Pooradam-Day Eight of Onam Festival

Pooradam-Day Eight
Pooradam is the eighth day of the ten-day long carnival of Onam. On this day the devotees create clay idols called Ma. As the idol is created on the day of Pooradam, it is also called Poorada Uttigal. Each Ma is decorated with flowers. Pulikali/Kuduvakali Performance This is the most amusing custom of Onam. In this performers dress up like tigers. They paint their bodies yellow with patterns of black and red. Scenes of tiger hunting goats and tigers being hunted by humans are beautifully depicted through this folk art.

Theeyal

Ingredients

Large onions - 2(sliced fine) Garlic cloves - 2 Grated coconut - 1 cup Shallots -1 cup Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp Chili powder - 1 tbsp Jackfruit seed- 100 gm(cut into 4) Tuvar dal-1/3cup Coriander seeds - 1 tsp Green Chilly(slit)-3 Salt to taste Oil-4 tsp Tamarind extract - 1 tbsp Turmeric powder - 1 tsp Curry leaves - a few

Method of preparation
Heat two tsp of the oil in a frying pan and add ½ cup of the chopped onions. Saute the onions well till brown, add the curry leaves, coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds. Stir for a few more minutes and remove and keep aside. On a low heat, dry roast the coconut till it becomes brown. Blend the coconut with the onion mixture adding half a cup of water. In the meanwhile, cook the dal and jackfruit seed in pressure cooker with water. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the curry leaves and remaining onions and shallots and fry till brown. Add the tamarind extract and ½ cup water and salt. When it starts to boil, add the blended paste and dal and cook on a low flame for 15 minutes.