Thiruvathirai Kali
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.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 170kcal
Equipment
- Heavy Bottomed Pan
- Mixer Grinder
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 tbsp 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 tbsp 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Cup | Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g