Nag Panchami is special to Vaishali and Parag Joshi's household in Vasco, a joint family steeped in custom and gracious hospitality. Here, they share with us some traditional recipes.

Moonga Gaathi

(Bean sprout preparation)

Serves: Six

Time required: 25 minutes plus preparation time

1/2 kg sprouted green grams (moong)

6 green chillies, slit lengthwise

1 coconut

marble-sized ball of tamarind

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp roasted coriander powder

salt and jaggery to taste

oil for seasoning

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)

7 to 8 curry leaves

In a deep saucepan, cover the sprouted moong with sufficient water. Add the slit green chillies and cook on medium heat till soft.

Grate the coconut. Take the first and the second extraction from half the grated coconut. Grind the other half with the tamarind and turmeric powder. Add this ground coconut mix, along with coriander powder, salt and jaggery to the cooked moong and bring to a boil. Add the coconut juice. Take off the heat and keep aside.

In a small vessel, heat a little oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves and pour this into the moong. Mix well and serve hot.

Ambaddeachi Uddamethi

(Hog plum curry)

Serves: Six

Time required: 20 minutes plus preparation time

4 - 5 ambades (hog plums)

2 cups grated coconut

4 peppercorns

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

oil

1 tsp urad dal

1 tsp fenugreek (methi seeds)

5 to 6 curry leaves

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

a pinch of asafoetida (hing)

lemon-sized ball of jaggery

salt to taste

Peel the Ambaddes. Set aside.

Take the first and second extraction of the coconut milk of one cup of the grated coconut. Set aside. In a mixer, add the other cup of grated coconut, along with the peppercorns, turmeric and chilli powders and grind to a fine paste.

Heat a little oil in a small pan, and when hot, add the urad dal and fenugreek. When brown, add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds pop, add a little water and the ambades. Add the jaggery and salt. Add the thin coconut milk and cook. When done, add the ground coconut paste and bring it to a boil. Add the thick coconut milk, stir and immediately remove from heat.

Serve with rice.

Kakdichi Karam

(Cucumber salad)

Serves: Six

Time required: 15 minutes

2 cups cucumber pieces

2 green chillies, chopped

2 g tamarind

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/2 tsp roasted mustard seed powder

2 strings coriander leaves, chopped

salt and jaggery to taste

Grind together the green chillies, tamarind, grated coconut, mustard powder, coriander leaves, salt and jaggery, along with a little water to form a fine paste. Mix the paste into the cucumber pieces and serve immediately.

Pattolio

(Rice flour sweet)

Serves: Six

Time required: 25 minutes

• 1/2 kg rice flour

• a pinch of salt

• 1 coconut, freshly grated

• 1/2 cup jaggery

• 1 tsp cardamom powder

• 6 turmeric leaves

Soak the rice flour in enough water to make into a soft paste. Add the salt. Set aside. Add the jaggery and cardamon powder to the grated coconut. Mix well. Take a turmeric leaf. Spread out some flour paste on it. Put a spoon full of coconut filling in the centre. Turn over the flap and press to seal the edges. Repeat the procedure for other pattolios.

Pressure cook for 10-15 minutes and serve hot.

Chana Dal Saar

(Chana dal gravy)

Serves: Six

Time required: 20 minutes

2 cups chana dal stock (left over from the puran kadbu - recipe follows)

1 cup grated coconut

oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)

2 green chillies, finely chopped

10-12 curry leaves

salt and jaggery to taste

Grind the coconut and extract the first and second juice. Set aside. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, asafoetida, green chillies and curry leaves. Sauté. Add the chana dal stock, add the thin coconut milk, salt and jaggery and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and add the thick coconut milk. Remove after one minute. Serve hot.

Puran Kadbu

(A sweet-stuffed savoury)

Serves: Six

Time required: 30 minutes

For the stuffing:

2 cups chana dal

2 cups jaggery

1/2 nutmeg, grated

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

For the covering:

2 cups flour

2 tbsp oil

a pinch of salt

To prepare the stuffing

Add four cups of water to the chana dal and cook till tender. Set aside. When cool, drain the water completely. (Set aside this chana dal stock). Add the jaggery and cook on low heat till it melts. Mix well with a big spoon and add nutmeg and cardamom powder.

To prepare the covering

Add the oil to the flour. Mix well. Add a pinch of salt and make a hard dough. Divide into 18 equal parts. Roll each into a square shape, put a little of the stuffing mixture in the centre and seal from all four sides. This is the kadbu. Grease a sieve, place the kadbus on it and steam for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve piping hot with pure ghee.

Up Close With The Naga

Since vedic times, Nag Panchami (the snake festival) has been celebrated all over the country on the fifth day of the Hindu month of 'Shravan' since Vedic times. On this day, people, especially farmers, worship the cobra (Nag) as snakes play an extremely important role in the protection of crops. Snakes eat rats and other rodents, which usually infect the crops. On this day, women worship the cobra and at places where there are no cobras, people make the offering to clay idols of the snake.

Flashback: Long ago, there was a farmer who killed some baby cobras when his plough accidentally hit upon a snake hole. The mother snake was away and she was furious at the sight that greeted her upon her return. To avenge her children's death, the mother snake is believed to have killed the farmer's entire family. However, the farmer had a daughter who was married and lived in another town with her family. The mother snake then went to her home to kill her. Today, it is a custom not to use any tools or implements on Nag Panchami.

The Joshi Tradition

t was in 1899, on the sixth day of 'Shravan' that the idol of Shree Damodar was established in the Joshi household, which houses a temple in honour of the deity. Shree Damodar, being the 'Gramdevata' (God of the town) of Vasco, the entire town celebrates this foundation day every year. A 24-hour non-stop 'bhajan' festival is the highlight of the celebration along with a 'mela' on the street. As a prelude to this festival, a Maharudra pooja is performed on Nagpanchami day. About 30 to 40 Brahmins are invited to perform this ritual. The household reverberates with the chanting of the Rudra.