Author: Nalini Rajan
Publisher: Vakils, Freffer & Simons
Year: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 84
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8187111534
Description
Prasadam is a cook-book with a difference. From olden times, every community in India celebrates various festivals and the most enjoyable feature of the celebration is to eat one's favourite foods.
Every festival traditionally has one or more sweets and savouries to go with the occasion, for example, Payasam for Hindu New Tear, Thengai Poli for full moon day of the month of Shravan, Pooranpoli for Harvest times, Murukku for Krishna Jayanti, and so on.
Likewise, tradition prescribes the cooked savouries and sweets that must be offered to every deity. Indeed, even different foods are offered to the same deity in different seasons.
Many legends, myths and tales of mysticism are retold in this book about the deities in the Hindu pantheon. Interwoven with the stories are recipes of sumptuous delicacies that are favourites of the Gods and men alike.
This beautifully illustrated book is invaluable to all who are interested in participating in Hindu festivals with exuberance and enthusiasm and who wish to partake of the traditional foods cooked on these occasions.
The author NALINI RAJAN has a PhD in Social Communication and is an Associate Professor at the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She has a passion for traditional delicacies, and her desire to share with her grandmother's culinary art and knowledge, as handed to her by her mother, Rajalakshmi Rajan, led her to write this book. She has other publications on academic subjects to her credit.
Contents
INTORDUCTION
CHAPTER 1: MOON SYMBOLISM AND SUN WORSHIP
Pal Poli
CHAPTER 2: FLUID TIES AND THE MOTHER GODDESS
Thengapal payasam
CHAPTER 3: LAKSHMI WORSHIP - PARADIGM OF OUR TIMES
Idlis
Samber
Chutney
CHAPTER 4: RITES OF PASSAGE
Thengai Po