Diwali is a festival celebrated across India, though in different ways regionally. It is an important festival for us but gets done after a festive breakfast. Today’s post, Ukkarai, is not part of my family’s food traditions but one I have adopted. Our Diwali celebrations are probably the simplest in the country. Many of the Iyer families in Kerala start the celebrations as early as 4am with bursting firecrackers. The left overs are lit and finished off at twilight. We probably have the simplest of Diwali celebrations in India.
As mentioned above, our celebrations begin before dawn. Firecrackers are burnt and burst under the strict supervision of a couple of elders or elder siblings. Then it is time for the ritual oil bath. This involves massaging a few drops of sesame on the head (sometimes a full body anointment) which is washed away with a hot water bath. Then, dressed in new clothes bought for the occasion, blessings are received from the elders at home. Prayers are offered at the temple, if possible, either in the morning or evening.
Then comes the most important part of the Diwali celebrations – a sumptuous breakfast! Breakfast on this day is usually Idli with Chutney and Sambhar and sweets and savouries made for the occasion. Traditionally, most households made one sweet and one savoury item. We didn’t have the practice of sharing them with neighbours. We also didn’t light lamps in the evening as is generally done for Diwali. The reason for rather subdued and simple celebrations is that Diwali falls on Amavasya day. This is the day of the new moon every month. On this day, men whose parents are no more, make ritual and memorial offerings to their ancestors. It is generally not a day of celebration. So once breakfast is done, our Diwali celebrations are done.
With time and changes in some of our practices, many of us have adopted some new ones along with the old. While some homes make Ukkarai for Diwali breakfast, we don’t. However, this is a new tradition I have adopted. Ukkarai is a crumbled textured yet soft sweet dish made from lentils. A mixture of Bengal gram lentils and moong lentils are soaked, coarsely ground and steam cooked. This mixture is crumbled and then cooked in cardamom flavoured jaggery syrup with a little ghee. Cashewnuts complete the dish.
There’s a little story behind how Ukkarai became a tradition. Many years back, soon after we got married, a very good friend and his wife came home on Diwali. His childhood memories were deeply tied with eating Ukkarai for Diwali. SO for him Diwali was incomplete without it. This friend was not just my husband’s colleague at work but our neighbours for many, many years. They always dropped by on Diwali and so Ukkarai, and now good memories of then became a part of our festivities.
The other tradition I have taken on now is lighting earthenware and brass lamps or “diyas” I spent a large part of my life outside Kerala, lights have always been a part of our Diwali since childhood. Making a variety of sweets and savouries and sharing them with friends and family has also become a Diwali tradition. Pokkuvadam (more popularly known as ribbon pakoda) and Mysorepak are musts for our Diwali.
Ukkarai is generally made only with Bengal gram lentils or chana dal. In some temples this is offered as prasadam and there it is made with a mix of Bengal gram and moong lentils. This is how I make this protein rich dish. Ukkarai is usually made only during the cooler months of the year. It is considered to be nutritious and healthy during this time of the year.
Ukkarai
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Bengal gram lentils or Chana dal
- 1/2 cup moong lentils
- 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
- 1 cup powdered jaggery
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1/8 cup halved cashewnut
- 3 to 4 pods cardamom powdered
Instructions
- Roast both dals separately till light brown. Soak them together in water for about 3 hours. Then allow to drain well for about half an hour. Then grind the dals to a thick and coarse batter without adding water.
- Place batter in idli moulds or the plate of your steamer and steam cook for about 15 minutes. Allow this to cool slightly and then crumble it with your fingers till granular in texture. Once the mixture cools down (especially if the batter was not dry enough in the first place), you can use a grater to create the coarse crumble.
- Heat the ghee in a pan and roast cashews till golden. Keep aside. Now toast the grated coconut till golden brown and keep aside.
- Dissolve jaggery in half a cup of water and boil the syrup till it reaches the 1-string stage. To this syrup, add the dal mixture, coconut and the ghee. Mix well till the dal absorbs all the jaggery to become dry and fluffy. Add the cardamom and cashewnuts and mix well. Serve warm.
Jeena says
Lovely breakfast I bet it was delicious, yummy. 🙂
Aparna says
Thanks Jeena. It sure was.
Meeta says
A true feast. Lovely entry!
Aparna says
Thanks, Meeta
Devi Priya says
Great breakfast!
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