Adhirasam Recipe with step by step pictures - Happiness is making perfect athirasams.The first time I tasted Adhirasam was at my native Karaikudi.It looked fluffy and tasted pillowy soft(which we call methu methu in tamil)with a crispy edge.I have always dreamed of making busu busu adhirasam replicating that.Also sadly,I had no one in our close family who knows to make perfect athirasam.Having known adhirasam is ammas and hubbys favorite how can I miss trying it?!
I have always dreamed of making perfect athirasam ever since I started making sweets at home.But having heard from friends and relatives, I knew this is going to be challenging.But last year I gained courage and tried, it was super flop.Then again this year I tried it 2 weeks back,again flopped, I was upset but was very determined to make it again this Diwali itself so that I remember the mistakes I made and correct it. Coincidentally Priya(my sil) had tried athirasam recently and she gave me tips,tricks and motivated me to try again.She was the one who kept asking me to post athirasam recipe.But this time I understood my mistakes, still was a bit scared that my hands shivered when I was mixing the dough :D But while mixing itself I knew the dough was perfect.This is my third attempt and I am very much satisfied with the results.Amma and hubby gave a double thumbs up..Yayy!! I was jumping in joy when I tasted the first athirasam :) And when amma said 'na voorla sapta mari apdiye iruku' my joy knew no limits :))
I have always dreamed of making perfect athirasam ever since I started making sweets at home.But having heard from friends and relatives, I knew this is going to be challenging.But last year I gained courage and tried, it was super flop.Then again this year I tried it 2 weeks back,again flopped, I was upset but was very determined to make it again this Diwali itself so that I remember the mistakes I made and correct it. Coincidentally Priya(my sil) had tried athirasam recently and she gave me tips,tricks and motivated me to try again.She was the one who kept asking me to post athirasam recipe.But this time I understood my mistakes, still was a bit scared that my hands shivered when I was mixing the dough :D But while mixing itself I knew the dough was perfect.This is my third attempt and I am very much satisfied with the results.Amma and hubby gave a double thumbs up..Yayy!! I was jumping in joy when I tasted the first athirasam :) And when amma said 'na voorla sapta mari apdiye iruku' my joy knew no limits :))
Like how the saying goes one who makes good tasting rasam is a good cook, I can say this athirasam also works similarly :)
Though the athirasam recipe calls only for 2 main ingredients raw rice and jaggery, the making is a bit tricky.You need patience and atmost concentration to get the jaggery syrup consistency right.
Adhirasam Recipe - Ingredients
Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 25 mins | Makes : 10
Recipe Category: Snack | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Recipe Category: Snack | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Raw Rice(Maavu Pacharisi) - 1 cup
Jaggery(Paagu Vellam) - 3/4 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Cardamom crushed - from 1/2
Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Oil - for deep frying
Method:
- I used Paagu velam.First crush jaggery,measure and take it in a pan.Add water to it.
- I use my potato masher to crush it.Heat it up,once jaggery is dissolved strain and set aside.
- Now measure and take raw rice.Frst rinse it once, then transfer to a bowl,add water till immersing level.Soak for atleast 2 hrs.After 2 hrs spread it in a cloth and set aside for 30mins.
- The rice should still have moisture content in it,when you press it with your hands it will stick like this.Now transfer it to a mixer jar and grind it to a semi fine powder.It should not be very fine like store bought flour,it should be slightly coarse.
- Now transfer this to a siever then sieve it.Do not discar the coarse particles,grind it again and then sieve.Now take the flour, add sesame seeds and cardamom powder to it.
- Mix well and keep it covered,and set aside.Now take jaggery syrup in a pan and heat it up.Keep stirring until it is thick.
- Keep checking the syrup by poring it on a plate containing water.First the syrup will dissolve in water when poured.At one stage when add few drops of the syrup it will not get dissolved in water it will stand still like this.Now gather it with your hands, it will form a loose ball more like a jelly.This is soft ball consistency, it will easily slide from our hands,yes this is the right stage we are looking for.If you pass this stage, the ball will become hard and your athirasams will become hard.
- Immediately switch off(we are doing this to avoid the syrup from passing to next stage).I resrved a tbsp of jaggery syrup alone.Now add the flour and keep mixing.
- Mix it well without any lumps.It will be a little loose.I formed a ball but it went flat in few mins.Now transfer to a airtight container and set aside for a day in room temperature.You can keep this dough for about a week.But after 1 day keep refrigerated if you are planning to make athirasams later.
- This is how tight it was the next day.Add a tsp of ghee and knead it once.Then pinch and roll into lemon sized balls.
- I got 9 balls and 1 tiny ball which I used for testing ;) Now take banana leaf / polythene sheet,grease it with little oil / ghee, take a ball keep on the banana leaf and flatten it with your fingers, it should be slightly thick.Heat oil(enough for the athirasams to immerse fully) in a kadai in parallel.
- You can see how thick it is in this pic.Oil should not be fuming hot,lower the flame when you drop the athirasam as it will get cooked quickly.Carefully drop one athirasam,it will first float on top.
- Then slowly it will puff up,carefully flip over and cook in low flame till reddish brown on both the sides.Do not cook in high flame.
- Press it with a laddle to drain excess oil,Then drain in tissue paper.
Busu busu athirasams ready? And I am ready to attack, Now what are you waiting for, go soak the raw rice :) I enjoyed clicking athirasam, they looked gorgeous that I was so tempted to finish the shoot and attack them haha :D
My Notes:
- Choosing correct raw rice(maavu pacharisi) and jaggery(paagu vellam) is the first key to get the authentic perfect tasting athirasams.
- I reserved 1 tbsp jaggery syrup but my sil told she added the entire 3/4 cup syrup and it was still perfect.
- You can keep this athirasam dough for about a week, but after 1 day refrigerate it.
- Keep checking the syrup very now and then so that the correct consistency is not missed.
- The rice should have little moisture,it should not be dried fully.
- Do not use fine sieve, the holes can be slightly bigger so that we can get slightly coarse flour.
- Incase if you don't get paagu vellam,go ahead with yellow jaggery but the color will be light shade,even the taste might vary.
- I made 2 in the banana leaf, while one was cooking patted the third one.As I had just 9 it was easy for me to handle alone.If doing in bulk you need a helper for sure.
- Jaggery consistency is the most important, so be keen in getting it right then everything will fall in place.
- Fry the athirasams in low medium else the outer will get browned soona dn the inside will not be remain uncooked.
- If you have kept the dough in fridge then bring to room temperature then start making athirasam.
- If the dough is too tight,then sprinkle little hot water and knead it once before shaping.
- If the dough is too loose, add 1-2 tbsp idiyappam flour, not more than that.
- Once taken out from oil, it will be crisp after cooling down it will be crunchy at the sides with a soft inside.
- I used dosa thiruppi to press and drain excess oil,you can even use a davara(flat bottomed bowl) to do it.
