Maa vilakku is a traditional edible rice flour lamp or maavilakku made during karthigai deepam or festive occasions like aadi velli, thai masam, vilakku poojai. It is a edible play dough like dough made with rice flour, jaggery, cardamom and ghee. The dough is filled with ghee or oil and Vilakku Thiri (lamp wicks) is placed to light on special occasions.
Maa Vilakku Maavu Recipe
When we were little we used to attend vilakku poojai with Amma and Aachi in near by temple every month. We used to make this maa vilakku during that time and worship the vilakku(lamp) by doing flower archanai. This is a tradition followed till now.
But now I couldn't visit temple often and do these traditions because of busy schedule. But these childhood memories stay with me forever. Since this is aadi month, I though of sharing vilakku maavu so it may be helpful for many.
About Maavilakku Mavu
Maa vilakku is a traditional edible lamp made with rice flour, jaggery, cardamom and ghee. The mixture is combined to form a play doh like dough and shape into a vilakku.
The dough is filled with ghee or oil and Vilakku Thiri (lamp wicks) is placed to light on special occasions. You can make this for any festive occasion like karthigai deepam, aadi velli, thai masam, vilakku poojai.
Once the occasion is done, the dough is consumed as prasadham. It is a century old traditional followed even today in many South Indian homes.
The recipe which I have shared here is my amma's. She makes it every week. She told me that traditionally maa vilakku maavu is crushed in an ural (stone crusher) till you get dough. But in modern world, it is easy to make in a blender.
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Ingredients
- Rice Flour - rice flour is used for making the dough. Roast the rice flour slightly for aroma. You can use fresh riceflour or storebought.
- Jaggery - since we are grinding the jaggery with the rice flour, it is important to use good quality pure jaggery.
- Ghee - you need to add ghee little at a time to shape the dough.
- Cardamom powder - a pinch of cardamom enhances the taste. You can use dry ginger powder also.
Step by Step Pictures
1)If you have roasted rice flour, you can add them directly. Else you have to dry roast rice flour till aromatic and use in this recipe. First lets grind rice flour and jaggery together. Take roasted rice flour in a blender.
2)Add in crushed jaggery and cardamom powder. You can also add some dry ginger powder in this.
3)Pulse this multiple times to combine the jaggery into the rice flour. The jaggery and rice flour should be combined completely.
4)Now take this mixture in a mixing bowl. Start adding ghee. You might to need little at a time to combine. You can melt the ghee lightly before adding.
5)Use your hands to combine the ghee into the flour really well.
6)If the mixture looks dry and not coming together into a dough. Add more ghee and mix until a dough is formed.
7)The dough should be soft and pliable like play dough. it shouldn't crack. If it is too dry and hard, add more ghee and mix.
8)Now place the dough on a banana leaf. Use a cup to make an intent in the center of the dough.
9)Decorate it with turmeric and kum kum. Now Fill the intent with ghee or sesame oil.
10) Place a lamb wick or vilakku thiri and light.
11)Maavilakku is ready.
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Maa Vilakku Maavu Recipe (Maavilakku Recipe, How to Make Vilakku Mavu)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Roasted Rice Flour
- ¾ cup Jaggery crushed
- ¼ cup Ghee
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
For Lighting Vilakku
- 2 tablespoon Sesame Oil or Ghee
- 1 no Vilakku Thiri (Lamp wicks)
Instructions
- Start by blending the ingredients. Take rice flour, jaggery and cardamom in a blender and powder it finely. You have to break the jaggery into small pieces before adding into the blender. No need to add any water, grind them without adding water.
- Now take the mixture in a mixing bowl. Start adding ghee little at a time and mix well using your hands. The moisture from the ghee and jaggery will combine to form into a dough like. The dough should be soft and supple. So add ghee accordingly.
- If the dough is hard, you might need to add more ghee. Because as you rest the dough, the dough will dry out.
- Now lets make the vilakku. Take the dough and place on a banana leaf. Use a cup to make a intent in the center. Fill the intent with sesame oil or ghee, put a vilakku tiri or wick and light it.
- You can make this for any festive occasion like karthigai deepam, aadi velli, thai masam, vilakku poojai.
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