Aadi 18 Recipes| Kalanda Sadam Recipes | Tamil Festival Recipes | Aadi Perukku Recipes by Masterchefmom

Hi Supermoms,

Many Indian Festivals are celebrated as a thanks giving day to Mother Nature. The most popular being 'Pongal' which is celebrated to thank Sun God for showering us with good sunlight and thus gifting a bounty harvest to the farmers. Today we are going to share about another festival called 'Adi Perukku'. 

'Adi Pirappu' or 'Adi Pandigai' as we call in Tamil, marks the beginning of the first day of the Tamil month, 'Adi'. This month signifies the onset of monsoons. A sweet dish is offered to Mother Nature to thank her for bestowing adequate rains and protecting the people . The 18th day of this month is known as 'Adi perukku' and is a big festival in Tamilnadu.

Here is a brief description about the significance of this festival. 

"Adiperukku is a unique South Indian and specially a Tamil festival celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month of Adi (mid July). The festival coincides with the annual freshes of the rivers and to pay tribute to water's life-sustaining properties. It is celebrated near river basins, water tanks, lakes and wells etc. when the water level in the rises significantly heralding the onset of Monsoon.

Adiperukku, otherwise called Padinettam Perukku is peculiar to the all the perennial river basins of Tamil Nadu and major lakes water source areas and is intended to celebrate the water rising levels due to the onset of monsoon, which is expected to occur invariably on the 18th day of the solar month, Aadi, corresponding to the 2nd or 3 August every year. Hence "Padinettam perukku" - Padinettu signifies eighteen, and Perukku denotes rising. This festival is observed predominately by women in Tamil nadu. The Adiperukku, as a water-ritual, celebrated by women is to honour nature".

Information source : Wikipedia

The women folk take a dip in the holy Cauvery river and the following dishes are made on this auspicious day . 

Rice Varieties:

Puliodarai/Pulihora
Lemon Rice/Ellumichai Sadam
Thalippu Thayir Sadam/Daddojanam/ Curd rice 
Thengai Sadam /Special Coconut Rice
Ellu Sadam /Sesame Seeds Rice
North Arcot Special Godumai Rava Puliodarai/Broken Wheat Puliohare

Sweet Varieties:

Paruppu Poli /Bobbatlu/Puran Poli
Mango Pacchadi/Ugadi Pacchadi/ Tamil New Year Pacchadi
Rava Kesari/Sheera/Sooji Kesari
Quick Aval kesari /Atukula kesari
Paal Kozhukkatai/Milk Modak/Mani Kozhukkatai
Suyyam/Poornam Boorelu
Javvarisi Payasam / Sabudana Kheer / Saggubiyyam
Godhuma Rava Payasam/Godumai Rava Kheer/ Broken Wheat Kheer
Sakkarai Pongal/Bellam Pongali/ Sweet Pongal
Sama Rice Kheer/Samai Payasam
Chettinad Puri Payasam
Aval Puttu / Atukula Puttu
Boondi Laddoo
Mysore Pak

Savoury Varieties:

Medhu Vadai/Garelu
Paruppu Vadai /Dal Vadai ( no onion and garlic)/Paruppu Vadai /Dal Fritters/Indian Falafel

AVIAL recipe

On this festival day, I salute Mother Nature and thank her for always being kind to us. 

Happy Cooking !

With love,

Masterchefmom