Go Back

Traditional cooling food - Panakam and Kosumalli for Sri Rama Navami

The more I dig into our traditional foods, I'm amazed at how intelligently and seasonally our ancestors ate. Panakam and _Cucumber Kosumalli _that are offered as Neiveidyam on the occasion of Sri Rama Navami which falls in the summer season
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

For panakam

  • 4 - 5 tbsps jaggery crushed or grated .
  • 3 - 4 cups water drinking
  • 1/4 tsp ginger dried powder (sonth powder)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • one lemon large Juice of (2 tbsp or so)
  • 2 pods Seeds cardamom from shelled and poundeds ( or one fat pinch powder)

For Cucumber Kosumalli

  • 1/2 cup moong dal
  • 1 large or 2 cucumbers medium , peeled , finely diced
  • 1 lemon Juice of
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • sprigs coriander leaves Few , washed and finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ghee oil or
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • pinch asafoetida granules
  • 1 - 2 tbsps coconut fresh scrapings for garnishing

Instructions
 

  • How to make Panakam
  • In a large vessel or bowl, take 4- 5 tbsp of crushed or grated jaggery. This will vary depending on the sweetness of your jaggery. Stir in 3-4 cups of drinking water until completely dissolved. Filter through a muslin cloth or a fine mesh in case you see any impurities in the liquid.
  • To this, add - dried ginger powder (sonth powder), black pepper powder, salt, Juice of lemon, seeds from cardamom pods shelled and pounded or cardamom powder, stir well and serve chilled.
  • For Cucumber Kosumalli
  • Wash and soak 1/2 cup yellow moong dal (husked and split moong) in 2-3 cups of water for 1 hour. Drain in a mesh strainer for 15 minutes or so.
  • In a medium bowl, mix the chopped cucumber, lemon juice, salt, coriander leaves and toss well.
  • In a small tempering ladle, heat 1 tsp ghee or oil - splutter the mustard seeds, add the asafoetida, stir for a few seconds and toss this on the kosumall.i
  • Garnish with fresh coconut scrapings.
  • Do check for bitterness in the cucumber before mixing with the other ingredients.
  • The same recipe can be used to prepare Carrot kosumalli by substituting two grated carrots instead of chopped cucumber.

Notes

Note:Do check for bitterness in the cucumber before mixing with the other ingredients.
The same recipe can be used to prepare Carrot kosumalli by substituting two grated carrots instead of chopped cucumber.