MAA VILAKKU–MAAVILAKKU MAAVU RECIPE | KARTHIGAI DEEPAM RECIPES

Maa vilakku (Rice flour Lamp in English) is a must and should neivedyam recipe in all our households for karthigai deepam.My mom and mil makes different offerings to God for karthigai deepam but offering maavilakku maavu is a common practice for both of them.Not only for karthigai deepam , we make it during tamil month aadi ,thai and purattasi sani.Actually maavilakku maavu(Edible rice flour lamp) has to be  made by mixing  jaggery with home made wet rice flour. My MIL follows this procedure. But my mom makes it very simple using store bought rice flour. It can be done in minutes.Though i follow my mil’s procedure, i thought of sharing my mom’s easy version first in my blog.I have shared some tips and tricks from my mom to make a perfectly shaped maavilakku without losing its shape.For people who are not able to soak and grind the raw rice, this version would be useful.Do try this easy maavilakku maavu recipe and let me know your feedback.
I wish u all a very happy karthigai deepam, enjoy the festival of lights .

Do check out my other Karthigai Deepam Recipes too.

Maavilakku recipe

Maavilakku maavu recipe using store bought rice flour for karthigai deepam.It can be done in minutes.

Cuisine: Indian Category: Sweet Yields: Serves 2

Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 5 Minutes Total Time: 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

To make the flour/maavu Store bought rice flour - 1/2 cup Grated jaggery – 1/2 cup Ghee – 2 tbsp (6 tsp, unmelted,thick ghee) Honey - 1/2 tbsp ( 1.5 tsp) Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp To make lamp Thread/thirinool - 1 no Ghee - 2 tsp(melted) Kumkum and turmeric - little

METHOD

Take the rice flour and grated jaggery in a mixie jar.Pulse it 3-4 times.Do not grind continuously.But make sure,they are mixed well without any lumps. ( I got this tip from sharmi’s blog, thank u sharmi .)As the rice flour is dry , it will absorb all the water from jaggery. Remove in a plate. Make a dent and add the thick,unmelted ghee.(The key here is if u use melted ghee,u can shape it easily but later on as the ghee hardens, maavilakku will also become hard.So if u use unmelted ghee, maavilakku will stay soft without losing its shape and taste)Initially add 1 tbsp and mix well.Again add 1/2 tbsp more ,mix well. Add 1.5 tsp honey and mix well. Try to make a ball. Roll it tight between two hands. If it cracks, seal it with fingers. As you roll tight, jaggery will melt because of the heat of your hands and it will make a smooth ball.  Make a smooth ball without cracks. Make a small dent in the center using your pointer finger for pouring ghee. Seal with fingers if any crack appears.( I used overall 2 tbsp unmelted ghee) Apply turmeric and kumkum on all the sides .Put the thread and lit the lamp.Keep a flower nearby and offer to God.

Note

Maavilakku stays good for  a week in room temperature.I have seen people keeping it for months by freezing it. When u freeze the dough, bring it to room temperature before u consume. My mom never use water or milk to make the dough as it reduces the shelf life. But if  you are concerned about adding ghee OR if you can consume it immediately, you can add water or milk to make the dough. You can add more honey if you want to reduce ghee. But reduce the quantity of jaggery accordingly.  Using unmelted , paste like ghee is more important for maavilakku to hold its shape for long time. If you add more jaggery , it may leave water and maa vilakku will lose its shape. For making home made wet rice flour,wash and soak the raw rice/maavu arisi for 30 minutes.Drain the water and spread it on a paper for few minutes. Remove and powder it nicely.Sieve the flour and proceed as mentioned above.To see the step by step pictures , please click this link.Remember if you are using homemade rice flour, quantity of jaggery and ghee used would be less.

Enjoy maavilakku with chopped coconut pieces.Tastes heavenly

Technorati Tags: Maavilakku recipe,maavilakku,maavilakku maavu,maavilakku maavu recipe,Karthigai deepam recipes,karthigai deepam festival recipes,karthigai deepam special recipe,Karthigai deepam 2013