Maavilakku is rice flour lamp made especially for Puratsai viradham,adi viradham,thai maadham and for karthigai deepam.It is prepared by grinding freshly soaked rice with jaggery ,cardamom and sesame oil.The prepared dough (maavu)is then placed on a banana leaf and lit for neivedhyam.After the ritual(poojai) ,it is offered as prasadham.You can also use store bought rice flour but the homemade flour tastes great.

HAPPY KARTHIGAI DEEPAM

SOAKING TIME : 1 HOUR

DRYING TIME : 30-40 MINS

PREPARATION TIME : 5 MINS

YIELD TWO MEDIUM SIZED LAMP

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup raw rice / pacharisi

1/2 cup jaggery (crushed)

1-2 cardamom

2 tsp sesame oil or GHEE

METHOD

Soak rice for an hour,drain the water completely and spread it in a cloth for 30-40 mins.

Grind while it is still wet in a mixer with cardamom.

Add jaggery and grind well.

Transfer the ground mixture to a mixing bowl.

Add 2 tsp of sesame oil and let it rest for 10 mins to allow the mixture to leave some water for easy kneading.

Make a soft dough out of the ground mixture.The moisture in the mixture helps in kneading the dough.Divide the dough into two equal parts and transfer it to a banana leaf .Make a small dent in the middle of the divided dough.

Apply turmeric and kum kum,add ghee or sesame oil in the dent and place the thiri(wick).

Maavilakku is ready for neivedhyam.