I wanted to make this thiruvathirai adai and kali since last year.... Last week when perimma casually said about the preparation going on for thiruvathirai it striked me that I missed it this year too. I got the recipe from her and I made it 2 days later to post it here. As we dont have the custom of celebrating the occassion this is the first time I am making both kali and adai and am completely satisfied with the results which justifies the post here :) Thiruvathirai kootu recipe is still pending which I will post by next year :)
Thiruvathirai Kali Recipe - Ingredients
Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2
Recipe Category: Sweet | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Raw rice(Pacharisi) - 1 cup
Moong dal(Paasi paruppu) - 2 tbsp
Jaggery - 1 cup
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cashews - 4 broken
Water - 1 and 1/4 cup
Method:
- Add crushed jaggery with water till immersing level and start melting it. When jaggery is fully dissolved and bubbles start appearing switch off and strain to remove impurities, set aside.

- Dry roast raw rice and moong dal separately till golden brown.Cool down completely.

- Then pulse(grind) it to coarse just to break the rice and dal. Pressure cook with 1 cup water for 2 whistles in medium low flame and switch off. Once pressure releases, carefully give a mix.It may look sticky at this stage, if so just fluff it up.Now heat up the prepared jaggery syrup and add cooked rice mong dal mixture.

- Give a quick stir then add roasted cashews, coconut and cardamom powder.Stir well...at one stage the kali will come together to a fluffy mass, at this stage add ghee and switch off.

Serve hot with a generous serving of ghee, heaven I say :)
Thiruvathirai Adai Recipe - Ingredients
Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2
Recipe Category: Sweet | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Raw rice(Pacharisi) - 1 cup (You can use readymade idiyappam flour too)
Jaggery - 3/4 cup (Prepare jaggery syrup as mentioned above)
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Cardamom - a pinch
Water - 1 tsp
Oil/ Ghee - to toast
Method:
- First rinse the raw rice twice, and soak it in water for 1 hour. Drain water completely and then spread the raw rice in a soft towel and allow it to dry say for 30-45mins.It will be slightly moist only.Then transfer this to a mixer.
- Grind it to a fine powder in a mixie in batches.Then sieve it. If you find small balls break and sieve it.
- Sieve until you get rava like mixture.Add it to the next flour batch and grind it again. Dry roast the sieved flour until you see steam coming out of the flour.Cool down by spreading in a newspaper.
- Heat the jaggery syrup for 2mins, then add rice flour and keep stirring continuously without forming lumps.Add cardamom powder and coconut Stir well.

- At one stage it will form a mass without sticking to the pan, this is the right stage to switch off. Once it is hand bearable hot knead it to smooth dough...add a tsp of oil/ghee if it sticks.Form 7 equal sized balls(size is your preference) and flatten them on a ziplock cover / plaintain leaf with your finger tips to 1/4 inch thickness. Repeat the same till the dough is finished.Heat dosa tawa and toast the adai till golden brown, Drizzle oil / ghee...flip over carefully to other side to cook evenly on both sides. Take care not to break the adais.

My Notes:
- Rice and dal may looks sticky after pressure cooking , once it cools down it becomes separated and this kali is meant to be like this(fluffy) not like our usual kali consistency.
- I used paagu vellam hence the bright reddish color.You can use normal round jaggery too.I prepared the jaggery syrup the previous day and refrigerated it.
- For neiveidhyam they make 7 adais as the count is auspicious on that day.
- Take care not to overroast rice and dal.
- If using readymade idiyappam flour, dry roast for few mins till smoke appears then use it.Dont overroast which will end up breaking the adais.
- You can even add grated coconut while serving.
- The consistency is very important for the adai else while toasting the adai will tend to break. Dont be tempted to add more jaggery than the mentioned amount.
- You can make lemon sized balls and make the adai even bigger in size.
- Even while toasting take care not to turn over often just once is enough for it to get cooked.
- The adais should not break, so be very careful while making the dough.