Sanātana Dharma the world’s oldest living faith comprises rich and diverse philosophies, traditions, and practices that have been followed primarily throughout Asia for thousands of years. One such practice is that of fasting which, symbolically is an act of sacrifice-sacrifice of food and hunger as a mark of devotion and surrender. it is considered a moral and spiritual act of focussing our energies on the divine. The method of fasting is not imposed & Hindus observe fasts of varying strictness depending on individual beliefs or practices. A common periodic fast is that of Ekadashi observed twice a month, on the eleventh day of each ascending and descending moon.
My family observes this fast-Ekadesi Vratham by eating only set types of foods once a day. The following day which is known as dwadasi a special menu- dwadasi paranai is prepared. Simple sattvic foods are on the menu on both days. The meal is energy and nutrient intense with acidic and heavy foods avoided to aid digestion.
Here is a simple brunch prepared this Sunday for Ekadashi – Proso millet idly and Sabudana upma. Proso millets are a super food of ancient origin. Also known as white or hog millet, it has several names such as panivaragu in Tamil, barri in Hindi, Varigulu in Telugu, and Barragu in Kannada. A nutrition powerhouse this tiny grain houses LECITHIN an important fat component essential for the upkeep of our body cells and important brain food. Inclusion of lecithin in the diets of older adults is essential to keep dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay.
PANI VARAGU /PROSO MILLET IDLI RECIPE:
Ingredients for Proso Millet Idli:
- Proso Millet or Pani Varagu 3 Cup
- Urad Dal/Black gram dal 3 Cups
- Methi Seeds or Fenugreek Seeds 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
Preparation Method for Proso Millet Idli:
- Wash and soak the millet and dal separately for 4 hours.
- Follow the steps given in –How to prepare idly/dosa batter.
- Mix the fermented batter. Grease the idly moulds and pour the idly batter into the moulds.
- Steam for 15 minutes or till done in a steamer.
- Store the remaining batter in the refrigerator.
- Serve the steaming fluffy idlys with chutney or sambar of your choice.
SABUDANA UPMA RECIPE:
Ingredients for Sabudana Upma:
- Sabudana/sago 1 cup
- Buttermilk 1 cup sour
Oil 2 tbsp - Green chilly 4 finely chopped
- Mustard seeds 1 tsp
- Black gram dal/urad dal 1 tsp
- Channa dal/Bengal gram dal 1 tsp
- Asafoetida ½ tsp
- Grated coconut 2 tbsp
- Salt a required
- Curry leaf few
- Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Preparation method for Sabudana Upma:
- Wash and soak the sago for 2 hours in the buttermilk. Drain and set aside.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add oil and splutter mustard, deals, and asafoetida. Add the green chilly and curry leaves.
- Add the sago and required salt and mix well. Cover and cook till the sago turn glassy or transparent. Mix in the lemon juice.
- Remove from flame, sprinkle the coconut, and serve hot with curd.
Ekadashi Vratham Special – Proso Millet Idli and Sabudana Upma is Ready 🙂
