A - Z Karnataka Recipe Series ~ P for Panchakajjaya

So far in my 'A - Z' Karnataka Recipe Series,

A - Akki Halbai
B - Biscuit Roti
C - Congress Kadalekayi
D - Davanagere Benne Dose
E - Ellu Pajji
F - Field Beans / Avarekalu Payasa
G - Girmit
H - Hitakida Avarekalu Huli
I - Iyengar Bakery Style Masala Toast
J - Jolada Vade
K - Kumbalakayi Idli
L - Limbe Hannina Gojju
M - Mysore Pak

N - Nuchinunde
O - Oodhalina Bisibele Bhath

Some of the dishes like patrode, paradi payasa and pundi gatti that come from the Mangalore - Udupi regions would have aptly suited for today's alphabet 'P'. (Of course, there are various regional versions of the same across the country.) And there are several other dishes from the state with Konkani names which I am not listing here.

* Patrode - A steamed snack of colocasia / taro leaves smeared with a spicy batter.
* Paradi Payasa - A traditional payasa from Udupi - Mangalore region. A thick batter of rice flour is passed through a perforated ladle and the droplets are cooked in water first and then in coconut milk and jaggery.
* Pundi gatti - A steamed rice based dumpling.
* Paddu - A breakfast / snack item which is typical to south India and known by other names as such as ponganalu / paniyaram.
* Anything cooked using padavalakayi (snake gourd), palak soppu (spinach) or parangi kayi (raw papaya) would have suited the purpose too. While parangi hannu is papaya fruit and perale hannu is another name for guava fruit which is usually called chepe hannu.

I opted to go with a very traditional recipe of the region called  panchakajjaya that is served as naivedya (offering to god) to Lord Ganesha. It has nothing to do with kajjaya, another traditional sweet dish made with rice flour and jaggery also called arise / athirasam / adhirasam in other regional languages. As the name indicates, panchakajjya is made with 'pancha' or five base ingredients that can be made in no time. The humble combination of coconut, jaggery, sesame seeds, cardamom and powdered split chick peas used in the recipe is delicious and somehow even my  daughter who usually stays away from sweet dishes loved it.

This rustic and delicious sweet dish can be made with split chick peas (chana dal) or moong dal or even using beaten rice flakes aka poha as the base ingredient. The sweetener can be either powdered jaggery or powdered sugar. Freshly grated coconut is obviously used since it is offered as naivedya but in case, thaw if using frozen coconut. Just nuke the frozen coconut in a microwave for a minute and you would be ready to go. White or black sesame seeds can be used in the recipe but many usually avoid black ones if using for auspicious occasions. Ghee can be skipped in case one is vegan. And chopped nuts can also be added if one wishes to do so.

Panchakajjaya cannot be stored longer since fresh coconut is being used in the recipe. However there are versions where dried coconut can be used and a syrup of jaggery is prepared to bind the mixture so that it can be stored for longer periods. I have also seen some calling a ground mixture of coconut, sugar and cardamom as panchakajjaya. The local Ganesha temple back home at my mom's place always make a yellow hued karjikayi (because of addition of turmeric to the outer dough) with that stuffing. They are called panchakajjaya there and given as Sankasthi prasada each month.

 Ingredients:
1/4 cup kadale bele / split chick peas (chana dal)
1/4 cup tengina thuri / fresh grated coconut
1/4 cup bella / jaggery powder 
2 tsp. ellu / white sesame seeds 
1/4 tsp. yelakki / ground cardamom
1 tsp. thuppa / ghee 

Directions:
* Add split chickpeas to a pan and toast on medium heat until they start to change color. Transfer them onto a plate and let them cool. When cool, grind them into a slightly coarse powder or finely.

* Toast sesame seeds on low heat until they slightly brown and let them cool. Pay attention while toasting sesame seeds since they easily burn.

* Add powdered split chickpeas, toasted sesame seeds. grated fresh coconut, jaggery powder, cardamom powder and ghee to a bowl and mix them to combine. 
* Use it as naivedya and eat it immediately. Or the mixture can be refrigerated for a couple of days.

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