Karadaiyan Nonbu vella adai / Sweet Adai

Nonbu vella adai /  Sweet Adai

Raw Rice : 1 cup

Water : 2 + ¾ cup

Black eye beans ( white ) /vella karamani  :  Handful

Coconut pieces : 2 tbsp

Jaggery powder : 1 cup

Cardamom powder :  ½ tsp

Ghee :  2 tsp

* Soak Beans overnight.

Next day cook for a whistle in a cooker directly, in sufficient water.  Drain water.

* Wash rice.  Drain it well.

Dry fry in a kadai till it puffs up.

Spread on a kitchen towel.  Let it cool.

Grind nicely as much as possible.  Don’t bother if it is not as nice as machine ground flour.

* In a Non-stick pan, Boil water and jaggery powder …  when the jaggery powder melts completely , strain to remove any dust or stone. 

Reheat the jaggery syrup adding rice flour, ghee, coconut pieces, cardamom powder and boiled beans.

When all the water gets absorbed in flour, remove from fire.  It must be in half cooked state in solid form.

Grease the idly mould with few drops of ghee.

Fill rice mixer in idly mould .  You can fill the rice mixer when it is still hot.  Dip your hands in water and spread adai evenly to get perfect shape. Make a dent / hole in center of each adai .

Steam cook the rice mixer, for 12 mts.  Allow a standing time of 5 mts.

Enjoy the Sweet version of Adai with some plain butter.

Nonbu Adai -- Salt version

Nonbu Uppu Adai / Salt Adai

Raw Rice : 1 cup

Water : 2 + ¾ cup

Black eye beans ( white ) /vella karamani  :  Handful

Coconut Pieces :  2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Hing powder :  2 pinches

Green chilly : 1

Mustard seeds : ¼ tsp

Curry leaves: few

Coconut oil : 1 tbsp

Soak Beans overnight.

Next day cook for a whistle in a cooker directly, in sufficient water.  Drain water.

Wash rice.  Drain it well.

Dry fry in a kadai till it puffs up.

Spread on a kitchen towel.  Let it cool.

Grind nicely as much as possible.  Don’t bother if it is not as nice as machine ground flour.

In a Kadai , temper in oil with mustard, finely chopped green chillies, hing powder .

Add water and when it boils add rice flour gradually and mix very well without lumps by stirring continuously .

Add salt, finely chopped coconut pieces, curry leaves and boiled beans.

When all the water gets absorbed in flour, remove from fire.  It must be in half cooked state in solid form.

Grease the idly mould with coconut oil.

Fill rice mixer in idly mould .  You can fill the rice mixer when it is still hot.  Dip your hands in water and spread adai evenly to get perfect shape. Make a dent / hole in center of each adai .

Steam cook the rice mixer, for 10 mts.  Allow a standing time of 5 mts.

Enjoy the Salt version of Nonbu adai as it is or with any chutney.

Kaaradaiyaan Nonbu

Karadaiyan Nonbu

Karadaiyan Nonbu or Vratam is an important fast observed by Tamil women , based on the legend of Satyavan and Savithri .  Savithri used the power of her dedication to her husband Satyavan to prevent Yama, the god of the dead, from taking him when he was fated to die.  She became the ideal of the faithful wife.

Tamil married women worship ‘Savithri Devi’ on this Karadaiyan Nonbu day for the longevity and healthy life of their husband.  It is a practice to Pray Goddess Kamakshi , imagining her as Savithri Devi.   Fast observed till tying nonbu saradu and then to have Adai as Prasadham.

It is observed during  the transition of Tamil Month Maasi and Pangni.

How to do Karadaiyan Nonbu :

Deity Kamakshi should be well presented with Sandal powder & Kumkum Tilak / Bindi and flower garland .

Put Kolam / Rangoli.  Light a lamp .  Light incense stick.

Prepare Nonbu Saradu by tying a small flower in a yellow sacred thread.  All married women in the house should tie a Nonbu saradu and also we should offer a thread to Goddess Kamakshi .  I do have a habit of offering a Nonbu Saradu to Sita Devi as she is also one of the ideal wife.  Number of thread counting should be in even number.

Nonbu Neivedhyam Adai, both Sweet and Salt version should be offered.

Recipe for Adai :

 Sweet /Vella Adai

 Salt / UppuAdai

In Plantain leaf ( which should have tip part ) / Nuni Ilai , keep all the following items :

Betel leaf ,  betel nut,  Turmeric stick , Banana , Coconut ( broken into 2 parts ) , Nonbu saradu.

And in the middle of the leaf keep Sweet and Salt version of Adai along with un-melted butter . 

While offering the Adai as Neivedhyam following prayer should be recited :

“Urugada Vennaiyum

Oradaiyum nan tharuven

Orukkaalum en kanavar

Ennai piriyadhirukkanum “

After reciting the above slogam, we can offer a Nonbu saradu for Kamakshi and we our self should tie a nonbu saradu .

Prayer / Slogam while tying Nonbu saradu is :

“Thoram Gruhnami Subage Saharidram Dharaamyaham

Bhartuhu Aayushya Siddyarthem Supreetha Bhava Sarvadha”.

Do Namaskaram .  (a  traditional Indian greeting or gesture of respect.) and get the blessing " Dheerga Sumangali Bhava ".

Now we can enjoy the Neivedhyam , both Sweet and Salt Adai.