The historic and famous Attukal Pongala will take place on Thursday (Mar 13) in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram. The festival is held on the day when the stars Pooram and Pournami (full moon) coincide in the Malayalam month of Kumbham. Along with the traditional Pongala offering, devotees prepare Mandaputtu, a special dish considered the favorite of Attukal Devi. It is believed to have medicinal benefits, especially in relieving ailments like headaches.

The Mandaputtu is shaped like a human head by hand, symbolizing protection from diseases. After shaping, it is steamed to complete the preparation.

Ingredients for Mandaputtu

1. Roasted Green Gram Flour – 2 cups
2. Rice Flour – ½ cup
3. Jaggery – as required
4. Cardamom  – 5 pods
5. Ghee – 2 teaspoons
6. Rock Sugar– as required
7. Raisins – as required
8. Freshly grated coconut  – 1 handful
9. Roasted coconut pieces – as required

Preparation Method:

1. Roast and Powder the Green Gram

Heat a small skillet and dry roast the green grams until they turn a light golden brown. Let them cool completely. Once cooled, grind them into a fine powder. No need to sieve it.

2. Prepare Jaggery Syrup

In a small pan, combine the jaggery with ¼ cup of water. Heat until the jaggery melts completely. Strain the syrup to remove impurities and set it aside.

3 Mix the Dough

In a mixing bowl, combine the green gram powder, rice flour, grated coconut, and cardamom. Add the strained jaggery syrup and mix well. Gradually add more water as needed to make a smooth, pliable dough that can easily be shaped into balls.

4. Prepare the Dry Fruits

In a small pan, heat ghee and fry the raisins (and cashews if using) until the raisins puff up. Pour the fried raisins, cashews, and the ghee into the dough mixture. Mix thoroughly to evenly combine all the ingredients.

5. Shape the Dough

Divide the dough into 9 equal portions. Roll each portion into smooth balls.

6. Steam the Mandaputtu

Place the balls in a steamer and steam for about 20 minutes, or until they turn glossy and are firm to touch.