Dalia/Fada/Cracked Wheat Pulihora

"Sarva Mangala Mangalaye shive sarvaartha saadhike,
Sharanye triambake Gauri,Narayani namostutae !!

(Meaning : Welcome to you O maa Narayani:who is the positiveness in all the auspicious,one who is so auspicious herself and has all the auspicious qualities,the provider of protection,the one with 3 eyes and a beautiful face:we salute O maa Narayani (Courtesy:ishtadevata.com) ).

Jai Mata di!

Happy and a blessed Durga puja to all !:) ...It's a beginning to beautiful,spiritual,pious nine days !!...It's "Navratri" !! Nav means nine and ratri means night - the nine nights dedicated to the Hindu Goddess ,Maa (Mother) Durga,the embodiment of exceptional yet innocent beauty ,unconditional love and blessings like a selfless mother,the extreme strength to destroy any evil and provide ultimate justice and peace to all the living beings .

Maa Durga represents every woman on the Earth who believes in be good and do good and when messed up for wrong reasons ,fights against the evil.She is the message to the world that "Every woman is as beautiful as a flower and as strong as a wrathful wind ".Treat every woman with utmost respect irrespective of any caste,creed,color etc and never ever underestimate her". This I believe is the actual message behind this festival ,exclusively, as a reminder to all those who think festival is all about pomp and show only !!

People (lots) do all kinds of things to show how religious and spiritual they are but they often forget to be a HUMAN inside out.They harm others ,disrespect them,stamp them ,destroy them and then they will be seen going to temples,mosques,churches etc and reading holy books ,chanting verses ,preaching them, fasting,hosting festivals,offering expensive things to please almighty & what not.What's the point? It's like the Hindi saying,"Mukh mein Ram bagal mein choori."

Though people around are celebrating Durga puja with all faith and fervor,considering the injustice done on women around the world (like killing a baby girl ,rapes,molestations,mothers(/parents) in old age home,dowry deaths etc),I wish they would have instead celebrated every women like that everyday. I wish every man or any person would look at a woman as the face of every Goddess on this Earth not a mere body or a structure born to sacrifice,compromise,be used,abused ,misused or destroyed but a supreme being that deserves to be respected in all the way .For me that is celebration,that is Navratri,that is the real Durga puja !!

Though I am not a fan of any particular religion (with due respect) (Thanks to my parents for teaching me to respect ALL religions) , when it comes to all Goddesses we worship in Hinduism,I am proud to be a Hindu !!

Because I am a woman and thanks to all the Goddesses we have to signify and magnify that and every festival we celebrate, for every Goddess is the ultimate reminder of the same!!

I here by pray to Maa Durga, to empower all women more(May there be a Jhansi ki Rani in every women as well so that no one dares to consider her as helpless & fragile) and enlighten all those dark souls out there to treat every girl child ,every woman and even Mother nature, as pious and precious.Even if you don't worship her,respect her ,be there for her, AT LEAST!!

That is the ultimate prayer and celebration.That is the true festival I believe!!

Having said that,I am not only a big devotee of maa Durga but also a big fan of all those spectacular Goddess idols that varies from area to area,one of a kind puja pandals (temporary platforms made for worshiping Goddess) scattered around,the Bollywood songs blaring at the highest volume ,yummy devi prasadams,all those fairs around,all those street vendors ,all those scrumptious food stalls,all those fancy stores and most importantly every face beaming with joy unlimited .Oh man,I am so nostalgic !! and SO proud to be an Indian !!

This Navratri I made a twist to the regular Pulihora we usually make ,using dalia/fada :

Dalia/Cracked wheat pulihora

Ingredients

Dalia/Fada/Cracked wheat - 2 cups
Water - 3 cups
Tamarind ,lemon size
Peanuts - 3/4 cup
Jaggery - 1-2 teaspoons
Coconut powder - 1 tablespoon
Green chillies,slit - 4-5 nos (optional)
Ginger,chopped - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 2 teaspoons
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
Sesame seeds,roasted & crushed lightly- 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

To Temper :
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Chana dal - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida a pinch
Curry leaves - a stalk
Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

Wash and clean the Dalia well with water.

Boil the dalia in a deep pan with 3 cups of water.Once it reaches the boiling point,reduce the flame and let it simmer (keep stirring in between) until it becomes soft and well cooked.Drain the excess water (if present) and keep it aside.

Soak a lemon size tamarind in about 1/2 - 1 cup of warm water for 30 minutes and then squeeze and extract the pulp .Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds,followed by chana dal,fenugreek,green chili,chopped ginger,asafoetida and curry leaves.

Microwave peanuts for a minute and add to the above pan.

Add turmeric powder,chilli powder,coriander powder,cumin powder,jaggery ,sesame seeds and coconut powder to it.Saute for a minute on low heat.

Add the tamarind juice to it and allow it to boil and let it simmer on low flame until it becomes a thick gravy and oil oozing on the top.

Add the cooked dalia into it, mix everything well and cook until all water evaporates (on medium flame) and everything gets mixed well with dalia.

Dalia Pulihora is ready.

Jai Mata Di!

Sarva-Mangala-Maangalye Shive Sarvaartha-Saadhike
Sharannye Triambake Gauri Naaraayanni Namostute

Meaning:
Welcome to you O Narayani; Who is the positiveness in all the auspicious, one who is so auspicious herself and has all auspicious qualities,
The provider of protection, the one with 3 eyes and a beautiful face; We salute you, O Narayani.
- See more at: http://blog.ishtadevata.com/meaning-behind-the-devi-mantra-sarva-mangala-mangalye.html#sthash.s6w6SUC8.dpuf

25 September 2014