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karadayan nombu adai
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5 from 48 votes

Karadayan Nombu Adai | Vellam And Uppu Adai

Karadayan nombu is a major Tamil festival celebrated during the Tamil month of ‘Masi’. This is also known as the ‘Savithri Vratham’ or ‘Savithri Nombu'. Karadaiyan Nombu Adai is the neivedhiyam for this festival.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dessert, sweets
Cuisine: Indian, South Indian, Tamil Nadu
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 20 Adai
Calories: 136kcal

Equipment

  • pan

Ingredients

For Karadayan Nombu Vellam Adai / Sweet adai

  • 1 cup Rice flour
  • 1 cup Vellam/jaggery
  • ¼ cup Karamani Black-eyed peas
  • ½ cup Coconut Grated or finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Elaichi powder/cardamom powder
  • ¾ cup Water

For Karadayan Nombu uppu Adai / Salt adai

  • 1 cup Rice flour
  • ¼ cup Karamani Black-eyed peas
  • ½ cup Coconut Grated or finely chopped
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 Green chilies
  • 2 Red chilies
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • 2 tbsp. Oil
  • few Curry leaves
  • ½ teaspoon Asafetida
  • to taste Salt

Instructions

For Karadayan Nombu Vellam Adai / Sweet adai

  • Fry the rice flour very well until the color slightly changes to pinkish red. For both the sweet and the salt adai, we need to fry the flour, so fry 2 cups of rice flour and then split it. Traditionally raw rice is washed, dried and then ground to rice flour, but it works equally as well using the rice flour.
  • Dry roast the karamani to reddish color and then soak it overnight in water. Then pressure cooks it and keep aside. This step is also common for both the adais.
  • In a heavy bottom pan, melt the jaggery in the water and let it come to a boil. To this add the coconut, karamani, elaichi powder and then the rice flour and mix well to form dough. The dough should not be too wet. If so add more rice flour. The dough should appear slightly crumbly. At this stage take it off the flame, cover it and keep aside. Once it cools down a bit, mix it well using hands. At this stage to bring the dough together a little bit of hot water could be sprinkled.
  • Make balls out of the dough and flatten it in between the palms and make a dent in the center. Steam the adais in greased idli plates for about 12-14 mins. Once taken out of the cooker, they should appear glossy. The adais are very soft and fragile right after they come out of the cooker. Let it rest for few minutes and then remove them.

For Karadaiyan Nombu Uppu Adai / Salt adai

  • Fry the rice flour very well until the color slightly changes to pinkish red. For both the sweet and the salt adai, we need to fry the flour, so fry 2 cups of rice flour and then split it. Traditionally raw rice is washed, dried and then ground to rice flour, but it works equally as well using the rice flour.
  • Dry roast the karamani to reddish color and then soak it overnight in water. Then pressure cook it and keep aside. This step is also common for both the adais.
  • Add oil and fry the seasonings (Mustard seeds, red chilies, green chilies, curry leaves and asafetida). Add around 1 ¼ cup of water and let it boil well. Once the water boils add the coconut and the karamani along with salt. Then add the rice flour and mix it well. Take it off the flame and cover the dough and leave it aside for few minutes.
  • Once the dough cools down a bit, bring it together using hands. Make balls out of the dough and flatten it between the palms. Make a dent in the middle and steam it the same way, we steamed the sweet adais. The salt adai does not need as much time as the sweet adai to cook. It should be ready in about 10 mins. Let it rest for few minutes and then remove it carefully.
  • Serve the adais with dollop of butter.

Notes

Expert tips
  • Using homemade rice flour from soaking and grinding the rice gives a very authentic flavor and texture. I have had good luck with the rice flour here in the US. We can use Idiyappam flour as well to get soft adai.
  • Roasting the karamani / black eyed peas, gives it a very distinct flavor to the adai. I would highly suggest that you patiently roast it.
  • My mother always used chopped small pieces of coconut in the adai. This gives a lovely crunch and a burst of fresh flavor.
  • The adais are very fragile right after they are done steaming. So let them rest for few minutes before removing it from the steamer plate.
  • Serve the karadaiyan nombu adai with butter. This is one day when I would not hold back on the butter as they taste the best with butter.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg