Kaaradaiyan Nombu Vella Adai (காரடையான் நோம்பு வெல்ல அடை)

Karadayan Nombu is a festival celebrated in TamilNadu. There are two types of Vadai and this one is the sweeter one. More details of this festival is given below and now for some tips and tricks that I learnt - If the hands are sticky while making the adai, use little sesame oil or very little water and rub between the palms. Also wash hands in between to remove stickiness completely. Color will become more dull between the steamed adai and non-steamed adai and there will be a shine on the steamed ones. DO NOT EAT CURD ON KARADAYAN NOMBU DAY. This year the festival is coming tomorrow (14.3.2013). Here you go for the delicious sweet -

Ingredients
Vellam / Jaggery – 1 cup
Rice Flour – 1 cup
Water – ¾ cup
Cardamom – 2
Hot water – backup
Sliced coconut pieces – 1 cup
Kaaramani or  Kadalai Parupu  – ¼ cup

Method
Dry roast the rice flour until starting to change to slightly golden (temperature of the flour is around 200 degrees F)
Heat water and add vellam and heat until the vellam dissolves
Once the vellam is fully dissolved, filter the vellam water to remove any dust particles
Heat another pan and dry roast the kadalai parupu until golden and keep aside
If using Kaaramani, then soak the previous night and pressure cook until done and keep aside. Should be able to press it but it should not be mushy.
Reheat the vellam water, add the coconut pieces, cardamom, kadalai parupu / kaaramani and once it boils add the rice flour
Add the cardamom powder and then mix this well after turning the heat to simmer
Mix it well to ensure that there are no lumps
Add hot water if needed
Remove from heat and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes
Grease the idli plates with little N.Ennai
Make the adai by pressing a lemon sized dough in the hand and making a small hole in between
Keep these adai in the idli plates
Steam cook this idli plates for 15 minutes
Remove from heat and allow it to cool for atleast 10 minutes
After 10 – 15 minutes, remove the adai from the idli plates
Now the Vellam adai is ready
Notes – from Hindudevotionalblog -  The slogam recited -
"Urugada Vennaiyum Oradaiyum Naan Tharuven
Orukaalum En Kanavar Ennai Piriyadirukkanum" Karadayan Nonbu or Karadaiyan Nonbu is a major Tamil festival celebrated at the time of Meena Sankramam - ending of the Tamil month of Maasi (Malayalam month Kumbham) and beginning of Panguni (Meenam in Malayalam). Also known as Savitri Vrat, Karadayan Nonbu ritual is observed by all married women for the well being of their husband and that the couples should remain together always. You can get more information on this religious festival here.
Savithri and Satyavan are the Hero and Heroines of the epic behind this festival. You can read about their life journey and how Savithri protected her beloved husband from the hands of Lord Yaman - The oldest known version of the story of Savitri and Satyavan is found in "The Book of the Forest" of the Mahabharata.
The story occurs as a multiple embedded narratives in the Mahabharata as told by Markandeya. When Yudhisthira asks Markandeya whether there has ever been a woman whose devotion matched Draupadi’s, Markandeya replies by relating this story: Continue reading here

Sending this to my own event – Anniversary event, Cook Like a Celebrity Chef, Foodabulous, WTML, Gayathri's page