Varalakshmi Viratham or nombu is the festive celebrated in he Tamil month Aadi on Friday preceding the full moon day. This day is meant for women who welcome Goddess Varalakshmi to their house. Kalasam or a pot that is filled with rice, toor dhal, lemon, ripe turmeric and 1 rupee coin is kept ready. A coconut is dusted with turmeric and kumkum and is used to create five faces one on each side.  This is placed upside down with Mango leaves on the kalasam. Over this, the Ambaal mugam or Godess face is placed. The place is decorated with kolams. Also decorating the Goddess with silk material and gold jewellery.

It is beleived that whatever you give the Goddess will come back manifold. Also special dishes are prepared as offering to the Goddess.

The dishes prepared in our home are kozhukattai, raw rice idli, Urad vada and parupu paiysam.

Kozhukattai (kadubu or moodak) Recipe:

Ingredients:

Rice flour – 2 cup

Water – 1 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp

Coconut – 1 cup

Jaggery – 1/2 cup

oil – 2 tsp

Method:

1. Take little water in a tawa, heat it and add the powdered jagerry.

2. Once jaggery melts and add the coconut and mix well.

3. When it thickens add cardamom powder and turn off the stove.

Poornam or the sweet stuffing is ready.

4. Heat 1 1/2 cup water and add a pinch of salt and 2 tsp oil to it.

5. When water starts boiling, add the rice flour and mix well.

6. Allow the recently mixed rice flour to cool down a bit and start making small cups  and fill the poornam inside and close the corners.

7. Steam cook the prepared kozhukattai for min 7-10 mins and kozhukattai is ready.

Urad Vada Recipe:

Ingredients:

Urad – 2 cup

Green chilli – 4 – 5nos

Curry leaves – 3 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – to fry

Method:

1. Soak the urad dhal in water for 1 hr and get it grinded finely along with chillies and salt by adding little water. (Do not add more water else vada will absorb lot of oil)

2. Heat oil in tawa, make small flat balls, flatten them and deep fry.

3. Cook it, till it becomes golden brown.

4. Hot Urad vada is ready.

Parupu Paiyasam Recipe:

Ingredients:

Channa dhal – 1/2 cup

Moong dhal – 1/2 cup

Jaggery – 1 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

Milk – 200 ml

Ghee – 3 tsp

Cashew – to garnish

Method:

1. Fry moong and channa dhal and cook them soft.

2. After the dhal is cooked, add grated jaggery and allow it to melt.

3. Allow it to boil until it starts thickeing.

4. Remove from flame and add cardamom powder.

5. Fry cashews in ghee and add it to the kheer or paiyasam.

6. Finally add boiled milk and paiysam is ready.