KARADIYAN NOMBU ADAI - VELLA ADAI(SWEET) - UPPU ADAI(SALT)
Karadaiyan Nombu is a festival of special significance to married women all over Tamil Nadu. This is observed for their respective and prospective husband’s well being and that the couples should remain together always.This is celebrated at the conjunction of the Tamil months Maasi and Panguni. It is to remember the great battle won by Savithri - a mythological character - over the God of Death - Yama, not by arms or ammunitions but by her clever arguments to regain her husband’s life. On this day, two special dishes are made and offered to the Lord. One is a savory signifying Lord Siva and the other one is a sweet signifying Goddess Shakti.(Karadais and vella adais are specially made for the occasion with rice flour,jaggery and Maharani). The adais are then placed on the plantain leaves along with 'Vennai'. The married women and young girls wear yellow robes and pray to Hindu goddesses for long lives for their husbands. Girls start this practice very young; they wear a yellow robe on this day from the time they are just one year old so they will find a good husband in the future .
This can be also had as a tiffin on regular days. Today we will learn how to make Karadaiyan Nombu adai both sweet and savory version.
TO PREPARE RICE FLOUR :
Preparation Time : 1 hour | Yields : 2 1/2 cups rice flour
Ingredients :
Raw Rice / Sona Masoori / Basmati - 2 cups
Steps :
1. Rinse the raw rice in water couple of times. Then add fresh water to the raw rice to soak them well and leave the raw rice to get soaked for two hours. After that, drain the water from rice and spread it in a clean white towel to get it dried. It could take 20 minutes to get dried. If you take the rice in your hand, you should feel damp in your palm or fingers . It should not be too dry. Add the rice immediately to the blender.
2. Grind the rice in the mixer to a nice powder. Sieve it couple of time to get a smooth rice flour. If we get any lumps while we sieve, again add the lumps of rice flour to the mixer and grind it again to a smooth flour and again sieve it. Repeat the sieve process again and again till we get a smooth and nice rice flour.
3. Then roast that rice flour in medium flame until you get a sandy texture. There should not be any moisture in the flour. If you draw kolam with flour. It should be easy to draw. Then sieve the flour once again. Rice flour is ready to make adai.
COOK KARAMANI TO USE BOTH SWEET AND SALT ADAI :
Dry roast karamani till slightly golden color.Soak it in water for 30mints. Cook karamani till soft but not marshy.
TO PREPARE SWEET ADAI :
Cooking Time : 30 mints | Yields - 18 sweet adai
Ingredients :
Homemade Rice flour – 1.5 cup
Jaggery – 1.5 cup
Karamani(Black eyed peas)– 4 tbspn ( cooked )
Water – 3.25 cups
Coconut pieces – 2 tbspn
Cardamom powder – 1 tspn
Method :
1. Add the jaggery and water together in a kadai. Allow it to boil and dissolve the jaggery completely.Then strain to remove impurities.
2. Heat up the jaggery syrup in a pan, add cardamom powder, karamani and coconut pieces. Allow it to boil.
3. Once it starts to bubble add the rice flour in a sprinkled way, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Once it gets together leaving the sides. Switch off and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
4.Once its cooled down , take a medium sized ball. Grease your hands with oil. Flatten it with your palm,and make a hole in the center. Repeat the same until the entire dough finishes off.Arrange in oil greased idli plates and steam it for 10mins.
TO PREPARE SALT ADAI :
Cooking Time : 20mints | Yields - 12 salt adai
Ingredients :
Oil -3 tsp Hing - a generous pinch Mustard -3/4 tsp Ginger 1 inch piece finely chopped Green chili - 2 finely chopped Curry leaves -few
Rice flour - 1 cup Water - 2 cups Coconut pieces – 2 tbspn Karamani(Black eyed peas)– 4 tbspn ( cooked )
Method :
1. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds . Allow it to pop then add the ginger,g.chili,curry leaves . Then add water,required salt,hing,cooked karamani and coconut pieces and let it boil.
2. Once it starts boiling add rice flour in a sprinkled way, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Once it gets together , transfer to another bowl, let it cool down.
3. Once its cooled down , take a medium sized ball. Grease your hands with oil. Flatten it with your palm,and make a hole in the center. Repeat the same until the entire dough finishes off.Arrange in oil greased idli plates and steam it for 10mins.
Sweet Adai & Salt Adai is ready . Serve it with Butter..!!
My Notes :
1. You can even add grated coconut instead of coconut pieces.
2. If the dough becomes dry, while making balls sprinkle little water to avoid cracks.
3. Instead of cooking karamani in open pan you can also pressure cook it for 1 whistle.
4. You can cover the dough with a wet cloth to avoid drying till you make the adai.
5. Instead of making rice flour you can also use store bought rice flour or idiyappam flour.
6. To make the flour, use maavu arisi . It yields you good rice flour.
