Thiruvathirai Kali is a traditional sweet dish prepared on the auspicious occasion of Thiruvathirai. This mildly sweet delicacy is made with broken rice, jaggery, moong dal, ghee, cardamom, and garnished with nuts. It’s an easy-to-make recipe that can be prepared at home using simple, readily available ingredients.
Significance in preparing Kali for Thiruvathirai:
Cendanar of Naukoor, a devoted disciple of Paddinattu Adigal, followed the noble practice of eating only after feeding fellow Saiva devotees. One day, due to relentless bad weather, he was unable to procure the essentials for a proper meal. With no other option, he mixed water with flour to prepare a simple mashed paste. Lord Shiva, recognizing Cendanar’s unwavering devotion, decided to make his piety known to the world. Disguising himself as a Saiva devotee, Lord Shiva visited Cendanar’s humble abode and graciously accepted the simple offering as food.
The next morning, temple attendants noticed the premises scattered with remnants of the mashed paste. Upon investigation, they came to understand Cendanar’s devotion and sincerity. This act of divine acknowledgment earned him great respect and honor. This event is believed to have occurred on the auspicious day of Margazhi Thiruvathirai, which is why Thiruvathirai Kali holds special significance and is prepared as an important prasad on this holy day.
Tips to make Thiruvathirai Kali
- Use raw rice (Pacharisi) for making Kali, as it is traditionally used for Prasad.
- There's no need to soak the rice. Simply wash it thoroughly and immediately dry roast it until all the moisture is absorbed.
- Let the roasted rice cool completely, then grind it into a coarse powder, similar to the texture of sooji (semolina).
- To cook the Kali, maintain a 1:3 rice-to-water ratio. For 1 cup of rice, you'll need 3 cups of water—2 cups for the upma preparation and 1 cup for cooking the moong dal.
- Add the rice powder only after the jaggery mixture comes to a boil. Stir continuously after adding the rice powder to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth consistency.
If you like this Thiruvathirai Kali, then you can also try other Thiruvathirai Festival special recipes
- Thiruvathirai Thalagam - Thalagam is a traditional Tirunelveli Delicacy made using multiple seasonal vegetables. For Thiruvathirai Festival it's served with Thiruvathirai Kali as an offering to God.
- Thiruvathirai adai - Thiruvathirai Adai, is a special neivedhyam dish for Thiruvathirai Festival. In our family, we prepare only the Kali and the Thalagam for Thiruvathirai neivedhyam, but I came to know that Rice flour Jaggery Adai is also part of Thiruvathirai Festival for many families.
Recipe Card to make Thiruvathirai Kali
Thiruvathirai Kali
Equipments Needed
- Heavy Bottomed Pan
- Mixer Grinder
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 170kcal
Learn how to prepare the traditional Thiruvathirai Kali, a sweet jaggery-based dish made with raw rice, moong dal, coconut, and ghee. Perfect for offering during the Thiruvathirai festival, this easy-to-make recipe is a flavorful treat that embodies devotion and tradition.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Raw Rice 1 Cup - 250ml
- ¾ Cups Grated Jaggery
- 1½ Cups Water
- 1 tablespoon Moong dal
- 2 nos Cardamom
- 5-6 nos Cashews
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
Instructions
Preparing Broken Rice
- Wash the raw rice thoroughly in water and rinse well to remove any impurities.½ Cup Raw Rice
- Immediately after rinsing, add the washed rice to a kadai and dry roast it over medium heat until it turns light brown in color.
- Grind the raw rice along with cardamom in a mixer to make a coarse powder. The rice powder should have a texture similar to sooji (rava).2 nos Cardamom
Cooking Dal
- Add the moong dal to the kadai and dry roast it until it becomes warm and slightly aromatic.1 tablespoon Moong dal
- Pour half a cup of water into the kadai to cook the moong dal. Let it simmer until the dal becomes soft and fully cooked. It will take approximately 5 minutes to cook the dal. The dal does not need to be fully cooked; it should be cooked until it is about 50% done.
