Palada Payasam Recipe - Palada Pradhaman Recipe - Kerala Onam Sadya Recipes

Kerala palada payasam / Palada pradhaman recipe without condensed milk

Palada payasam is a creamy, rich Kerala dessert recipe that is made specially during festivals like Onam, Vishu. It is made with milk, sugar and ada (rice chips) Some people add condensed milk by reducing the quantity of sugar.But the authentic version is made by boiling and cooking ada in milk in a thick wide pan called Uruli in Malayalam.Here I used store bought ada.I cooked the ada using pressure cooker and added in thickened, sweetened milk.It was very creamy and its become my favorite payasam now.Iam happy that I have tried Kerala's most popular Ada pradhaman and palada payasam for this year's onam sadya.Lets see how to make Kerala style palada payasam with step by step photo.

Palada payasam Recipe

Palada payasam using store bought ada

Cuisine: Kerala

Category: Sweet

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 40 Minutes

Total time: 50 Minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Store bought ada- 1/2 cup Sugar- 1/3 - 1/2 cup Milk – 1 liter Cardamom - 3 nos ( crushed) Cashews & raisins - few Ghee - 2 tbsp Salt -a pinch

METHOD

Soak the ada in hot water for 30 minutes & pressure cook it in medium flame for 1 whistle adding water twice the quantity of ada. Don’t worry even if ada turns slightly mushy because if you put them in milk ,it will separate.Remove the ada and set aside. Boil the milk in a pan and keep stirring to avoid burnt bottom.Boil the milk till it reduces to half.Milk turns pale orange in color.Now add the cooked ada and sugar. Mix well and boil for sometime. If you wish u can condensed milk at this stage by reducing sugar. Add cardamom powder and  roasted nuts. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of sugar as per your taste. Use full fat milk for rich taste.

Sweet Potato Falafel

Anyone who regularly frequents this space will know I adore little bites, especially when they are baked as it cuts done on oil content and time too. I have baked falafels on more than one occasion and this time I wanted to try falafel with sweet potato along with the chickpeas that are the traditional base for falafels. I surely wasn't disappointed with the result.

They were really easy to make, which is good when it's hot outside and the desire to spend a prolonged period of time in the kitchen is not the first priority. The falafels were slightly crisp on the outside with a melt-in-your-mouth interior. They can be served up as an appetizer, or for a light meal with your favorite chutney or, as I did, with a creamy and tangy yogurt and tahini sauce. I wanted a grain component to the meal and also decided to serve up some brown rice on the side. These certainly would be wonderful served in a pita pocket along with some diced tomato or anything else that suits your fancy.

Sweet Potato Falafel

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Middle Eastern Published on August 28, 2015 Crispy golden-orange baked sweet potato and chickpea falafels seasoned with spices and served with a simple creamy, tangy and lemony yogurt and tahini sauce Print this recipe Falafel: 2/3 cup dried chickpeas (2 cups cooked) 1 medium sweet potato 1 large clove garlic, minced or crushed 1 shallot, minced 2 green chilies, seeded and minced handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 3 tablespoons chickpea flour (besan), or more as needed Sauce: 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt 1/4 cup tahini juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until buttery soft. Drain and transfer to a food processor. Meanwhile, scrub the sweet potato and roast in a 425° oven for 35 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool and then remove the skin. Add the garlic, shallot, chilies, parsley, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, paprika, ground cardamon, olive oil and salt to the food processor. Pulse for a minute or so until everything is combined and the chickpeas are reduced to rough crumbs. Add the sweet potato and process further until combined. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the chickpea flour. The mixture should be fairly soft. Add more chickpea flour if the mixture is too moist (if you had a larger sweet potato). Chill the mixture in the refrigetor for 30 to 60 minutes to make the falafels easier to shape. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat an oven to 400°. Shape about 1 tablespoon of the falafel mixture into a little ball. If the mixture is too soft, add a bit more chickpea flour. Repeat until the falafel mixture is all shaped. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turning them half way through the cooking time, until golden. To make the sauce, whisk together the ingredients and chill until ready to serve. Makes 12 to 15 falafels

Other little bites to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Baked Quinoa Falafel Bites
Spicy Baked Chickpea Koftas
Potato Patties Stuffed with Spiced Green Peas (Aloo Matar Tikki)
Vegetarian Samosa Cakes with Tamarind Chutney

On the top of the reading stack: The Holiday Kosher Baker: Traditional & Contemporary Holiday Desserts by Paula Shoyer

