Aadi the 4th month of the Tamil calendar is a celebrated month and signals the start of all festivals and celebrations. The air is filled with prayers to the divine feminine power… . Shakthi. Let us on this auspicious Friday pray to the supreme Swarnambika to fill the earth plane with health, wealth, and all prosperity. The humble offering for the special day is athirasam/ariselu/anarsa/kajjaya a simple jaggery based traditional sweet… A food fit for the gods and offered as neivedyam both in temples and homes.
The origin of Adirarasm can be traced back to 1509 CE, the days of Krishnadeva Raya. The minimal combination of freshly pounded rice flour and jaggery syrup flavoured with dry ginger and green cardamom with specks of poppy seeds is a delicacy indeed.
Ingredients for Adhirasam Recipe:
- Raw Rice (Maavu Pacharisi) – 1 cup
- Jaggery(Paagu Vellam) – 3/4 cup
- Water – 1/2 cup
- Cardamom crushed – 1/2tsp
- Sesame seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Ghee – 1 tsp
- Oil – for deep frying
Preparation Method:
- Crush jaggery, measure, and take it in a pan. Add water to it
- Heat and stir. Once the jaggery is dissolved strain and set aside.
- Now measure and take the raw rice. Rinse it and. Soak for at least 2 hrs. After 2 hrs spread it in a cloth and air dry for 30mins.
- When there is little moisture transfer it to a mixer jar and grind it to a slightly coarse powder.
- Sieve the powder. Do not discard the coarse particles, grind them again and then sieve.
- Now take the flour, add sesame seeds and cardamom powder to it.
- Heat the jaggery syrup in a pan with constant stirring till it reaches a softball stage.
- Now add the flour and mix into a smooth dough. Transfer to an airtight container and set aside for a day at room temperature.
- The next day grease your palms with ghee and make lemon size balls.
- Pat into circles on a banana leaf or a plastic sheet.
- Deep fry till golden brown
Aadi Special Adhirasam is Ready 🙂
