Down memory lane
I was awakened by the sound of the wind and the leaves rustling and the squirrels running on the rooftop.The north wind is at play I say to myself, as I get out of bed and walk over to the window,I can see the leaves on my neighbors palm tree swaying in the breeze.As I stood looking at that palm tree I am transported back in time ,I see myself as a child running home from church waving a palm and clutching a palm cross tightly in my hands."June wake up it is time to go help out in the church,crosses need to be made and the church needs to be cleaned"my mother says..I roll over in my bed,Oh! not today I say to myself.I just want to sleep,why do I have to go and help.Thinking my mom had left the room, I try to get a few more winks, but I hear her voice again,"wake up, you are going to be late.Reluctantly I wake up, get dressed and walk to the church hoping some of my friends would be there.
As I approach the church I see a few old ladies huddled around a whole bunch of palms.Where are all the young people? I ask myself, I look around me, my friend Rani & Grace are not there, one of the ladies beckon me"come here she says,"are you here to help make crosses? I nod my head "Yes,but I really don't know how". "don't be afraid",the lady says,it is very easy and I will show you how. She first strips the palm, then cuts it into six inch strips,takes two strips crosses them over and over and before you know it a beautiful cross was made.I never ever thought I would be able to make a cross, but after many tries and bruised fingers I eventually learned to make one.I was so excited and tried to make as many as I could.All the crosses were put in a basket and some of the palms were placed in a pail of water.
Next came the task of polishing all the brass crosses and signs in the church.As I polished them I would read the "In memoriam signs and think of all the people who had been a part of this church."Mom" I called out,when I got home, see what I made.I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out a cross,I was so proud of myself,I had learned to make a cross and had made quite a few of them.
As I stand looking out of the window, I can almost taste the smell the sweet mixture of the coconut and jaggery coming from the kitchen.Then I hear my mothers voice in the distance"June it is palm Sunday, time for breakfast","Mom I will be there" I say and turn around, alas! it is the year 2008, I am not at home in India but in Simi valley California.For a brief moment it was really nice to have gone back in time .
Do any of you have palm Sunday memories to share?
Here is the recipe for the dumplings. Mom used to make this every palm sunday for breakfast.
COCONUT DUMPLINGS
Mix together:
4 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
1 Tbsp sugar or jaggery (brown sugar)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder ,use less if you want only a mild flavor.
In a separate bowl, mix: 1 c. rice flour,salt to taste and enough water to make a dough.
Form a dough from the rice flour and water.
When formed, coat your hand with extra flour to prevent sticking, and take a ping-pong sized ball of dough and flatten.the size of a Puri.
Place about a marble-sized amount of the coconut mixture in the middle of the dough. Fold over and crimp the edges making a seal.
Repeat the above until all of the rice flour dough is used.
Steam the dumplings for 10 minutes. Delicious for breakfast or with afternoon tea.It is a specialty of Kerala, and in Malayalam it is called "kazhikutta."
HOW TO MAKE PALM CROSSES
(courtesy of www.geocities.com/salvarolac/craft01b.html)
START with a long vertical strip of palm as shown in the upper left drawing.
Step 1 - Make a diagonal fold near the middle of the strip so that the top part of the strip extends out to the right.
Step 2 - Fold C over B so that the top of strip extends to the left.
Step 3 - Fold C end under B so that top of strip extends to the right again.
Step 4 - Fold A under B and through slot and pull tight (shape looks almost the same but B now has more slots).
Step 5 - Bring A end up and through bottom slot at B and pull half way through and tuck A into top slot at B.
Step 6 - Bring C end over and through right slot at B and pull half way through and tuck C into left slot at B.
In step 4 be sure to pull end A all the way through, snug and tight but gently. It is this step that creates the flat knot that has the slots you will use in steps 5 and 6. When you have completed step 6, push/pull to adjust the limbs of the cross and shape it.
The size of the cross depends on the size of the palm strip that you use.
Example: A palm strip size 13" long x 1/2 " wide, will create a cross that is approximately 2 1/2 inches tall.
You can pin the small palm crosses on your lapel. Larger crosses can hang on the frames of religious pictures, statues, grave stones, etc... in a place of respect because the palms have been blessed.
The "palm cross" helps us to remember the sacrifice of the Easter Passion, throughout the year. Please, share this activity with your children as a way of celebrating Palm Sunday and pass on the tradition into the millenium.