Audio Accompaniment: sweet silence

Kerala Ulli Sambar Recipe-Onion Sambar For Idli,Dosa & Rice

For every Onam sadya menu,I love to try varieties of Kerala style sambar.I have tried Mixed vegetable sambar and Arachuvitta sambar.This year,I prepared Ulli sambar/Onion(Shallot) sambar for the first time from this space.It was easy to make without coconut & grinding job and tasted yummy.It was a good side dish for idli,dosa & tiffin varieties like pongal,upma and it was also a good accompaniment for plain rice.We loved this sambar very much.The highlight of this recipe is that the spice powders are roasted & mixed with the sambar at the end.It gives a superb flavor to the sambar and tastes more like hotel ones.You can try this sambar for mini idli.It tastes awesome with ghee.Do try this easy sambar recipe for this Onam sadya and enjoy.Lets see the preparation of Kerala style ulli sambar .
Check out our Tamil nadu style Vengaya sambar recipe for rice.

Kerala Ulli Sambar Recipe

Kerala Ulli Sambar Recipe - How to make Shallot/Small Onion sambar for idli,dosa & rice

Cuisine: Kerala

Category: Side dish

Serves: Serves 4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - 200ml Toor dal - 1/2 cup Tamarind - Medium lemon size Coconut oil – 1 tbsp ( for sauting) Small onion/Shallots - 20 nos Green chillies – 1-2 nos Curry leaves - few Tomato - 1 no Red chilli powder - 1 tsp Coriander powder - 2 tsp Sambar powder – 1 tbsp Salt & water - as needed Jaggery – 1/2 tsp To temper Coconut oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Hing/Asafetida - a pinch Red chilli - 1 no To garnish Coriander leaves - as needed

METHOD

Soak tamarind in war water and take the extract using 1 cup of water.Pressure cook toor dal adding enough water,turmeric powder & a pinch of hing.Mash well and set aside. Heat oil in a kadai and saute the small onions,green chillies,curry leaves till onion turns transparent. Add the tomato pieces,salt & saute till mushy. Add the tamarind extract,turmeric powder and boil well. Add jaggery.After the onions are cooked well,add the mashed dal. Heat oil in a kadai and when its heated , splutter mustard seeds,cumin seeds,hing,sambar powder,red chilli powder & dhania powder.Mix well in medium flame and add everything to the sambar.Boil well for a minute.Add raw curry leaves.Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy ! Visit my Onam Sadya recipes here

Note

Make sure you don’t burn the masala powders while roasting. Adding them at the end is the highlight of this ulli sambar.So do follow the same. Add more chilli powder & sambar powder as per your taste. You can also add big onions if you don’t have small onions in hand.But small onions gives the nice flavor.

Enjoy Kerala style Ulli sambar with by mixing with plain rice & ghee.It can also be had with Idli,dosa & pongal !

Technorati Tags: Ulli sambar recipe,Kerala style ulli sambar,Ulli sambar for idli,dosa & rice,Shallot sambar,Vengaya Sambar recipe,small onion sambar,Ulli sambar onion sambar recipe,Side dish for idli,dosa

Very Good Recipes Tags: Ulli sambar recipe, Kerala style ulli sambar, Ulli sambar for idli, dosa & rice, Shallot sambar, Vengaya Sambar recipe, small onion sambar, Ulli sambar onion sambar recipe, Side dish for idli, dosa

Ada Pradhaman Recipe - Kerala Onam Recipes

Ada Pradhaman is an yummy,traditional Kerala dessert recipe (Payasam) that is made specially during Onam and Vishu.Onam sadya would not be complete without Ada pradhaman.Last year I tried Palada pradhaman by making homemade ada(Rice chips) using rice flour.This time I found a packet of readymade ada in a nearby store.So I bought them and tried both palada pradhaman( with milk & sugar) & Ada pradhaman( with coconut milk & jaggery) recipes.My job became much easier with store bought ada.I referred this blog and few video for making Ada pradhaman.It came out very well.The flavor & taste of cooked ada with jaggery syrup and coconut milk was awesome.We had two bowls of this ada payasam after having the splendid Onam Sadya lunch.Lets see the preparation of Kerala style Ada pradhaman recipe.
Check out my Onam sadya lunch menu ideas and recipes here !!

