Navaratri is just round the corner and it is a very special festival for Hindus.  The whole of India celebrates Navratri in different ways and it is the most awaited festival for the ladies.

Navaratri is a festival that  celebrates the victory of good over evil by Goddess Durga . The festival is spread across 9 nights and 10 days hence the name Nav Ratri (Nav is 9 and Ratri is night) .

The last day is celebrated as Dussehra or Dassera, a  day that is considered very auspicious to start anything new . 

As I already said each region in India celebrates Navaratri in different ways and the ladies thoroughly enjoy this festival .

Read the full blog to know how various regions celebrate Navratri across our country.

Devi is worshipped  by chanting Chandi Paath/ Havan ,devi Mahatmyam etc. Most ladies fast for the 9 days and break their fast on Navami .

The Ashtami Day is  celebrated as Kanya Puja where young girls who haven't attained Puberty are called home and worshipped as an Incarnation of lord Durga ma and offered with Prasadam and small gifts like Bindi , chunri , mehendi etc. Prasad on Ashtami is Poori ,Halwa and Kala Channa .

In Gujarat , a decorated earthen pot called Garba is placed with a lamp lit inside which is kept as Akhand Diya for all 9 days ..this Garba is symbolic of the womb and the word is derived from the Sanskrit word "Garbh". There is a  belief that just as the mother protects the baby in the womb, Ambe Maa is the protector of the world and she protects us from the wordly  wrath. 

Bengal and Eastern India is known for its Durga Puja Utsav during Navratri and the massive pandals that are set up all over the city which have huge and beautiful idols of Durga Maa sculpted to perfection and on the day of Dassera after the Pooja ,the idols are immersed in water bodies 

In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka ladies set up Golu ,which is a display of dolls of various Gods and Goddesses and also other mythological characters.  Social themes are also displayed and lot of contests are conducted to applaud and recognize the hard work .  The 9 nights of Navratri are dedicated for Durga ,Lakshmi and Saraswati . The 9th Day is celebrated as Saraswati Pooja / Ayudha Pooja in Tamil Nadu ..to know more about how it is celebrated, read my post on Saraswati Pooja Special.

What is Golu / Bomma Kolu / Bombe Habba ?

GOLU is a display of Dolls arranged on steps like structure which are odd in number like 1 , 3, 5 , 7 , 9 steps etc .

Traditionally beautifully colored clay dolls of various Gods and Goddess & Mythological story related dolls would be on the display and these dolls are handed down from generations.  Carefully packed and stored for use year on year. 

 Slowly, with social awareness and creativity,  dolls with social themes also got added to the collection and people who display golu started presenting various themes to bring related to current affairs and social responsibilities. 

Sundal is a simple stir fry using various beans and legumes . A very good source of protein and energy. 

Refer to the collection of recipes below which I am linking for your easy reference 

 Namkeen moong dal is a very tasty and addictive tea time snack which is enjoyed by all age groups .

A popular snack which is sold by major snack brands, in India and abroad this certainly is a Go to snack which most of us will stock at home to just munch on for time pass .

You can also make amazing chaat with this fried moong dal by adding chopped onions ,tomatoes, fresh corriander and dress with some fresh lime juice .

To make namkeen moong dal at home ,you need to have a few pre preparations, but if you plan your work accordingly, this tasty snack can be made just in time for your tea time or the time when kids are back from school.

The key to get perfectly fried moong dal is to pat dry the soaked moong dhal on a cotton cloth until it is totally dry and moisture free . A small amount of moisture also will end in oil splutter while frying which is definitely risky and hazardous.  So take care to dry up the moong dhall before frying.

The fried moong dal is seasoned with basic spices like salt and chat masala ,but you can also add some red chilli powder if you may like. I prefer to keep it plain salted with a hint of chaat masala . 

Ingredients 

Method 

• Wash and soak the moong dal in a bowl of water for 3 to 4 hrs .
• Drain the water through a colander and spread the soaked moong dal on a soft cotton cloth for about 30 mins under shade so that all the moisture is absorbed by the cloth .
• Heat up the oil and fry the moong dal in small batches until it turns crisp and appears golden yellow. Fry in medium flame and be vigilant else it will  burn too quickly .
• To the fried moong dal add salt and chat masala and mix it well .Store it in an air tight container.  Use a dry spoon to use while serving. 
• Enjoy this addictive snack with your tea or a leisure drink with your friends and family.

 Kuzhipaniyaram is a very tasty and delightful savory snack which takes a very important place either for breakfast or evening snacks  in Tamil Nadu.

Kuzhi in Tamil means cavity/depression and paniyaram means snack in general . So Kuzhi paniyaram means a snack with a depression..sounds funny right ? Basically kuzhi refers to the cavity in the mould of the pan which is used to prepare this snack. 

Kuzhipaniyaram is made in a special vessel called as paniyarakal . It is the same pan which is used to make Sweet Appams ,paddu or gunthaponganalu .

I have already shared the other variant of Paniyaram made from regular Idli batter ,but this chettinaad Kuzhipaniyaram is a special recipe where the batter is ground solely for the purpose of making paniyarams.

Some classic recipes using the Paniyaram Kal / Aebelskeiwer Pan 

Jackfruit Nei Appam

Watermelon Nei Appam

Paddu/Gunthaponganalu

Kunukku Paniyaram

Chettinaad is a region in the Sivagangai district in Tamil Nadu (Southern India) . Chettinaad is known for amazing cotton sarees,Athangudi tiles and lipsmacking food with bold flavor profile especially non veg .

