This post is a little late for Rama Navami, but as with all festival recipes, I’m recording it here for posterity. I’m sure it will come in handy in the years to come—either for me or for another reader—so better late than never. As always with the festival recipes on this blog, these are Amma’s recipes.
Panakam and Neer Mor are not exclusive to Rama Navami. While legend says these drinks were served during Sita and Rama’s wedding and during Rama’s birth, the tradition has continued and they are still commonly served after celebrations at traditional South Indian Hindu weddings and birthdays.
The best part is that these are probably some of the easiest festival recipes to make. They are almost entirely raw, which means no stove-top cooking and minimal cleanup—so, as you can imagine, these are among my favorite festival recipes.
(Not counting the seasoning for the buttermilk, of course, which does require a bit of heating. That step can be skipped if you want everything to remain completely raw, but I highly recommend adding it—it brings out that unmistakable South Indian flavor.)
The panakam can easily double as a summer cooler the next time you host a warm-weather lunch get-together. It’s sweet, but the ginger and lemon add a zingy, apple-lemon-tea–like tartness that makes it incredibly refreshing on a hot day.
And neer mor (or moar)—a light buttermilk spiced with ginger and curry leaves—is the perfect coolant after being out in the sun. “Buttermilk cools the system,” as my Appa (dad) always says. It’s still his go-to drink after returning from his trips to the vegetable market. According to him, it’s the secret to his zen.
Recipe for Panakam
Ingredients
- Palm sugar or jaggery – ½ cup
- Dry ginger powder – 1 tsp
- Cardamom – 2, crushed
(You may add the skin as well for extra flavor; we used only the seeds) - Lemon juice – 1 tbsp (optional)
Method
Powder the jaggery in a bowl and add about 1½ to 2 cups of water, adjusting based on how sweet you prefer the punch. Strain the liquid to remove any jaggery sediments.
Add the dry ginger powder and crushed cardamom. Mix well. Add the lemon juice, if using. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Recipe for Neer Mor
Ingredients
- Yogurt – ½ cup
- Water – 1½ cups
- Asafoetida – ¼ tsp
- Green chili – 1, crushed
- Curry leaves – a few
- Salt – to taste
For seasoning:
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Green chili – ½, chopped
- Oil – ½ tsp
Method
Beat the yogurt in a bowl and mix with water until smooth. In a small bowl, dissolve the asafoetida and salt in a little water and add this to the yogurt mixture. Crush the curry leaves and add them in.
For seasoning, heat the oil in a small pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add the crushed green chili (optional) and immediately pour this over the buttermilk. Mix well.
Recipe for Kosumalli / Kosambri
(Raw Moong Dal and Green Mango Salad)
Ingredients
- Indian yellow moong dal (skinned and split green gram) – ½ cup
- Green chilies – 2
- Grated coconut – 3 tbsp
- Raw mango – ½, grated
- Cucumber – ½, finely chopped
- Salt – to taste
For seasoning:
- Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
- Green chili – 1, crushed (optional)
- Oil – 1 tsp
- Asafoetida – a pinch
- Chopped cilantro – a handful
Method
Wash and soak the moong dal for about 30 minutes, until it softens slightly. Drain well. Add salt, chopped cucumber, grated mango, and coconut. Mix gently.
For seasoning, heat the oil, add mustard seeds, and allow them to splutter. Add the crushed green chili and asafoetida, then pour the seasoning over the salad. Garnish with chopped cilantro. You may add 1 tsp lemon juice if needed.
