Karadaiyan Nombu Sweet Adai Recipe

Karadaiyan nombu sweet adai is a soft, mildly sweet and flavourful adai that is steamed and traditionally served with butter. It is often served to the goddess and then consumed after Karadaiyan nombu fasting for the devotion and well being of the husband. This Karadaiyan nombu adai is prepared on that festival day with rice flour, jaggery, beans and coconut. This nombu is also known as Savitri viratham, celebrated by married women and young girls. They also serve a savoury version of this adai during the pooja. It is said that the sweet and salt version of adai was prepared by Savitri and offered to lord Yamadharma raja ( death of god ) for returning the life of Satyavan ( her husband ). 

Karadaiyan Nombu Sweet Adai

Karadayan Nombu is performed by women, who are married and unmarried pray to hindu goddesses for long life of their husbands. We don’t have a practice of celebrating this, so I haven’t posted the adai which they make for this nombu here. But I wanted to start performing this nombu from this year. So I made this adai in advance so I can share this here. Here is a sweet variety of the adai.

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About Karadaiyan Nombu Sweet Adai

Karadaiyan nombu, also known as Savitri viratham, is performed by a particular Hindu community in TamilNadu. This festival is celebrated on the first day of Panguni ( a Tamil month ), which usually falls in March. It is performed by young girls and married women to worship Goddess Gowri to celebrate the story of Savitri and Satyavan. The married women and young girls pray for the well being and longevity of their husbands and future husbands. This is in relation to how Savithri saved her husband Satyavan from Yamadhrama raja ( god of death ). 

The women while praying chants this Tamil mantra “ Urugadha vennaiyum oradayum naan tharuven, oru kalamum en kanavan ennai piriyamal iruka vendum”, which means “I offer unmelted butter and karadai for you, grant me the wish of togetherness with my husband and I shouldn’t be separated from him even for a moment”. 

During pooja they prepare and serve two types of adai : sweet and salt adai. They do fasting the whole day, pray and once the pooja is done they eat this adai as their fasting food. In our home, we don’t follow this custom but I wish to learn and post all the festival recipes in my blog. In this recipe,

I’m going to share the sweet version and I’ve also shared the Karadaiyan nombu uppu ( salt ) adai in my blog. You can also check them out. 

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS 

Authentic and Healthy : This recipe uses traditional and organic ingredients like jaggery, coconut, rice flour and beans to create a simple and sweet adai. The process involves soaking and steaming, which ensures a healthy and flavourful adai. 

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE – Karadaiayan nombu adai is more than a dish, it’s a symbol of tradition and devotion. In our house, we don’t practice this custom of doing Karadaiyan pooja and fasting. But I want to learn and share it with you all. After learning, I love this recipe because it tastes so delicious, carries a story and it holds a wholesome connection to tradition and devotion. 

Dual recipe : The recipe can be made with both sweet and savoury versions. Sweet vellai adai and uppu adai recipes are offered during the fasting. Both versions are suitable to satisfy your craving and make your tummy healthy and filling. 

Ingredients

Jaggery : Jaggery is the main sweetener for this adai. It has a caramel-like flavour and adds a rich brown color to the adai. For traditional prasadam, jaggery is used. You can also substitute with regular white sugar or coconut sugar, but the taste and texture may differ. 

Water : Water is used to prepare the jaggery syrup and to cook the beans. For a perfect shaped and soft adai, measure and add the water accordingly.

Cardamom powder : Cardamom powder is added for its aroma and subtle fragrance. It enhances the taste of jaggery syrup and elevates the overall adai flavour. 

Homemade rice flour : I have used homemade rice flour. You can even use store bought rice flour or idiyappam flour. 

Karamani / Black eyed peas / Lobia : These legumes are rich in protein and traditionally added for making this adai. Don’t skip or substitute this. 

Coconut : Grated coconut or freshly sliced coconut adds a rich, nutty and sweetness flavour to the adai. You can substitute with frozen coconut or desiccated coconut. 

Hacks

Soaking : Wash and soak the karamani / black eyed beans at least for 2 hours. 

Cooking : Pressure cook the soaked beans for 3 whistles. Then simmer and cook the beans for 15 minutes. Turn off and let the pressure release naturally. 

Jaggery syrup : Melt the jaggery with water. Let it boil and dissolve.Then strain the syrup to remove any impurities. No need to prepare a caramelized thick syrup. 

Smooth dough : The water or the syrup should be hot enough while adding rice flour. Gradually add the flour and mix without any lumps. 

Adai making : The dough should be warm enough to make the shape of adai. Grease oil or ghee on the hands to prevent the dough from sticking. Use a parchment paper, banana leaf or even a milk cover to form the disc shaped adai and put a hole in the centre.

Steaming : Steam the prepared adai in grease idli plates or steamer pots for 8 to 10 minutes. After that remove and let it cool. 

Karadaiyan Nombu Adai (Step by Step Pictures)

Expert Tips

• If using store bought rice flour, roast them in low flame for 2 minutes before using. 
• You can even use good quality jaggery powder for easy melting and mixing. 
• The dough should be warm enough while making the shape.
• Don’t overcook the rice flour mixture, cook until it leaves the side of the pan and becomes soft. 
• Don’t let the dough completely cool, otherwise the adai will become dry. 
• Feel free to experiment with by adding nuts, dry ginger powder for added nuttiness and flavour. 

Storage & Serving

The sweet adai stays good at room temperature for a day. It can also be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days. Reheat them using a steamer or microwave it for a few minutes. 

Serve this sweet adai warm or at room temperature in a banana leaf with a dollop of unsalted butter. During non-festive days, it can also be served as an evening snack along with a cup of tea or coffee. 

FAQ 

1.Why is my adai hard or dry?

This is mainly due to overcooking the dough after adding rice flour or not adding enough water. Ensure correct water and rice flour ratio for perfect soft adai. 

2.Can I use store bought rice flour? 

Definitely! You can use store bought rice flour during busy schedules. Make sure to sieve the flour and dry roast in low flame for 2 minutes before using. 

3.Can I make this without karamani / black eyed bean? 

You can make this recipe without beans for a simple sweet adai version. But when making Karadaiyan nombu, it is compulsory to add the black eyed bean and don’t skip it. 

4.Can I use another sweetener instead of jaggery? 

Traditional and festival sweet offerings are generally prepared using the jaggery for its unrefined nature. You can also use refined sugar or other sweeteners based on your choice but the taste and flavour will differ. 

Variations

Karadaiyan uppu adai : This savoury version of adai is also served during the Karadaiyan nombu offering. The dough is prepared using the basic tadka like mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilli, coconut and salt. It is then steamed and served. 

Millet adai : Replace the rice flour with ragi flour, bajra flour, jowar flour for making adai. Adjust the water quantity accordingly to form the dough. Steam and enjoy your gluten free version of this adai.

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