Sri Rama Navami Special (Panakam, Neer more, Vadaparuppu)

Panakam:

Panakam is a traditional drink specially made during “Sri Rama Navami” the birthday of Lord Rama. It cools the body and helps to beat the summer heat. Ginger helps in digestion, jaggery is a good source of iron. Totally it’s a health drink made of simple ingredients easily available at home.

Ingredients:

Jaggery – 1 cup
Water – 6 to 7 cups
Cardamom powder – ¼tsp
Crushed ginger – 1tsp
Lemon juice – 1tsp

Method:

Take 1cup water in a wide bowl. Add the jaggery to the water and mash them well till they get dissolve in water completely.
Now strain the jaggery water into a bowl, using a strainer. (this is to remove dust in jaggery)
Pour the remaining water to the bowl. Add cardamom powder, ginger and lemon juice.
Stir well using a ladle.
Panakam is ready to serve.

Note: You can also add sukku (dried ginger) to panakam which will make the drink more tasty and healthy.

Neer more:

Neer more is a very common summer drink which is also made on “Sri Rama Navami” as neivedyam (offering). Adding more water to butter milk is Neer (water) more (buttermilk). Like panakam neer more also have many health benefits, especially during summer they help to reduce the body heat. For more taste, finely chopped green mango is added to this neer more.

Ingredients:

Beaten curd – 2cups
Water – 7 to 8 cups
Green chilli – 1
Shredded ginger – 1tsp
Hing – ½tsp
Mustard seeds – ½tsp
Lemon juice – 1tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 1tsp
Finely chopped coriander – 1tbsp

Method:

Take the beaten curd in a wide bowl and keep aside.
In a small kadai or in tempering pan heat oil, add mustard seeds, when they splutter add green chilli and ginger, pour them to the curd bowel and mix well.

Add hing, chopped coriander, lemon juice, salt and mix well.
Pour the remaining water and stir well.
Now Neer more is ready to cool your tummy J

Vadaparuppu:

Vadaparuppu is made of yellow moong dal as an offering to Lord Rama on “Rama Navami” along with Panakam and Neer more.

Ingredients:

Yellow moong dal – 1 cup

Lemon juice – 1tsp
Salt to taste

For tempering:

Oil – 1tsp
Mustard seeds – ½tsp
Urad dal – ½tsp
Green chilli – 1
Hing – ½tsp

Method:

Soak moong dal for an hour in water.
Drain the water and keep the moong dal aside.
Do tempering and add it to the moong dal.
Add lemon juice and salt to it and mix well.
Vadaparuppu is now ready.