POLALA AMAVASYA( Amavasai) PUJA

Polala Amavasya is mainly observed in Andhra Pradesh and in some parts of Karnataka and by some of the people in Tamilnadu. Polala Amavasya Devata, Goddess Poleramma, is Goddess of the diseases like Chicken-pox and Small pox. A similar festival called 'Sheetala Saptami' is celebrated in North India. Poleramma, an aspect of Goddess Parvati Devi, is very similar to the North Indian Goddess, Sheetala Mata. In Tamilnadu goddess Mariamman is worshipped in a similar way.

During this day mother prays to god mainly for their children. Children are given a head bath, they wear new dress too. The Polala Amavasya falls today 20-Aug-09. We do pooja and do prasadams like Thaligalu Paravannam(Rice flour noodles in rich coconut and cashew paste), Billalu with rice flour chapathi kind of thing which is not toasted in pan instead steamed and served with roasted urad dhal chutney.

Thaligalu Paramannam or Paala Thaligalu ( Rice flour Noodles in Coconut cashew sauce)

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup

Water - 1 1/4 cup

salt - a pinch

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp

Cashews - 5 to 6

Jaggery - 1 1/4 cup grated  (If u need more sweet you can add 1/4  cup extra Jaggery ).
Milk - 1 1/4 cup and water - 1 cup

Ghee

Cardamom - 2 powdered

Method:

1. Heat the water in a kadai or heavy vessel adding pinch of salt to it. When it boils, simmer the flame add the rice flour and mix quickly.

2. Now switch off the flame and keep covered for sometime.

3. Then knead the dough smoothly adding little warm water by applying oil in your hands. 4. Divide them into 2 equal balls. Now put one portion of the dough in the murkku maker squeeze it on a well greased plate.

5.Now steam it for 15 minutes.

6.Grind Coconut, cashew, poppy seeds and cardamom together into smooth paste and keep it aside.

7.In a vessel add the jaggery and  cup of water, heat until the jaggery is melted and filter it. 
8.Add the filtered one to the milk.  Let it come to boil.
9. Now add the ground paste and when it comes to boil add the steamed noodles.

9.Let it come to one boil and now put of the flame.

10. Prasad is ready... Serve hot with drizzle of fresh ghee on the top (Optional).  Tastes so good.

Note :

If it gets thickened while serving slightly dilute with hot water or hot milk.

Billalu (Steamed Rice flour chappathi)

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup

Water - 1 1/4 cup

Moong dhal - 1/2 tbsp

Channa dhal - 1/2 tbsp

Coconut scrapped - 1 tbsp

Ghee

Salt - for taste

Method:

1.Soak the moong dhal and Channa dhal in water for some time.

2.Heat the water in a kadai or heavy bottom vessel adding some salt to it.

3.When it boils, simmer the flame add dhals and coconut.  Now immediately add the rice flour and mix quickly. Close the lid and keep it aside. 

4. When the dough is warm enough to handle, knead it to a smooth dough by adding little warm water(if needed) by applying oil in your hands.

5.Now make small balls with the dough equally it can be to the 3/4th size of normal chappathi balls now press it using the chappathi maker using the greased plastic sheets by keeping the ball in the middle. If u do not have the maker just press with your hands to get the round flat shaped discs by applying oil in your hands. Above ones are made without chappathi maker.

6. Now keep them on a well greased plate or idli plates and steam for 15 minutes.

Apply some ghee on top while serving with roasted urad dhal chutney.

Urad dhal chutney

Ingredients:

Urad dhal - 1 1/2 tbsp

Coconut - 2 tbsp

Red Chillies - 3 or 4 according to your spice level

Tamarind pulp - 1/2 tbsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt for taste

Mustard - 1 tsp and curry leaves for seasoning.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan roast the dhal and red chillies.

2. Now grind this with coconut and asafoetida to coarse paste.

3. Season with mustard and curry leaves.

You can serve this with above chappathi, rice roti, normal idli, dosa too.