Baby Shower is called as Valaikappu in Tamil tradition and it is performed during the 5th or 7th or 9th month of pregnancy. The mom to be is made to wear colourful glass bangles at that time. These bangles are worn by the mom to be until the day of delivery. Tradition is that the sound made by the clinking of bangles is supposed to be music to the baby and it is supposed to be good for the baby. On the day of valaikappu, the girl's mom's family and relatives gather at the her in laws house. An elaborate lunch is brought along with the girl's mom and relatives. It consists of 7 types of variety rice along with chips, pickle, and some side dishes. The variety rice is offered as offering to God and then the girl and her husband are asked to eat first. After eating, the girl's mom and elders of the family will put on the bangles to the girl. Elders will bless the girl and apply kumkum and sandalwood paste on the hands and forehead of the girl. Then relatives are asked to have lunch. After lunch, the girl's pallu is filled with coconut, kumkum, flowers, betal leaves and nuts. Then the girl is taken to her mom's place. Husband should not accompany her. The pallu full of goodies should be removed once the girl reaches her mom's place. She then returns to her in law's place only 3 months after delivery.
The seven types of variety rice served during the valaikappu are Kalkandu saadam, Lemon Rice, Puliodharai, Thengai Saadam, Thakkali saadam, Maangai Saadam and Thayir Saadam. The side dishes mostly will be potato chips, lemon pickle. urulaikilangu varuval and kathrikkai puli kulambu. Some times they serve more than 7 types of rice. Maa vilakku maavu is an important part of the dishes prepared. Raw rice flour is combined with sugar and ghee to get a dough which is then made into small balls and distributed among the guests. I will post the recipe soon. These are my bangles which I wore during my pregnancy. Look at those beautiful colours. Aren't they super cute??? Today is the 7th day of Blogging Marathon and I am posting this kalkandu saadam under occasional recipes. The sweetener used for this rice is kalandu or rock candy. The rice is cooked in milk which gives a nice rich taste to the saadam.
Ingredients:
Raw Rice/ Ponni Pacharisi-1 cup
Kalkandu/ Rock Candy-1 cup
Water-3 cups
Milk-2 cups
Ghee-3 tbs
Cashew-3 tbs
Raisins-2 tbs
Cardamom Powder-1/2 tsp
Procedure:
1. Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.
2. In a heavy bottomed vessel, add rice and water. Bring it to boil.
3. Reduce flame to medium and cook until all the water is used up.
4. Now add milk and keep on stirring until the rice is mushy. Keep flame low and cover vessel and cook.
5. When all the milk is absorbed and the rice is mushy, it is ready for the next step.
6. While the rice is cooking, mix rock candy and 1/3 cup of water in another pan and bring it to boil.
7. Switch flame to low and keep on stirring until the candy melts completely.
8. Add this hot syrup to cooked rice and mix well on medium flame.
9. Heat ghee in a separate pan and add cashew and raisins.
10. When golden add it to rice and stir well.
11. Remove from flame. The rice may look little thin but when it cools it comes to correct consistency.
Boil water and rice.
When the water is completely absorbed, add milk and cardamom powder.
Cook until the milk is fully absorbed and the rice turns mushy.
This is kalkandu.
Add water and bring it to boil. Keep on stirring until it dissolves completely.
Add the syrup to rice.
Mix well.
Add roasted cashew and raisins and serve..
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 27Labels: Blogging Marathon, RICE, RICE VARIETIES, ROCK CANDY
