Karadaiyan Nombu Vella adai, Uppu Adai / Sweet Adai, Spicy Adai Recipe

Karadayan Nombu is a festival celebated in Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated on the aspecious time when the tamil month 'Masi' ends and 'Panguni' starts (English month March). The function is based on a legend told in old times.

The synopsis of the story is, Savithri a princess got married to a Sathyavan who is cursed with a short life span. Despite of this fact, Savithiri Prayed to lord Yama, God of death to bring back her husband to life. She performed this viratham and offered the adai made of rice flour (Kara-adai-yan Nombu)and butter to lord Yama. With her brilliance she tricked Yama and asked boon to give life to her husband. Yama appreciated her devotion and gave life to her husband.

On this day, married women keep virat and offer vella adai, uppu adai with unmelted butter to God and tie a yellow thread (saradu in tamil)around neck for the well being of her life partner.
While offering the prasad to God the two lines " Urugatha Vennaiyun, oradaiyum naan nutren
Orunallun en kanavar ennai vittu piriyadhirukka vendum" is chanted,
meaning "I'm offering you unmelted butter and adai, my husband should never leave me"

Now we are going to the recipe,

Vella Adai/Sweet Adai:

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Karamani (cowpeas/ black eyed peas) - 1/4 cup
Coconut pieces - 1/4 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1tsp
Water - 2 cups

Method:

Soak 1 cup karamani overnight and cook with salt (4 to 5 whistles). Use this for both the adai.

Cut the coconut pieces into thin slices.

In a heavy bottom pan add the rice flour and fry till it turn brown colour( more brown than vella adai). Make sure not to over fry or burn.

In the mean time add the jaggery to the 2 cups water and bring them to boil. (If your jaggery is impure and have dust, first dissolve it in water and strain it using a strainer)
Remove the rice flour from pan and place it in a plate .

Add the jaggery water to the pan and bring to boil.

Once you see the bubbles, add coconut, karamani, cardamom powder and give a stir.
Remove the pan from heat and slowly add the flour to it stirring constantly. (remove from heat to avoid lump)

Now bring back to the heat and stir till all the water gets evaporated (approx 2 to 3 min)

Switch off the heat and remove from the stove.
Close it with a lid to retain the moisture.
Wait to turn warm, make small balls out of it and flatten it and make a hole in the middle.

Place it in the greased(with sesame oil) idly plate and steam it for 15 to 20 min.

Kara Adai / Spicy Adai:

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 7 to 8 leaves
Red chilli - 1
Green chilli - 2
Asafetida (hing) - 1/2 tsp
karamani - 1/4 cup
Coconut pieces(chopped into thin slices) - 1/4 cup
Salt
Water - 2 cups

Method:

Take a heavy bottom pan and add the rice flour to it.
Fry it till it turn very light  brown, keep the flame in medium.
Remove from heat and transfer to a plate.

Heat oil in a the same pan.

Add mustard seeds, once it splutters add urad dal, curry leaves, red chilli , green chilli and fry for few seconds.
Add water and bring to boil.
Once the bubble start appearing add karamani, coconut, salt and give a stir.

Remove the pan from heat and add the rice flour slowly, stirring constantly.

Bring it back to the heat and fry for a minute and switch off the stove.

Remove it from heat and close it with a lid to maintain the moisture.
Once it become warm, make small balls out of the flour.
Flatten it, and hole it in the center.

Grease the idly plate with oil (sesame or coconut, coconut gives nice flavor).
Place the adai in the plate and steam it for 15 to 20 min like idly.
Switch off the stove, cool it and remove from the plate.

Spread the butter over the adai before serving!

Note:
I kept both vella adai and uppu adiai in same idly plate. You can do it when you are doing in small quantity to save time.
Keep limited adai in one plate to avoid sticking.
For large quantity, do it in batches as adai may stick with each other if crowded in one plate.
The jaggery should not reach the one sting consistency as it will spoil the recipe. Just boil it.
I added karamani 1/4 cup. But its can be added as per your taste, more or less.
I used the fresh coconut chopped into thin slices. You can also use the frozen shredded coconut.