It is customary to make a sweet rice dish called Kali and a tangy vegetable sambar laden with plenty of vegetables and pulses on the holy occasion of thiruvaathurai. 

Aarudra darshan marks the auspicious occasion where lord Shiva descends to earth in the form of Nataraja. In most Tamil households, it is a day of prayer and meditation. Also, as part of the offerings to the lord we make the aforesaid Kali (களி) and the seven vegetables sambar. 

Here I will mention the methods of making this Kali,

Ingredients  

1. Washed and strained raw rice - 1 measurement.  

2. Moong dal - 1/4 measurement.  

3. Jaggery - broken down 1 ½ measurement.  

4. Grated coconut - half shell. 

5. Ghee - 1/4 measurement.  

6. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp. 

7. Cashews - 1/4 cup. 

Preparation 

1. Dry & roast the washed raw rice to a golden hue and then when cooled break into powder in mixie.  

2. Similarly, roast the moong dal and then cook into semi soft condition in a large pan.   

 3. In a heavy bottom pan heat the broken jaggery with a cup of water and bring to a boil and strain and keep aside.  

4. Add the ground rice, strained jaggery liquid to the moong dal along with two cups of water. Stir constantly to avoid lumps.  

5. Add in the grated coconut.  

6. Remove from fire once it has thickened and cooked.  

7. Add in the ghee and garnish with cashews fried in ghee.  

Offer it as a Nivedyam to the creator and partake the delicious Kali with family and friends! 

Geeta Sridhar is a freelance journalist/ content creator  and editor in the field for the last 20 years and has also found her calling as an organic farmer. She lives in Coimbatore with her husband Sridhar and son Siddharth.