Share
On the occasion of Ram Navami, many auspicious dishes are offered to the avatar of Lord Vishnu for his blessings. Dedicated Lord Ram, the ancient king of Ayodhya, Ram Navami is celebrated with foods that are either white or yellow in colour based on the purity factor. Keeping this in mind, one of the many beverages offered to the deity on this day, apart from Panchamrit, is the buttermilk-based, white-coloured Neer Mor.
Originating in the state of Tamil Nadu, Neer Mor is a traditional drink made of the thinner version of yoghurt, buttermilk. In Tamil, Neer means water and Mor means buttermilk, so the Neer Mor drink is basically a watery buttermilk which is tempered with sattvik spices. The beverage is especially prepared during the festival of Ram Navami and offered to Lord Ram as naivedyam or prasad. It is only after Lord Ram has had a bhog of this drink that it is offered to family and friends.
To be fair, Neer Mor isn’t the only version of buttermilk offered as naivedyam during Ram Navami. Known as Majjiga in Telugu and Sambaram in Malayalam, this simple drink is also consumed in Maharashtra as Taak. The reason behind the immense popularity of this beverage, especially during summers, is simple. Because Neer Mor is made of buttermilk and water, it is extremely hydrating. This makes the drink very effective during the hot summer months people across the Indian subcontinent endure.
In addition, buttermilk—because it is made of yoghurt—also has probiotic and prebiotic properties. This means the drink not only hydrates the body but also cools the stomach down, reduces the risk of acidity, improves gut flora, flushes out toxic microbes and has, overall, a very beneficial impact on the entire digestive system. What’s more, the tempering used in Neer Mor also improves its electrolyte and calcium content, making it a truly cooling, refreshing and detoxifying drink.
So, if you are celebrating Ram Navami today, then this beverage is a must. And beyond that, as summer peaks slowly from now onwards, having the Neer Mor recipe in your kitty can only benefit you during the hot weather. Here’s the simple Neer More recipe for you to try at home.
Image used for representative purpose only. Image courtesy: sublimerecipes.com
Ingredients:
1 cup yoghurt
1.5 cups water
½ tsp ginger, grated
½ tsp green chilli, finely chopped
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tbsp coriander leaves
Rock salt, to taste
For the tempering:-
1 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
Method:
1. Place the yoghurt, ginger, green chilli, curry leaves, coriander leaves and salt in a blender jar.
2. Grind everything till you get a homogenous, thick paste.
3. Transfer the yoghurt mix in a jar, then add water and mix well.
4. To make the tempering, heat the sesame oil in a small pot.
5. Add the mustard seeds and asafoetida.
6. Once the tempering stops spluttering, pour it into the Neer Mor jar.
7. Mix well and offer it to the gods first and then have it as prasad.
8. Alternatively, you can also chill it and have it as a summer drink.