Ada pradhaman Recipe

Ada Pradhaman using store bought ada

Cuisine: Kerala

Category: Sweet

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - 200ml Store bought ada- 1/2 cup Grated Jaggery - 1 cup Coconut milk – 2 cups Cardamom - 2 nos ( crushed) Roasted coconut - 2 tbsp Cashews & raisins - optional Ghee - 2 tbsp Milk – as needed (optional)

METHOD

Soak the ada in hot water for 30 minutes & pressure cook it in medium flame for 1 whistle adding water twice the quantity of ada. Don’t worry even if ada turns slightly mushy because if you put them in jaggery syrup,it will separate.Remove the ada and set aside. Chop a coconut slice into small pieces.Chop the cashews and roast everything in ghee.Add to the payasam at the end. Slice the coconut using the back of ladle or knife OR grate a medium sized coconut.Grind it adding 1 cup of water.Strain the thick coconut milk.This is first milk.Set aside.Again grind the mixture adding 1/2 cup of water and take the second milk.Grind it again adding 1/2 cup of water and take the 3rd milk.Keep aside. In a wide bowl,melt the jaggery and strain the syrup to remove the impurities.Add this syrup to the cooked ada.Boil well.Add the 3rd milk and boil for 2-3 minutes and add the second milk.Boil for a minute and add the first milk.Switch off the stove after adding the first milk because over boiling may curdle the mixture.Lastly add the roasted coconut pieces,cashews and raisins and add to the payasam. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of jaggery as per your taste. Adding dark colored jaggery /Paagu vellam gives a nice color to this payasam. Adding cashews & dry grapes in optional.But don’t skip roasted coconut. Add more coconut milk  & ghee for rich taste.

Try this tasty ada pradhaman payasam for Onam and enjoy with your family !

Technorati Tags: Ada pradhaman recipe,Kerala Ada Pradhaman recipe,Ada payasam recipe,Ada pradhaman payasam recipe,Onam recipes,Kerala recipes,Ada pradhaman

Very Good Recipes Tags: Ada pradhaman recipe, Kerala Ada Pradhaman recipe, Ada payasam recipe, Ada pradhaman payasam recipe, Onam recipes, Kerala recipes, Ada pradhaman

Herbed Marinated Mushrooms

Mushrooms make their appearance on the menu at least a few times a month in my kitchen, if not more. Indeed, I have well over 100 recipes posted here on the blog featuring these succulent delights. On those rare occasions when I dine out, I always sample a few of the mushroom recipes and find myself judging the skill of the chef based on their preparation. Though not difficult to cook with, mushrooms ought to be treated with respect.

The earthy and meaty texture of shrooms is magical. They are such a versatile ingredient that takes on the flavor of the dishes they feature in while shining in their own right. With so many varieties to choose from, mushroom aficionados will never get bored. Perfect in soups and stews, salads, casseroles, toppings for breads, stuffed, baked, sautéed and, in this case, marinated, the possibilities are endless.

My most recent exploration in the kitchen was an appetizer with Italian seasoning that nearly spoiled my dinner because these little bites are so highly addictive. Not that there is anything wrong with eating just these for dinner. And I could, often. It's the mushrooms that matter here, in all of their glory. Dressed up with olive oil, herbs and vinegar, the mushrooms are vibrant with a bit of zest to accent the earthiness of the mushrooms.

Easy to make up, they are a perfect addition to any appetizer platter. They are best left to marinate for at least 2 hours, and best if left overnight because they taste better after the flavors have had a chance to meld with the mushrooms — that also means that they can be made ahead of time if you happen to be planning a gathering or party.

Notes: I used fresh herbs in this recipe because I wanted to enjoy the ones I planted this year. Fresh is usually best when it comes to herbs, but dried herbs can be used instead without sacrificing flavor. Simply substitute about half the quantity of the fresh herbs for dried. If cremini mushrooms cannot be found, use all button mushrooms instead. Using smaller mushrooms results in a particularly enjoyable bite-sized appetizer.

Herbed Marinated Mushrooms

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on August 25, 2015 A mix of tender succulent mushrooms marinated in a delicious oil and vinegar marinade with fresh herbs — a terrific appetizer at any time of year Print this recipe Ingredients: 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 large shallot, minced 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 lb (450 g) small cremini mushrooms, washed and stems removed 1 lb (450 g) small white button mushrooms, washed and stems removed 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, finely chopped 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander pinch of turmeric 3 to 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, to taste 1/2 to 1 teaspoons sea salt, to taste 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper Instructions: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat in a large wok or saucepan. When hot, add the shallots and garlic and sauté until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and stir in the mushrooms. Fry, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to "squeak" and release their juices, about 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined. Taste for seasoning. Let the mushrooms sit for about 30 minutes until cool, mix again, then cover and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Stir the mixture occasionally to distribute the marinade. Can be served chilled or at room temperature. Makes 4 to 6 appetizer servings

