Last weekend there was a Satyanarayan Puja at my brother's place. Our entire clan and my SIL's clan gathered there. I was not able to fly down for a reason too many even though I was dying to be there. Later I knew I had missed a lot. The festivities were spread over two days. One by one people started flowing in from Saturday afternoon itself. The food was ordered out but the women's team planned that taking this opportunity they would like to make puranpolis for the Sunday's puja.
So began their collaboration. Gosh how influenced I am by my work culture :). OK women to women bonding! The puran got made. The dough got kneaded. Though my SIL has a big kitchen compared to Mumbai standards it could not fit in all the women. There must have been minimum 10 of all sizes ;). So the team moved in the hall and sat around the pot of puran and dough to roll out the polis. My bro had a spare stove and a gas cylinder which got assembled in the hall on the floor itself!
While they were at it they called me up. Believe me we were on the speaker phone for 1/2 hr on that long distance call discussing exuberantly SIL's new saree for the puja and accessories she would wear. All the way Maharashtrian with Nath et all ( The last picture on that page). It was so noisy there and me trying to guess who was talking from the group. The distant gossiping and teasing going on there was also heard in parallel. I was almost going to sulk and Dad and me planned to make our own Satyanarayan Prasad Sheera, the recipe is shared here.
Saturday night they just gossiped right into dawn break while the men after finishing the decorations went off to bed. I could imagine one hall filled with men and one hall filled with women with mattress laid out side by side. Gosh these guys must have had a blast. At such gathering I am the official sponsor for pizzas and colas. Since I was not there no pizzas and colas for the kids.
I was told it was like a net practise for my bro and SIL for Sujal's wedding. He is just 17 right now so many more years before that happens. Here is a video of him at a culture fest performing Dangi dance with his friends.
I don't believe we have to ask GOD for anything through such pujas but its a great way of remembering him and celebrating small joys with our loved ones. At such times even the Shakunis and Kaikayis don't get a chance to scheme seeing all the positive energy LOL.
Ingredients
11/4 cup semolina
11/4 cup milk
11/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup ghee
1/8 cup nuts and raisins
11/4 cup banana sliced
10-12 pods of cardamom separated
Heat 1 cup ghee. Roast the semolina till light and fluffy. While you are doing it a saucepan put together milk and sugar and bring it to boil. After the semolina is roasted add the hot liquid slowly and keep mixing the semolina so that it does not stick to the vessel and this helps to avoid lumps. Use up all the liquid. Cover and reduce the heat. Intermittently check if semolina is fluffy and cooked. Once that's done put of the heat and add the rest of the ghee and mix well to get the semolina grains separated out. Add the sliced bananas, nuts, raisins and cardamom powder and mix well. Serve hot on bits of banana leaves or small paper cups after the Satyanarayan puja.
Enjoy it like we did as the Satyanarayan Puja was done approx. 1000 kilometers away from us.
Anjali, that dance is just too much fun! So vibrant and full of energy! Love it!
ReplyDeleteFit for Gods.. hmmm - our Gods are also divine foodies
ReplyDeleteits always nice to get togethor especially on religious occasions and otherwise, with all the hustle bustle... loved yur writeup
ReplyDeleteManisha yeah it is and the kids practised for months till they perfected it. My nephew would return home hungry after the good workout.
ReplyDeleteVinaya I guess so and not all of them were vegetarians say the records.
Rachna thanks.
Tried the sheera for Satyanarayan Puja. I noticed that that you had mentioned adding sliced banana at the end of cooking. I used add it while i fried semolina in ghee and did not end up getting full flavor. Also used avoid adding ghee. This time did that and ended up with a rather good sheera.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always. -system 88.
Glad It turned out good and you liked it
DeleteBananas should always go at the end otherwise the sheera becomes rather dry and chewy. Good recipe--I have a very similar one that I follow, make good sheera but I like this trick of adding sugar to milk. That's exactly what I will be doing next time. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAlso adding it at the end makes perfect ripe bananas tasted awesome else if added in the begining it will get cooked and turn black and unappetizing. Oh yes sugar dissolved in milk saves time instead of adding to the semolina and theres lesser chance of sugar getting charred plus the warm liquid fluffs up the semolina well. Let me know what you think of the trick when you try it. You are welcome.
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