AFVOA Newletters of Year 2003

Page 91 of 170 day in every year which is set apart particularly for his worship, and this day is called the Vinayaka Chaturthi day, which falls on the fourth lunar day of the bright half of the month of Simha. The Tamils term this day Pillaiyar Chavutti day. Of all the figures in Hindu Mythology, that of Ganesh or Pilaiyar must be most familiar to every European, in the bathing ghat of every river and underneath the pipal tree will be seen a figure in a sitting posture, short and stout, with a protuberant stomach and four hands, riding a mouse and with the body of man and the head of an elephant. This is the image of Ganesh or Pillaiyar, and there is not a single village in the whole of India which does not possess at least half a dozen of these familiar images. The elephant head has only one full tusk and the other appears cut off in the middle, the result of a scuffle between Ganesh and Parasurama. The “belly god” is on this account called Ekadanta, or the single - tusked. Ganesh is said to have written the Mahabharata at the dictation of Vyasa - for it is said that the letter was so quick in repeating the epic that no mortal could have managed to follow him. {Source: http://www.theindianculture.com/indyaculture%20fairs%20& %20festivals/vinayaka%20chat urthi.htm) For Your Palate MYSORE PAK Ingredients Method Bengal Gram flour - 1 ½ cups Sugar - 4 ½ cups Ghee - 4-4 ½ cups Dry roast flour till It becomes golden. Remove and cool. Add little water (2 cups) and prepare syrup to one string strength. Heat ghee on low fire. When the syrup is ready add sieved flour ladle by ladle alternating it with two ladles of ghee. Keep stirring till the mixture leaves the sides and rolls into a ball. Pour into a plate and cut into diamond shapes. Allow to cool and store In an airtight container. MULLU MURUKKU Ingredients Method Rice flour = 4 Cups Chana dal = 1/2 Cup Moong dal = ½ Cup Butter = 2 tblspoon Chillipowder = 2 tsp. Asafoetida = 1 tsp. Sesame seeds = 3 tsp. Dry roast both the chana dal and small gram dal together and powder it. Take one cup of this powder (you will get approx. 2 cups) and mix with the rice flour. Add a little water and all other ingredients and make a smooth, thick dough. Take a small portion of the batter and press it through