More mushroom recipes to grace your tables from Lisa's Kitchen:
Teriyaki Mushrooms and Cashews
Mushrooms with Coriander and Cumin
Mushrooms Paprika (Houby Paprikas)
Linguine with Pea-Basil Pesto and Mushrooms

On the top of the reading stack: Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook

Onam Sadya Recipes/Ideas-Kerala Lunch Menu

I wish all my readers and friends a very happy Onam.”ONAM ASHAMSAKAL” !!I am happy to post my 4th Onam sadya menu for this year’s Onam festival falling on August 28-2015.I have been sharing Kerala Onam sadya lunch menu ideas for the past 3 years successfully.Every year I wait for Onam festival to make this feast and I always wish to make it better than my previous onam sadya menus.This year I prepared nearly 18 dishes,bought few from stores and served 25 dishes in Banana leaf.It took nearly 3 hours for me to make this thali.In my 5 years of cooking,this is the first time I cooked & clicked continuously for 3-4 hours and that too lots of varieties.All the dishes came out very well.Sendhil & Raksha gave a big thumbs up and had a hearty meal.This year I tried Ada pradhaman, Kootu curry, Carrot kichadi, Kerala Ulli sambar and Sambaram recipes for the first time by referring few blogs. I have posted most of the recipes with stepwise pictures in my Onam sadya menu 1 & 2.So I have shared those links and the blogs from which I followed the remaining dishes.I have also discussed the method I followed to cook the sadya easily.I hope beginners would find it useful.Lets see how to make Onam sadya lunch recipes at home with some preparatory works.

Check out my Onam sadya Menu - 1 

Onam sadya Menu - 2 

Onam sadya Menu - 3

 

Onam sadya recipes

Kerala Onam Sadya Lunch Menu ideas

Cuisine: Kerala

Category: Lunch menu

Serves: Serves 3-4

Prep time: 60 Minutes

Cook time: 120 Minutes

Total time: 180 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Recipes list - Main course Rice - 1 cup ( I used red rice) Parippu curry Ulli Sambar/onion sambar Kerala rasam Moru curry Side dishes Puli inji/Inji curry Carrot kichadi Cucumber pachadi/Velrikai pachadi Kalan Olan Mathanga Vanpayar Erissery Chena Mezhukkuppuratti Pulissery Avial Kootu curry Pickles & Payasam Ginger pickle (Store bought) Upperi ( Store bought) Chakka Varuthathu/Jackfruit chips (-do-) Nendran chips/Banana chips (-do-) Banana Ada pradhaman  Palada pradhaman Vermicelli payasam/Semiya payasam Chana dal payasam Sambaram Other recipes u may wish to try Unniappam Paal Payasam Chakka pradhaman Eggless Achappam/Rose cookies Varutharacha sambar

METHOD

Plan the menu and buy the vegetables accordingly.Soak the tamarind and pulses in over night or do it in the early morning. In the morning soak the vanpayar/Cowpeas & brown chana separately in hot water for making Erissery & Kootu curry. It will take around 4 hours to soak. I used 2 cookers of 3 liter capacity for making this menu. Grate 2 coconuts or slice the coconut with a help of ladle as shown here OR using a knife. Grind it in a big mixie jar without adding water and keep aside.Take the required amount of coconut for each dish.Most of the dishes call for grinding coconut +green chilli+ jeera to a smooth paste.So grind it by taking a portion of coconut.Keep it and use wherever needed.Use the remaining coconut for taking coconut milk.Add in payasam. Soak the Ada in water for 30 minutes if it is store bought.I bought Ada from stores and soaked in water before I pressure cook it. Dry roast the moong dal in a pressure cooker base for making parippu curry. In the same cooker,take toor dal in a closed box and keep it inside.Cook both the dals adding water,turmeric powder,a red chilli & hing.In the mean time,you can chop the vegetables for sambar,avial,olan,Pulisssery,pachadi,kichadi & inji curry.By this time,steam would be released from the cooker.Remove the toor dal box and mash the dal well.Similarly mash the moong dal too.Add little ground coconut paste and boil well. In another cooker base,add the soaked ada.Keep a bowl and put the cut chena/Yam pieces.Add little water,salt.Cover it with a plate and put some Pumpkin pieces/Mathanga along with chopped Ash gourd.Everything gets cooked well in one whistle under low flame.After removing this,cook the red rice adding 1:12 water and drain the excess water.Keep the rice aside. Make sambar,rasam and other dishes.Make the payasam at the end !

Make this feast on Onam and enjoy !

