Sunday, March 12, 2017

Posted by Mala at 1:00:00 AM 3 comments
 Karadaiyan Nonbu..........celebrated with so much devotion and sincerity in each and every Brahmin Household......women clad in 9 yards saris,  praying for the longevity of their husbands and their welfare whilst unmarried girls pray that they should be blessed with a good husband. This festival is also called Savitri Nonbu.....since, Savitri fought with Yama dharma raja for her husband Satyavan's life.....I assume, these adais got this name, may be because they were made with Kaar arisi, a variety of rice.
 And one more important factor......Women's day is just over...and this Festival emphasizes the importance of women who are nothing but Shakthi-roop,   gives priority to them, wherein men take the back stage, have to wait for the women to finish eating, then they eat!!!
Nonbu means fasting..Vrath....women are supposed to fast till they tie this saradu (the sacred yellow thread). Normally husband or an  elder woman in the family ties  this saradu.
First the eldest lady of the house has to tie one saradu to any Goddess....Bhuvaneswari, Kamakshi, Durga or Lakshmi...whoever is your Ishta devatha(favourite goddess)....then to thulasi, if you have a thulasi maadam......Then, women and girls  tie a yellow thread with a flower in the center around their neck........then  chant the following shloka, do neivedhyam for Goddess (whomever we  wish), keeping the sweet and savory adais, along with the hard, unmelted butter, on a banana leaf, along with betel leaves, betel nut  and  a pair of bananas
உருகாத வெண்ணையும், ஒரு அடையும் நான் தருவேன்
ஒரு நாளும் என் கணவன் என்னை விட்டு பிரியாமல் இருக்கணும்
It means:
"I will give you one adai, with the butter which has not melted
You must accept it, and see to it that my husband has a very long life and stays with me forever"
This Nonbu (festival) should be done at the time, when the Maasi month ends and Panguni starts. Infact, elders say, it is better to do the pooja, when there is still some Maasi month left. Invariably, this festival mostly falls on March 14 th, sometimes, but very rarely, the next day. Why we must tie the saradu when Maasi is still there ????........ there goes a saying மாசி போல சரடு பாசி படிந்து இருக்கணும் , meaning, like the month of Maasi, my yellow thread also should stay for long time till slimy,  slippery moss  forms on it".....that means, woman prays that her husband should live for a loooooong time.


VELLA ADAI


Ingredients
Roasted rice flour - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Water - 1 1/4 cups
Coconut, finely cut - 1/8 cups
Boiled black eyed chickpeas (karamani) - 4 tbsps
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian; Category: Festival delicacies
Prep time: 20 mts; Cooking time: 20 mts

Yields 14 adais

Picture below shows the  measured Idiyappam flour being roasted to a light golden colour. The correct consistency is, you should be able to draw a line with the flour


Karamani / chickpeas, heated slightly, soaked in hot water for 2 hours, then pressure cooked for 4-5 whistles, with just 2 tsps water sprinkled over it


Picture below shows the measured jaggery being melted with 4 tbsps water, then the jaggery syrup checked for impurities by straining, then measured. Also kept ready are the pressure cooked chickpeas, finely chopped coconut and cardamom powder


To the jaggery syrup, add enough water to make it 1 1/4 cups, and add the ingredients kept on the plate in the above picture


Add 1 tsp ghee to it


Slowly add the measured flour, taking care to keep the flames on low. You can keep some hot water handy, if need be, you can sprinkle some. I did not require any. It was perfect.


All mixed well, cooked nicely.


Allow to cool down, when it is touchable, knead it well. 


On a greased steamer plate, keep the flattened balls, make a dent in the center, they will look like doughnuts. Grease your palms slightly before doing this.



the  10 minutes- steamed adais


Remove them, after they cool down a bit.




This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes
*I am not sharing the old method of roasting the rice, powdering it etc etc...when the same result comes from store bought Idiyappam flour, why not??
Also, if you don't have coconut as small pieces, add grated coconut , nothing wrong.

Please motivate me with your lovely comments


















3 comments:

  1. Oh!!!! What an introduction!! How awesome the Adais look. The uniformity, the texture the color are perfect!!!! Along with butter, easily one can gobble up the whole plate!! Especially the sweet one is my favorite .Thanks for highlighting the essence of nombu followed by ever tasty Adais

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