Kaaradiya Nombu

Mum called Friday evening, to remind me to celebrate, (rather, do the cursory pooja at least!!) on Saturday evening. Since I am housebound with baby, my friend V enthusiastically agreed to get the nombu sharadu's for both of us, while I, with equal vigour agreed to make the adai/kozhakattais! Little did either of us remember that we stayed in the boondocks and not anywhere close to civilisation or Malleshwaram!

My mum promptly sent me recipes for the adai by email, which she seems to be perfecting (the email i.e.) Thanks mom.

So when I was in the midst of stirring the maavu mixture, V called to say she couldn't find the sharadu anywhere in this gaon, not even the Vaishnavite temple around the corner where they offered poonals instead!! So Whatever!!!!!!

So, we aborted the elaborate pooja plan, made our respective sweets and ate them! The sweet adai came out awesome, if I may say so myself.

Sweet adai/kozhakattai:

1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup powdered/grated jaggery
1/4 cup coconut ( I used a mixture of grated and chopped coconut for an interesting texture)
1 tsp elaichi/ cardamom powder
3 tbsp chauli/karamani/black eyed beans
2-2 1/2 cups hot water

Roast the karamani in a tsp of oil till it starts browning. Keep aside
Roast the rice till it turns reddish and keep aside
Boil the water in a heavy bottomed pan or kadai. Add everything except the roast rice. The rice should be added little by little and stirred briskly to prevent lumps. Once all the rice is added, simmer for a minute so that everything is mixed well. The result should be a thick paste. Let this mixture cool.

Then dab some oil on your palms and make mini rolls from this mixture- almost similar to tiny sausages ( appalling comparison, I know). Then steam this roll in the cooker on idli plates for 10-12 mins. Voila! Your adai is ready to be gobbled with a glob of vennai or unsalted butter as a dip!

P.S.: Amma, We did the whole pooja properly, except for tying the threads! Sorry about that.