिया) in Hindi- even the leaves are referred to as Dhania. In Telugu seeds are known as Dhaniyaalu  (ధనియాలు) and the leaves are known as Kothimeera( కొత్తిమీర). 

Dried seeds are not only used as spice but also has medicinal values and is used in many kitchen remedies. Here is the recipe for the spicy powder made from these seeds. This can be used to eat with idlis, Dosas, upma or other such South Indian snacks, boiled rice and also as taste maker in curries.

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds     250gms

Chickpea     75 gms

Black gram    75 gms

Mustard seeds(black)  2 tbsp

Cumin seeds    2 Tbsp

Fenugreek seeds   2 tsp

Dried red chillies   20

Curry leaves  2 sprigs

Tamarind   size of a lemon

Salt To taste
Sugar 1-2 tsp

Oil    100 gms

Coriander seeds- dried.

Chick peas-split and husk removed

Black gram- split and husked

Fenugreek seeds

Black Mustard Seeds and Dried Red Chillies

Curry leaves

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan. The flame should be turned to sim(low). First add chick pea and fry for two three minutes. Keep stirring.
• Now add the black gram. Fry the lentils until they turn slightly brown. Keep on stirring  to avoid burning of the ingredients. Add Fenugreek and mustard seeds and fry for some more time till the crackling of the mustard seeds is observed. Fenugreek seeds emit a pleasant fragrance and turn brown.
• Now add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, red chillies and curry leaves and the entire mixture is fried for a few more minutes. Cumin and coriander seeds don't take long.
• Cool to room temperature. Add the remaining ingredients and grind to a coarse powder. I prefer the traditional mortar to the modern food processor. It is a bit hard work, but the  powder turns out in the right texture.
• Cool completely and store in air tight container.

This is how it looks.


You can add a few pods of garlic if you like but first peel them and dry them in shade for some time and then fry them along with other ingredients.