Preparing Jaggery Syrup
- While the dal is cooking, you can prepare the jaggery syrup. Heat another pan, add 2 tablespoons of water, and then add the grated jaggery. Stir until the jaggery dissolves completely in the water.¾ Cups Grated Jaggery
- Once the jaggery has completely dissolved in the water, remove the pan from the heat.
Cooking Rice in Jaggery Syrup
- Once the dal is almost cooked, pour in 1.25 cups of water. Strain the jaggery syrup and add it to the pan with the dal.1½ Cups Water
- When the jaggery mixture begins to boil, add the powdered rice and stir well to avoid lumps, just like preparing upma. Cover the pan and cook on low flame until the water is absorbed completely.
- Mix well. Cover & cook in low flame till all the water is absorbed
- Once the kali thickens, add the grated coconut and mix it in well.
- Fry the cashews in ghee until golden and add them to the kali. Then, add the remaining ghee and stir everything well. Keep the flame low and allow the kali to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Once done, remove it from the heat.1 tablespoon Ghee, 5-6 nos Cashews
- The delicious Kali is now ready for Neivedhyam (offering) or to be served! Enjoy this sweet treat as part of your festive celebration.
Video
Notes
TIPS
- Use raw rice for making Kali, as it is traditionally used for Prasad.
- There's no need to soak the rice. Simply wash it thoroughly and immediately dry roast it until all the moisture is absorbed.
- Let the roasted rice cool completely, then grind it into a coarse powder, similar to the texture of sooji (semolina).
- To cook the Kali, maintain a 1:3 rice-to-water ratio. For 1 cup of rice, you'll need 3 cups of water—2 cups for the upma preparation and 1 cup for cooking the moong dal.
- Add the rice powder only after the jaggery mixture comes to a boil. Stir continuously after adding the rice powder to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth consistency.
Nutritional Info
Nutrition Facts
Thiruvathirai Kali
Amount Per Serving (1 Cup)
Calories 170
Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Protein 5g10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Instructions with Step by Step Pictures:
PREPARING BROKEN RICE
- Wash the raw rice thoroughly in water and rinse well to remove any impurities.
- Immediately after rinsing, add the washed rice to a kadai and dry roast it over medium heat until it turns light brown in color.
- Transfer the dry-roasted rice to a mixer jar along with the cardamom pods.
- Grind the roasted rice along with cardamom in a mixer to a coarse powder, resembling the texture of sooji (semolina).
COOKING DAL
- Add the moong dal to the kadai and dry roast it until it becomes warm and slightly aromatic.
-
Pour half a cup of water into the kadai to cook the moong dal. Let it simmer until the dal becomes soft and fully cooked.
- It will take approximately 5 minutes to cook the dal. The dal does not need to be fully cooked; it should be cooked until it is about 50% done.
PREPARING JAGGERY JUICE
-
While the dal is cooking, you can prepare the jaggery syrup. Heat another pan, add 2 tablespoons of water, and then add the grated jaggery. Stir until the jaggery dissolves completely in the water.
- Once the jaggery has completely dissolved in the water, remove the pan from the heat.
COOKING RICE IN JAGGERY SYRUP
- Once the dal is almost cooked, pour in 1.25 cups of water. Strain the jaggery syrup and add it to the pan with the dal.
- When the jaggery mixture begins to boil, add the powdered rice and stir well to avoid lumps, just like preparing upma. Cover the pan and cook on low flame until the water is absorbed completely.
-
Once the kali thickens, add the grated coconut and mix it in well.
- Fry the cashews in ghee until golden and add them to the kali. Then, add the remaining ghee and stir everything well. Keep the flame low and allow the kali to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Once done, remove it from the heat.
- The delicious Kali is now ready for Neivedhyam (offering) or to be served! Enjoy this sweet treat as part of your festive celebration.
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| Thiruvathirai Kali |