Technorati Tags: Onam sadya recipes,Onam sadhya recipes,Onam sadya menu,Onam sadya,Onam sadhya,Onam festival recipes,Kerala onam sadya recipes,Sadya items,How to make onam sadya at home Onam sadya recipes,How to make onam sadya at home

Very Good Recipes Tags: Onam sadya recipes, Onam sadhya recipes, Onam sadya menu, Onam sadya, Onam sadhya, Onam festival recipes, Kerala onam sadya recipes, Sadya items, How to make onam sadya at home Onam sadya recipes

Varalakshmi Vratham-Pooja Procedure/Puja Vidhanam

Picture Courtesy – My friend Archana

In this post I have shared How to do Varalakshmi vratham Pooja at home with details about the decoration, things needed, requirements for pooja, slokhas,  Varalakshmi vratham neivedyam recipes and also about a simple Varamahalakshmi pooja at home. Hope beginners would find this information useful to you.

Varalakshmi Vratham/Varamahalakshmi festival is the most auspicious festival celebrated by married woman(Hindu) to commemorate Goddess Mahalakshmi."Vara" means "boon" and Goddess Lakshmi grants all boons to those who performs pooja with utmost devotion on this day.Varalakshmi Vratam is a most popular festival in South Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil nadu & North Indian states like Maharashtra & Orissa.Worshipping Goddess Lakshmi on this day is equivalent to worshipping Ashtalakshmi ( 8 Lakshmi)– Goddesses of Wealth(Shri), Earth(Bhu), Learning(Saraswati), Love(Priti), Fame(Kirti), Peace(Shanti), Pleasure(Tushti) and Strength(Pushti). This pooja is performed for the well being of family members especially for the life of Husband & to get children,Wealth etc.Every year Varalakshmi Vratham is observed in Sravana(in Telugu) month(Avani in Tamil & Sawan in Hindi).It is celebrated on Friday preceeding the full moon day(Pournami).This year Varalakshmi pooja falls on August 12,2016.Those who cannot perform it on that day, can do it on any other Friday in that month.On this day, married woman should observe fasting till they finish the puja.
In my family,both Mom & MIL don’t have the practice of doing Varalakshmi Viratham but every Friday we used to do Vilakku poojai for Goddess Mahalakshmi. But still I am making this post as per a reader's request. A reader from Chennai mailed me to share the details of Varalakshmi Vratham with pooja vidhanam/procedures and slokas as she is a beginner.So I thought of asking my friends who perform Varalakshmi Vrata every year in a grand manner.For making this post,I took the help from two of my friends Shalini & Archana. When I told them about this post,they became very happy and shared their pooja procedures along with their Varalakshmi decoration pictures.Shalini gave me a book titled “Aadi,Avani maadha Pooja Vidhanam” in which all the important festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi,Varalakshmi Vratham,Naga Chathurthi and Garuda Panchami were discussed in detail with slokhas in Tamil.Not just that,Shalini spent nearly 3-4 hours over phone ,explained each and everything about the pooja while I was drafting the post.Without the help of Shalini,this post would not have come up in my blog.I must really thank God for giving me such a helpful friend in all aspects of my life .If you are a beginner & looking for Varalakshmi pooja slokas in Tamil,Right click on the images & click "Save as",download & save them in your mobile or PC and chant these slokas while doing the pooja.I have also shared some audio & video links for people who look for Varalakshmi vratham pooja vidhanam & idol decoration in Telugu & Tamil .Please scroll through the end of this post to check the links.Lets see the Neivedyam recipes list, pooja items requirements list, Things needed for pooja, Pooja procedures,Varalakshmi vratham story and slokhas for Varalakshmi Vrata in step by step.
 Please visit my in-laws kolam blog "Learn Kolam" for Rangoli ideas.Lets see how to do Varamahalakshmi Pooja at home :)

Pic courtesy – My friend Shalini

Let me start with the list of Neivedyam Recipes

1. Sweet samosa/Karjikai
2. Idli
3. Paruppu urundai/Pappu unta 
4. Pooran Kozhukattai/Modak
5. Ellu kozhukattai
6. Easy sweet pooran kozhukattai
7. Sweet Appam
8. Payasam varieties
9. Sweet pongal
10. Rava Kesari
11. Puran Poli
12. Chitranna
13. Sundal varieties
14. No onion No garlic lunch menu

