Tamil Brahmins are proudly the owners of one of the most traditional wedding ceremonies in the country. Their weddings are packed with 3 days of fun filled rituals. From the Vrutham to the Grihapravesh every ritual is an age old practice and has a latent significance to it.
The Kattu Sadam ritual
What is this Kattu Sadam ritual? In olden days where transportation had not flourished, the groom and his family had to travel for days to take the bride back to their hometown. The bride’s family send them off with an elaborate feast and also packed food for them to be eaten on the way. Thus came in the practice of ‘Kattu Sadam” which literally means “packed food”.
Kattu Sadam Ritual – Today
In modern times, there is absolutely no need for food to be carried along no matter how far you have to travel. But Tamil Brahmins still retain this practice as a part of their wedding celebration thus showing their respect to ancestral rituals. However the practice has taken its own course of transformation and planning the Kattu Sadam menu for the daughter is even outsourced to caterers in some cases.
Nevertheless, here are a few inclusions to the “Kattu Sadam Koodai” that can make it an ideal one.
The Puliogare
The Puliogare is one of the typical Brahmin dishes and is savoured by the young and the old alike. One of the best advantages of the dish is that when stored appropriately it can stay edible for almost a month. Though a classic dish, every Brahmin home has a unique style and set of ingredients to season the dish. Mothers send the Puliogare with the daughters as a reminder of their own cooking. Other types of rice dishes such as coconut rice, lemon rice, sesame rice and tomato rice can also be added to the menu.
Sweets
Sweets are loved by one and all and sweets are also an important component of any marriage menu. They symbolize the happiness of the families and denote a sweet beginning for the young couple. For the Kattu Sadam menu, choose sweets made without milk as they can stay unspoilt for a few extra days.
Chapatti and subzi
Tamil Matrimony celebrations are almost an overload of rice in every other form. Serving chapattis with the groom’s favourite subzis would be a good idea for the Kattu Sadam ritual. While you add more variety to the feast you also tend to make your son-in-law a happier person.
Kalyana Rasam
Marriages often leave you with a troubled stomach. Thanks to all the “bakshanams”! The natural and easy way to stir your stomach clear and comfortable is by serving the “Kalyana Rasam”. The Rasam is a traditional soup made with Indian spices that help in the digestion of food. The aromatic soup is healthy and is also a tasty addition to the Kattu Sadam Koodai.
While this compilation is only a fair idea of putting together an ideal Kattu Sadam Koodai, the bride’s family can get creative and go out of the beaten path to make is a splendid one