You know what my Grandma used to say, “If you can make “Adhirasam” well you are half way to becoming a good cook” which I believe is true. Those days the bride’s family took great pride in informing the groom’s side that their daughter can make Adhirasam so well. Such is the importance given to these deep fried delights. It also takes a special place in the “Seer” given to the bride when she leaves for her in-laws home after her marriage and during the “Thalai Diwali”. This is also a special post to my friend, Sangeetha for whom I already posted “Paal Kozhukattai” earlier.
I would have posted it earlier itself but for the reason that I was unable to get hold of “Paagu Vellam” which is traditionally used to make Adhirasam. Unfortunately I get in shops this variety of jaggery which is a bit white in color. The salt content is a bit high and no matter how well you do the taste is just not right at all. I’m able to get “Paagu vellam” the brownish variety only when the festival time nears in shops. So here is the recipe with step by step pics.
Wash and soak the rice for one hour.
Drain the water and spread the rice on a cloth and let it dry for 10 minutes.
When the rice is still damp place the rice in a mixer along with cardamom pods and grind it to a powder. It should be to the consistency of fine sooji / rava.
Spread the flour on a paper and remove any lumps. No need to sieve.
Heat water in a thick bottomed vessel and add the jaggery to it. Mix well and let it dissolve completely.
Pass the jaggery syrup through a sieve. Transfer again to the thick bottomed vessel and let it come to a boil.
When the syrup gets to boil simmer the flame and wait till it starts bubbling and you get the aroma of the jaggery. Start checking for the the string consistency from this stage.
Keep a small bowl of water and add a few drops of the syrup. If the drops settle in the water and you are able to make a ball of the syrup that is the correct consistency. (In tamil it is called as “Uruttu padham”)
Take the vessel off the stove. Add ghee, cardamom powder and mix well. Add the rice flour little by little while mixing it with a ladle. All the flour will be used up. Again place the vessel and simmer the flame. Let the dough cook further for another 10 mins. This step is of course optional. Let the dough cool completely.
Grease a plastic sheet or a plantain leaf with ghee. Take a small lemon sized ball from the dough. Grease your fingers with ghee.
Pat the ball with your fingers into a flat disc. It should neither be thick nor too thin.
Heat oil in a kadai. After it gets hot simmer the flame. Slip the adhirasam into the oil. It will sink initially and will then rise to the top. Flip it to the to the other side and drain and remove excess oil immediately by pressing it with the bottom side of a katori. You can also use an adhirasam kattai for this. Store the adhirasam one next to the other to avoid them sticking together.
Now to some repairing tips: You will get it perfectly if you follow the steps and also the string consistency is very important. Take a small pea sized ball and slip into the oil. If it does not separate and retain its shape then there is no problem. But incase it separates then add 1 tsp of wheat flour for every cup of rice used, mix well and knead and then go ahead. You will get it perfectly.
Notes:
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This is off to my Diwali Special ~ Sweet and Savories
Pari’s Only Sweets & Desserts hosted by Gayathri
Denny & Krithi’s Serve it – Festival Potluck
Reva’s CWS – Rice, a brainchild of Priya
Labels: Deep Fried Delights, Indian Sweets, Neiveidhyam, Rice Recipes