Items required for Pooja

• Rice flour & colors – for drawing rangoli ( Please visit my in-laws kolam blog "Learn Kolam" for Rangoli ideas.)
• Thambaalam/A big plate OR A wooden plank/Peeta
• Few Banana leaves
• Raw Rice – as needed ( to spread over the peeta)
• One Kudum/Kalasha ( silver or bronze)
• Water scented with Jathikai/Mace , Cardamom,Saffron threads,/edible camphor,Cloves(to fill the kalasha)
• few Mango leaves ( to keep on top of kalasha)
• One coconut for kalasha and few more for thamboolam bags
• Turmeric powder ( for making gowri,if you have the practice)
• Kumkum
• Chandan( Sandal paste)
• Akshatha ( Raw rice coated with turmeric/Manjal podi)
• One lotus flower
• Face of goddess ( Available ready made in Market)
• Jewelries ( For Eyes,Nose – Available in market)
• Dress & blouse piece for Lakshmi ( buy in market)
• Flowers & garland ( for archanai & decoration)
• Betel leaves,Betel nut,Banana ( Vetrilai,Paaku,Vazhai Pazham)
• Thoram for hands/pongu nool for neck (Thoram is nothing but a sacred thread  coated with turmeric powder with 9 strings & 9 knots whereas Pongu nool is a single thread smeared with turmeric powder)
• Milk,Dry fruits & nuts ( optional)
• Fruits ( all seasonal fruits)
• Panchamirtham ( a mixture of fruits,jaggery,dry fruits,nuts and ghee)(optional)
• Neivedyam recipes ( Idli,Sweet pooran kozhukattai ( poornam borelu),ellu kozhukattai,Karjikai/fried sweet samosa,Chitranna,Payasam,appam ( based on your tradition)
• Thamboolam set of kumkum,chandan,bangles,Betel leaves & nuts,Yellow rope,blouse pieces,coconut,banana along with 1 rupee coins) – Make them ready as per the number of ladies you invite.
• Ready made(plastic) cups & bowls for distributing prasadam.
• Mahalakshmi stothram book or download the images i have shared here.

About the book

The slokas I have shared here is from a book titled "Aadi avani maadha Pooja vidhanam".This book was given as a compliment for my friend's mom in Pudukottai and it was published in the year 2000.I don't think whether this book is available in the market.But I am sure you can get the book for Varalakshmi vratham with story,Mahalakshmi Ashtothram in Giri trading agency.

I have shared the title pages of book as per a reader's suggestion.Please leave a comment in the feedback section if you get any books of this kind.It would be useful for all the people landing in this page.Thanks !

Pre preparatory works

On Thursday morning,wash all the pooja vessels and kalasha pot.Wash the lamps,keep kumkum dots and put threads.Oil the lamp & keep it ready for the next day use.Make the thoran & pongu nool and arrange the other pooja things in a plate.
You can also prepare the stuffing for sweet pooran kozhukattai,soak the pulses for sundal & grind the batter for idli.

Padi Poojai/Chukkalu pette pandaga(telugu)on Thursday evening

On thursday evening around 5.30 pm,sweep the entrance of each room (Nilai padi/vaasal padi).Apply turmeric on the sides & draw 2 lines using kumkum.It is partitioned into three divisions.Put chandan & kumkum dots.This pooja is done to welcome Goddess Lakshmi & it shows the beginning of next day function.Light the lamp,perform pooja by keeping some neivdeyam like sundal ,appam etc.Read the Varalakshmi Vratham story.I have attached the story picture in Tamil.Please refer it. Some people read the stories on Friday after completing the pooja.So its your choice.
You can also keep the manai/Wooden plank/Peeta & place a banana leaf over it.Spread the raw rice and keep it ready for next day’s pooja.Remember you should not keep the kalasha now.It should be kept only on Friday.

Story in English

The story happens in a beautiful town called Kundinagaram located in the Kingdom of Vidarbha (Vidarba Rajyam). In that Kundinagram town, Goddess Adilakshmi, being pleased by her devotion tells Charumathi in a dream and directed her to perform the vrata to enable her to fulfil her desires. Charumathi wakes up and tells her husband about the dream. Charumathi along with some neighbourhood women takes bath in the wee hours and prepare a mandapam and invites Varalakshmi Devi. She recites the following sloka along with other women with utmost faith and devotion.

Lakshmi Ksheerasamudra rajatanyam sri rangadhameswareem
Dasibootha samastha devavanitham lokaika deepamkuram
Sri manmanda kataksha labdhivibhat brahmendra gangadharam
Twamtrayamlokyakutumbhineem sasijavandemukunda priyam

Then she wore nine threads Thoranam to right hand and offers naivadyam to Goddess Lakshmi Devi. On the completion of the first circumstance, she heard she found Gajjelu, Andelu and other ornaments. On the second circumstance, they found kankanams made of navaratnams to their hands. On completion of the third circumstance, they found immense wealth.

