Starting from Bhadrapada Purnima, Pitru Paksha is a period of 16 days and ends on Mahalaya Amavasya. During this period people perform rituals like Shraddha, Tarpan and Pind Daan for their dead ancestors in which, food and water play an important role as they are said to satisfy their souls.
Mahalaya Paksha Lunch nenu Day 5
Nellikai Rasam (Amla Rasam)
Grind a paste: ½ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp peppercorns, small ginger, 3 tbsp grated amla, handful curry leaves. Separately, boil 1 cup water + 2 small chopped amla + ¼ tsp turmeric + salt + curry leaves till amla softens. Add the ground paste + cooked moong dal water, adjust taste, boil gently till frothy, switch off. Temper: 1 tbsp ghee, ½ tsp mustard, ¼ tsp cumin, curry leaves.
Pavakkai Pitla (Bittergourd Pitla)
Chop bittergourds small, cook in salt water, drain once tender. In a vessel: 1 cup tamarind water + salt + turmeric + curry leaves + karima podi. Add a coconut paste (fresh coconut ground with cumin & pepper). Add cooked bittergourd + ½ cup cooked moong dal + a pinch jaggery, thicken slightly. Temper with oil, mustard seeds.
Yardlong Beans Kootu (same method as cluster beans kootu)
Cook chopped beans with a little water, turmeric, salt. Add cooked moong dal + coconut paste (coconut + cumin + pepper + roasted urad dal). Simmer to a thick gravy. Temper: mustard, urad dal, curry leaves.
Podalangai Thoran (Snakegourd Thoran)
Chop snake gourds. Heat oil, splutter mustard, 1 tsp split urad dal. Add gourd + partially cooked moong dal + salt + turmeric + curry leaves + a sprinkle of water, cover and cook till tender. Add a coarse coconut paste with karima podi, mix well.
Manga Sweet Pachadi
Raw mango pieces + very little water + pinch turmeric, pressure cook 1 whistle, open immediately (don't let it turn mushy). Add pinch salt + 3–4 tbsp jaggery, mix. Temper: mustard, curry leaves, split urad dal.
Curry Leaves Thogayal + Rice, Moong Dal, Ghee, Curd (same as the earlier curry leaves thogayal —
Watch my YouTube video for Mahalaya lunch menu for Day 6
Mahalaya Lunch Menu Day 6
White Pumpkin Rasavangi
2 cups cubed white pumpkin, ½ cup cooked moong dal, 2 tbsp grated coconut, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp pepper, 1 tbsp split urad dal, curry leaves, ¼ tsp turmeric (optional), salt, 1–2 tsp oil. Cook pumpkin in a little water + salt till soft, not mushy. Dry roast urad dal, cumin, pepper till fragrant, add coconut, roast briefly, grind to a slightly coarse paste. Mix paste + cooked moong dal into pumpkin, simmer 5–7 min till thick. Temper with oil, cumin seeds, curry leaves splutter.
Ginger Pachadi (Inji Pachadi)
Grind ginger, a small piece of tamarind, jaggery, salt with a little water to a smooth paste. Temper with mustard and curry leaves if desired.
Payatham Paruppu Payasam — Day 6 variant
Cook moong dal soft, add jaggery syrup, thin coconut milk, cardamom, simmer. Finish with ghee-roasted cashews.
Watch my YouTube video on lunch menu for day 6.
A nostalgic, basic Tamil Paruppu Podi recipe from my mother’s handwritten notes from 1995. Just 4 ingredients — toor dal, pepper, red chilli and salt. My go-to comfort meal with hot rice and ghee.