NUVVULA PULAGAM – NEIVEDHYAM RECEIPE – FESTIVAL RECEIPE – TELANGANA NUVVULA PULAGAM

Sankranthi is a harvest festival which is celebrated throughout India with utmost happiness and zest in every state of India. It is also called the festival of kites. Each state has its own culture and traditional way of celebrating this harvest festival. Sankranthi festival dishes vary upon region to region but sesame seeds and jaggery are most commonly used ingredients in these dishes. One of such dish is NUVVULA PULAGAM from Telangana state.

Nuvvula Pulagam is a sweet dish which is prepared as an offering to God during festivals and pujas in Telangana state. Sankranti is celebrated for two days in Telangana state. First day (i.e. Bhogi) dishes containing sesame seeds are prepared and on the second day dishes contain meat.

During Bhogi, the first day of Sankranti festival, Nuvvula Pulagam, coconut and fruits are offered as Neivedhyam to God in Telangana state. Nuvvula Pulagam is prepared with newly harvested rice, sesame seeds and jaggery on Bhogi.

Ingredients:

Rice                                                        1 cup

Sesame seeds (til)                            ½ cup

Jaggery grated                                   3 cups

Ghee                                                     2 tbsps

Channa dal                                          ½ cup

Cardamom powder                         ½ tsp

Water                                                   3 cups

Salt                                                         a pinch

For garnishing:

Cashew nuts                                      10

Raisins                                                  10

Procedure for preparing Nuvvula Pulagam:

1. Dry roast sesame seeds (til) for 3 – 4 minutes on low flame. Put off the flame. When cool grind into powder.
2. Wash the new harvest rice 3 – 4 times. Drain the water.
3. In a large bowl, mix the drained rice and sesame powder and keep aside for 1 hour.
4. Soak the channa dal in water for 1 hour.
5. Boil 3 cups of water in a large vessel.
6. When the water comes to boil add the rice-sesame mixture and drained channa dal and stir well. Allow it to boil. Once it is boiled reduce the flame to low and add 1 tbsp of ghee and mix well and close the vessel with a lid. Cook till the rice is completely cooked. Add a pinch of salt and keep stirring occasionally so that the rice does not get burnt at the bottom.
7. Add grated jaggery and stir well and cook for 5 minutes on low flame. Keep stirring occasionally. Put off the flame.
8. Add cardamom powder.
9. Heat 1tbsp of ghee in a pan, fry cashew nuts and raisins.
10. Garnish the nuvvula pulagam with fried cashew nuts and raisins.

Serve to God as Neivediyam.

Note:

• As per your taste U can increase or decrease the sweetness.