• Aadi is a tamil month (July-August) and it is the fourth month of the year as per Tamil Calendar.This year, aadi month falls on July 17 and it is celebrated as ‘Aadi Pandigai (Aadi festival)’ or ‘Aadi Pirappu’(Birth of Aadi month).It is an important festival to all tamilians.
• Generally during this month, no new venture is planned. Nothing auspicious is done during this month.No marriages are planned.
  Then why is Aadi considered a significant month ??? Why is it a Sacred month ???
• In early days, there were months in which spiritualism was promoted. It was considered that social activities would distract the concentration of people who were trying to attain spiritualism.That is the reason no new activities are planned in the month of Aadi and it is considered a Sacred month.Even farmers too took this month as the right time to worship their goddess – River Cauvery for providing water.
• This month marks the beginning of all festivals as the following month Aavani is considered as festival season.
  ‘Aadi Perukku’ is a festival celebrated on the 18th day of Aadi welcoming the monsoon.It pays tribute to the life sustaining force of water (result of rain, dams etc). People living on the banks of the Cauvery offer special poojas to the river.
• My grandparents did live near the bank of Cauvery river. We always wished to be there during this month.You will get to see lots and lots of roadside shops with all the festive josh. I always loved to grab those balloons and play watches.People dressed up in their traditional way with flowers running down the hair,Streets decorated with colourful Kolams, Houses decorated with Mango leaves…you got to see, feel and enjoy it.Aadi Perukku is also called as ‘Pathinettam perukku’ as it falls on 18th day of the month.
• You should see the river bank on this day…poojas will be performed on the river bank (always too crowded) Very authentic.
• At home a special pooja will be performed followed by a feast with ‘Payasam’ , “Sweet poli’, ‘Vada’ and what not ?? (uuuuuuuuuhhhhh want to have some). We wear the traditional Pattu paavadai/saree (Silk skirt) on this day.
• Grand poojas will be performed in all the temples.
• Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays of this month are considered very auspicious. Friday of this month is called ‘ Aadi Velli’.

Ingredients:

• Riped Tomato – 300 gms
• Garlic Cloves – 15
• salt – as per taste
• Red Chilli – 6 to 10 ( as per spicy of your requirement)
• Gingelly Oil – 2 Table spoon

(No need of frying mustard and urad dal , and it can be stored in fridge for two days)

Method:

• Fry well red chilli in little oil.
• Cut tomatoes into pieces, peel skin of garlic and put both into mixie.
• Add red chilli, salt along with it and grind nicely into a thick paste.No need to add water.
• Then add rest of oil in kadai and heat it on flame.
• Then add the paste to it and stir in intervals at medium flame, till all water in paste is absorbed and it becomes thick and non sticky on the kadai.
• Then stop the flame and allow it to cool and serve with hot chappathi, dosai, idli, or with curd rice.
• If u want the sour taste little more, u can add a pinch of tamarind with it while grinding.(Add little more oil, to make the gravy non sticky and cook well, if required).

Ingredients:

• 1 can organic chickpeas, drained
• 1/4 cup salted cashews
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp paprika(Red chilli powder)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp chili pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion or garlic powder
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• optional: 1 tbsp lemon juice for moister chickpeas with a zesty flavor.

Method:

• Drain chickpeas very well.
• In a Pan, add 1 Tbsp oil and turn heat on high.
• Add half the portion of chickpeas and coat well in oil.
• Allow chickpeas to toast to brown. Toss a bit and let toast again.
• Add in additional oil and chickpeas. Toss well.
• Shake pan and toast outside of chickpeas a bit more.
• When the chickpeas have some nice brown edges, add in the remaining ingredients (except the cashews)-add the agave first. Toss well. Then add in all the spices.
• Toss well-coating the chickpeas evenly with spices.
• Reduce heat to med-high and allow to cook through. A little more browning is a good thing.
• When the chickpeas look just about done-and have absorbed all the liquid, add in the cashews. Toss cashews with chickpeas-they should soak up any remnant spices and moisture.
• Brown the chickpeas and cashews as much as you’d like. However, if the chickpeas start getting mushy-you know they are done. Try to pull them from the heat before the much occurs though.
• Let cool slightly before serving. Serve over salads or on their own.

Ingredients:

• Red onion – 1/2 of one or Shallots
• Dried anchovies( Nethili) – 1 cup
• Garlic pod – 1 no
• Shallots – 4 nos
• Dried chillies – 10 nos
• Garam Masala 2 tbsp
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• Sugar – 1 tbsp

Method:

• Rinse the dried anchovies and drain the water.
• Fry the anchovies until they turn light brown and put aside.
• Pound the garam masala together with shallots, garlic, and deseeded dried chilies with a mortar and pestle.
• Slice the red onion into rings.
• Soak the tamarind pulp in water for 15 minutes.
• Squeeze the tamarind constantly to extract the flavor into the water.
• Drain the pulp and save the tamarind juice.
• Heat some oil in a pan and fry the spice paste until fragrant.
• Add in the onion rings.
• Add in the fish and stir well.
• Add tamarind juice, salt, and sugar.
• Simmer on low heat until the gravy thickens.
• Serve hot with rice.

Ingredients:

• Carrots – 3 nos.
• Milk – 1 cup.
• Sugar – 1 cup.
• Ghee – 3 tsp.
• Cashew nuts for garnishing.
• Raisins for garnishing.

Method:

• Peel the carrots and grate them.
• Soak the grated carrots in the milk and pressure cook.
• Heat sugar and ghee in a non stick pan.
• Add the pressure cooked carrots and milk. Stir well.
• Keep the lid closed in between stirrings, as there maybe some splashes, when the milk and ghee boil together.
• When the milk condenses and the halwa begins to thicken, remove from flame.
• Garnish with cashews and raisins roasted in ghee.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 3/4 C milk

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in Cheddar.
• Cut in butter using a pastry blender or 2 knives until coarse crumbs form.
• Using a fork, stir milk into flour mixture until a soft dough forms. Do not over mix or overwork dough.
• Drop dough in heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until biscuits are firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.