Then Charumathi offers Tambulam to the brahmin priests and distribute the vrata prasadam to the relatives and lead a happy life. Since then, Hindu women perform this vrata with utmost faith and trust till today. With this, Lord Eswara concludes telling the story to Goddess Parvathi.

Source:http://devotionalonly.com/varalakshmi-vratam-pooja-procedure-and-story/

How to make thoram & Pongu nool

Thoram and Pongu nool are nothing but the sacred thread smeared with turmeric powder.Thoram is made by taking 9 strings of thread.Put 9 knots in equal intervals.The number of thoram depends on the number of ladies & young girls at home.Thoram has to be tied around your wrist & Pongu nool is nothing but a single thread smeared with turmeric powder.You should tie it around your neck.Married ladies wear  both Pongu nool & thoram whereas young girls tie thoram alone.Keep the thoram,Pongu nool,9 betel leaves, 9 betel nuts, 9 banana, 9 dates,9 turmeric sticks,kumkum box,Karimani mala ( black beads chain) in a plate & keep it ready for pooja.You can do all these works on Thursday night itself.

How to make the kalasha/Kalasam

Fill the silver or bronze pot(kudum) with scented water till its brim.On the top of kalasha,place 5 mango leaves( keep in odd numbers) & keep a coconut smeared with turmeric.The tail portion of coconut should face upward.Kalasam should face east.Some people have the practice of keeping raw rice,1 lemon,9 betel leaves(vetrilai),9 betel nuts,9 turmeric sticks( manjal kizhangu),9 dry grapes,1 moulded jaggery ( Achu vellam),dry fruits & a karimani mala (black bead chain),coins inside the kalasha instead of scented water.So please make the kalasha according to your tradition.After making the kalasha,keep a kumkum dot and keep aside till u make other arrangements.

The next day i.e Friday,after taking bath,wash the place where the pooja is going to be held.One should observe fasting till the Pooja is finished( Elderly woman can have milk & fruits)Draw rangoli using rice flour and place the peeta/Wooden plank/Manai OR Big plate/Thambaalam.Spread a banana leaf and put some raw rice ( If you have done this on Thursday night,skip this step and proceed to the next step).
Place the kalasha over the rice.Cover the coconut using a new blouse piece( made into cone shape by referring the video link given below).
To this coconut, an image of Goddess Lakshmi is fixed or the image of Lakshmi made using turmeric powder.My friend makes the face of Lakshmi using turmeric powder as shown in the second picture. In some areas, women place a mirror behind the kalasham. Today, there are specially made Varalakshmi pots  and faces available in the market.So you can buy and fix it with the blouse piece.Now the kalasham symbolically represents Goddess Lakshmi.
Decorate the idol with dress & Jewelries and garlands.You can dress it with a tucked saree or skirt (Pavadai).Put some jewels (Preferably gold) and tie a pongu nool around the neck.It is considered to be the Mangal sutra(Thali) Keep chandan & KumKum dots.Now Goddess Lakshmi idol is ready to perform pooja.Make a cone shaped Ganesh/Pillayar using turmeric powder mixed with water and keep it near the kalasha.Light the lamps at the time of pooja and start doing it.
Please refer this video for decorating Goddess Lakshmi Idol.

How to Perform Pooja

Ganesh pooja
Any auspicious festival should be started with Lord Ganesh pooja.So read the sthothram given below and worship Lord Ganesha to do this pooja without any obstacle and after chanting the sthothram, move the Ganesh towards North direction.

शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् ।
प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥

Shukla-Ambara-Dharam Vissnnum Shashi-Varnnam Chatur-Bhujam |
Prasanna-Vadanam Dhyaayet Sarva-Vighno[a-U]pashaantaye ||

Meaning:
1: (We Meditate on Sri Vishnu) Who is Wearing White Clothes, Who is All-Pervading, Who is Bright in Appearance like the Moon and Who is Having Four Hands,
2: Who is Having a Compassionate and Gracious Face, Let us Meditate on Him To Ward of all Obstacles.
Source : (http://www.greenmesg.org/mantras_slokas/sri_vishnu-shuklambaradharam_vishnum.php)

Avahanam & Anga Pooja
After finishing Ganesha pooja,take some flowers & akshatha in hand and chant the Avahanam slokha.Visualise Goddess Lakshmi in mind and offer the flowers & akshatha to kalasha.Goddess Lakshmi is invited to our house.

