Pitti (Powdered) Panchkadayi/ Panchakajjaya.

"Pitti (Powdered) Panchkadayi/ Panchakajjaya" for Naivedyam ... panchkadayi actually means a prasadam prepared with 5 ingredients, but at times there are a few extra added on too ... my today's pitti panchkadayi has 10 ingredients so its sort of doubled one ... Happy Krishna Janmashtami ... Stay Blessed ....

** Preparation of Naivedyam on auspicious occasions is of utmost priority in Hindu Community. We Konkani GSB Saraswats always prepare Naivedyam at all festive events. It is always a pleasure to prepare different type of Naivedyams and it is my greatest passion to do so. Usually there is a standard pattern followed over generations in preparation of Naivedyam at each festive function and my Mother always followed it, there was almost never a change in the menu. Though I love all these dishes, sometimes I do feel like trying out something else and serving God as deep in my mind, I feel he too get’s bored of same old dishes. I may be wrong, but I love to do it. So many a times I make both, traditional as well as something tweaked or a new innovative dish of my own. Pitti Panchkadai / Panchakajjaya is a common one known in different names in different parts of the country. But everywhere it is prepared during festive times as Naivedyam offering to God. 

** In my community Pitti Panchakadayi/Panchakajjaya is mostly prepared in temples as distribution of the same is easier as it has a longer shelf life compared to the wet type jaggery- coconut addition ones’ These are available in paper packs during festive events and many a times it last minimum 10 days which makes it easier for devotee to take it home in case they are travelling. In homes, most of the time the gud poha, layi panchakadyi that is the one with wet churan is prepared. This last say for about maximum 2-3 days. My hubby loves this pitti panchakadayi as he feels it is less messy as it does not stick to the hands when offered. Also he being born and brought up in Mumbai, has come across them more often at friends places. I have posted a few before and as I mentioned above panchakadayi mean panch=5 ie that which has 5 ingredients in it. But, this one has 10 ingredients in them and tastes awesome. I distributed it among friends and they loved it very much. 

** Here is the method of preparing "Pitti (Powdered) Panchkadayi/ Panchakajjaya" … A simple Naivedyam … My Style … sure to be loved by all … 

** Ingredients : 

Putani / Roasted Gram : 1 heaped cup

Cashew Nuts / Kajjubi / Kaju : 20-25 pieces

Almond / Badam : 10-12 pieces

Sesame Seeds / White Til / Ellu : 2 heaped tablespoon. 

Desiccated Coconut / Kobre (dry coconut) finely powdered : 1.5 to 2 cups 

Coriander / Dhania / Kothimbir Powder :  1/2 cup

Fennel / Badisep / Saunf Powder : 2 tblsp

Sugar Powder / Pitti Shakkar / Sakre pitti : 1.5 to 2 cups (approx) 

Cardamom Powder / Ellaichi / Yella Pitti : 1/2 tsp 

Homemade melted Ghee : 1 tablespoon. 

** Take a thick bottomed kadai/pan and roast all the ingredients from Putani to Fennel powder Separately for a few minutes each on low to medium heat and then spread it on a wide stainless steel plate and let it cool at room temperature. 

** Note : Do not burn/over roast any ingredients or else they will turn bitter. They just need to be roasted dry for a few minutes each only. So do not hurry and plz. roast on low flame. 

** Put all the ingredients once cooled into a mixer grinder and grind to a fine powder using Pulse mode. Lastly add in the powdered sugar, cardamom powder and further pulse grind till it has mixed in evenly. Do mix in with a spoon once or twice in between to get evenly mixed powder. 

** Note : Always use pulse mode for dry powdering mixtures or else the ingredients will start getting messy and oily. The heat produced with continuous grinding makes it sticky and the texture will not be maintained to a powder texture, so do be careful and do not hurry with this process. 

** Remove the mixture in a wide stainless steel bowl. Heat the ghee, when it melts remove and let it cool a bit and then add it to the mixture. Mix well lightly without applying force. The mixture should be just mixed and not kneaded or else there will be some small lumps in between. You can use a large fork for even mixing of the dry ingredients. 

** "Pitti (Powdered) Panchkadayi/ Panchakajjaya” is done and ready to be offered as Naivedyam to God and then distributed as prasadam among family, relatives, and friends. Do try this Prasadam / Naivedyam this festive season, it is not only easy to prepare but is also a very aromatic and tasty dish too. Also it has a longer shelf life, which means you can take it to your office in few days and distribute it among friends too. 

** You can always prepare this ahead and store away in an air tight stainless steel box too, if you are hard pressed for time or are a office goer juggling between your home and other commitments. It can be prepared over weekend and stored away and used when in need too, that way it will serve all purposes. Remember a little bit of planning goes a long way. 

** During festivals like Krishna Janmashtami, Ganapathi, Diwali and many other festivals, I remember Mom making preparations way ahead of the day of actual celebrations. Being a large family she needed to prepare dishes in bulk and always needed more time on the actual day. We had lots of cousins and extended families who would drop in on the festive days and some would stay for lunch too which really meant more work for her. I guess there were more mouths to feed, tummies to fill that hands that helped her, but that's my Mom to date still the same.

** She always prepared the goodies, savories and those items that had a better shelf life a few days before itself. In the mornings after we had left to school, she prepared them and stored them away taking proper precautions, so that no one had access to it and if it was an holiday we always helped her in these tasks. We really at time underestimate their ability and fore visions, but our ancestors were brilliant and most hard working people, I at times when working in kitchen wonder how my Mother managed to do so much work. Even at this age of 86 yrs. I feel she is far better than me. 

** I guess it is their desire to feed with love to their family and all those who visited their home that made them No.1 in what they did. I have always witnessed as I grew up that my relatives loved coming over and relishing mom’s dishes and I have never heard her crib even once, even if it meant added burden to her. And when there were festivals or other events coming up she was always prepared for it way ahead. I have learnt all these things by keenly observing her though being the youngest of the lot I never entered kitchen then. I must say I had a very Lovely childhood … ☺❤

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