Chettinaad cuisine is known for its pungent and spicy flavor and variety of food ranging from main course , snacks to sweets and savories . As much as they are famous for non veg ,there are a lot of vegetarian options as well .

 Kuzhi paniyaram is served with coconut chutney and /or thakali(Tomato) chutney and some piping hot filter coffee. 

Kuzhipaniyaram also known as uppu appam should not be confused with the other chettinaad special known as Vellayappam .

Vellayappam is a totally different recipe and it has been very well explained by my co blogger Radha on her blog who is my partner this month for the Shh secretly cooking challenge ..we are celebrating Chettinaad cuisine suggested by Kalyani of Sizzling Tastebuds. Kalyani has shared a classic recipe Kaigari Mandi which is very delicious and a perfect accompaniment for main course or idli/dosas .

Ingredients 

Method

• Wash multiple times until the water is clear. Soak the rice and lentils with fenugreek in water for 5 to 6 hrs.
• Grind the soaked rice and lentils in a blender or grinder to a fine smooth paste .Batter should be of idli batter consistency not a very runny batter . Let the batter ferment overnight or for 8 hrs . 
• Before making the kuzhi paniyarams , we need to prepare a tempering that will be added to the batter. 
• To prepare the tempering, heat about 2 tbsp oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds, followed by the green chillies,  curry leaves and fry the onions if using until they turn pink and soft . Lastly add in the coconut and give a quick stir .Add this tempering along with finely chopped corriander to the batter and mix well . 
• Heat the paniyaram pan and add a few drops of oil in each cavity . 

• Once the pan is well heated ,add the batter to each cavity and remember to fill only 3/4th of the cavity . The batter on cooking will raise and it needs space to swell . So if you fill it to the brim,the batter will overflow making it a mess .
• The paniyarams will develop lot of pores as they are cooking, these pores are perfect indicator of a well fermented batter . Once the batter appears cooked on top ,carefully flip it over and cook the underside until it turns brown and crisp .Cooking has to be on medium flame throughout. 
• Remove the appams /paniyarams from the pan and serve hot with chutney of your choice. 

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 Chiwda is a traditional Maharashtrian snack made during Diwali alongwith the various other snacks. 

Patal Poha chivda is prepared using thin paper variety rice flakes and very easy to make. Hardly uses a few spoons of oil ,making it a healthy choice to indulge.  A perfect snack to compliment a hot glass of coffee or tea . You can make this anytime during the year and store it in an airtight container.  Stays good for almost 10 days. 

Patal poha chivda is made by dry roasting the poha and is seasoned with mild spices and garnished with lots of roasted groundnuts, roasted gram and even cashew nuts .

Having grown up with a lot of Maharashtrian friends around this snack was a regular feature at home and even now I make it frequently but somehow it never made it to the blog .

This time when Poonam suggested Maharashtrian cuisine for our Shhh cooking secretly group,  I planned to make this chiwda with the secret ingredients Green chilli and roasted gram given to me by Aruna and she prepared Khamang kakdi - healthy cucumber salad using the secret ingredients peanut and mustard that I gave her . Poonam's Shakkarpaare is my next in list for 4pm snack. 

Some traditional Maharashtrian snacks from my blog for you all to enjoy 

Cornflakes Chiwda 

Poha Chiwda

Sabudana Chiwda

Thikhat Shankarpaali

Kothimbir Wadi 

Sabudana Wada

 Paneer Tomato grilled sandwiches are a perfect choice for packing in kids' lunch box or even for adults when you want to carry something filling at the same time  not messy to eat on the desk .

You can also serve this as an after school snack or even makes for a perfect light dinner when paired with some warm Italian style Tomato soup . (Recipe source - Priya Iyer's blog)

Paneer takes care of the protein quotient for the day and the tomatoes keep the sandwiches moist and don't let it get too dry and stuffy.  Adding some mozzarella chees gives a nice gooey and melt in mouth texture. 

I love to work with different fillings that go into the sandwich and this is yet another successful attempt as my family loved the flavor and the crisp grilled bread. 

For the spice, I have used only red chilli powder and 1 small green chilli chopped.  Some boiled corn was added for the crunch and tomatoes used were firm and deseeded to prevent the sandwiches from getting soggy .

Some sandwich varieties from my blog that you must definitely try 

Classic Veg Cheese Grill Sandwich 

Peanut Butter Cheese Sandwich 

Paneer Cheese Corn Grill Sandwich 

Chutney Cheese Sandwich 

Mumbai Special Toast Sandwich 

Ingredients 

Method 

• Firstly grate the paneer, crush 3 tbsp of corn kernels with green chilli in a blender and de seed the tomatoes and dice into small cubes. 
• In a mixing bowl mix the Tomatoes, crushed corn , paneer, boiled corn ,chilli powder ,salt, chopped corriander and mix it all well . Let it rest for 5 to 10mins . Our filling is ready .
• Donot let the filling sit for extra time because the tomatoes will release water when mixed with salt and the filling will become soggy .we don't want that 
• Heat the grilling pan,  apply butter on one side of the bread , place some filling on it ,spread grated mozzarella cheese as per your wish ..close using the other slice of bread . 
• Apply some butter to the grilling pan and grill the sandwich on both sides until crisp and golden brown .
• Cut the sandwich into wedges and enjoy .
• If packing for lunch, then place foil paper in the inside of the lunch box ,place the cut sandwiches once they have cooled down .this will prevent the sandwiches from getting soggy .

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