Lakshmi Ksheera Samudra Raaja Tanaya
Sree Ranga Dhaameshvari
Daasi Bhootha Samasata Deva Vanithaam
Lokaika Deepankuram
Sreeman Manda Kataaksha Labdha Vibhava
Brahmendra Gangaadharam
Tvaam Trailokya Kudumbineem
Sarasijam Vande Mukunda Priyaam

Meaning: Goddess Lakshmi, who is the daughter of the king of the ocean of milk, whose abode is Srirangam (with Lord Ranganatha), who is served by all the divine ladies in heaven, who is the guiding light for the world, who has obtained the sustained (continued, everlasting) glance (Grace) from Brahma, Indra and Shiva, whose abode is the three worlds (Bhu, Bhuva, Suvaha) - I offer my prostrations to Thee, the beloved of Lord Krishna (Mukunda).
Now perform Anga Pooja( Worshipping each body parts of Lakshmi).Offer flowers to Kalasha by chanting Anga pooja sthothram.Refer the picture below for Anga pooja Sthothram in Tamil.Please refer this link for sthothra in English.
Following this, chant Lakshmi Ashtothram(108) by offering flowers to Kalasha.
Refer the below picture for Anga Pooja slokha & Lakshmi ashtothram ( Click on the image to see the bigger sized picture)

Proceed with thoram Pooja/Nonbu Saradu poojai which is known as Thorakrandhi  pooja.

Neivedyam & Mangala Aarathi
Finally, Mangala Harathi is performed for the kalasha.Different types of sweets/neivedyam are offered in front of the God.Nonbu saradu/Thoram (yellow thread) should be tied on the woman's right hand and Pongu nool should be tied around your neck.You can ask your Husband to do this.At the end, take Aarathi by mixing turmeric & kumkum in water.Sing the Harathi song while taking Aarathi.

If you have not read the Varalakshmi Vratham story on Thursday,do it now.

Offer the Thamboolam –Coconut, betel leaf and nuts, turmeric  sticks,kumkum, coconut, along with flowers,  blouse piece, mirror & comb– is offered to women in the locality and in the evening an Harathi is offered to Lakshmi with some neivedyam.

Punar Puja
On Saturday, after taking a bath,perform a  pooja for the kalasha.Then dismantle it.Sprinkle the water all around in the house. If rice is used then it is mixed with rice in the house.
You can remove the nonbu saradu/Pongu nool & thoram after 3 days.

If you want to strictly follow all the rules and methods of Varalakshmi Puja, then it would be wise to take the advice from an elderly woman who is regularly performing the puja. What I have shared here is purely based on the procedure given in the book & pooja methods shared by my friend Shalini.It may vary from place to place & tradition.Thanks for visiting this page.Please write a few words in the comment section if you find this post useful.

Source for Punar Puja :http://periva.proboards.com/thread/1742

Last but not the least please find the links which I felt them useful for beginners.

Some useful Links for Slokhas & Videos for beginners

1. Refer THIS LINK for the detailed pooja procedure with slokhas in English
2. This VIDEO will help you to decorate Lakshmi Idol & placing Kalasha.
3. If you want to do the pooja by listening to slokhas chanted by a Priest,please refer this AUDIO, AUDIO & VIDEO , THIS VIDEO for Telugu Version.You can just follow the instructions and perform pooja.
4. Listen THIS AUDIO for Tamil Version.

How to do simple Varalakshmi Pooja

Some people don’t have the practice of Varalakshmi Vratham but still they may like to perform this pooja in a simple way.For doing a simple pooja: Light the lamp,keep some neivedyam and do the pooja by chanting Mahalakshmi Ashtothram.Distribute the Thamboolam and prasadam by inviting married woman to your house in the evening.There are no hard and fast rules in performing the Varalakshmi Puja and you can be flexible on the puja items. Even a simple prayer will please Goddess Lakshmi.

On this auspicious day,lets pray Goddess Vara Mahalakshmi to bless us with peace,health & wealth !!

Technorati Tags: Varalakshmi Vratham,Varalakshmi Vratham 2015,Varalakshmi Vratham Pooja Procedure,Varalakshmi Pooja,Varalakshmi Puja,Varalakshmi Puja Vidhanam,How to do Varalakshmi vratham,Festival recipes,Varalakshmi Vratham recipes

Very Good Recipes Tags: Varalakshmi Vratham, Varalakshmi Vratham 2015, Varalakshmi Vratham Pooja Procedure, Varalakshmi Pooja, Varalakshmi Puja, Varalakshmi Puja Vidhanam, How to do Varalakshmi vratham, Festival recipes, Varalakshmi Vratham recipes