Adhirasam

Preparation time : 2 hours

Resting time : overnight or 2 days

Cooking time : 30 mins

Makes : 20 pieces

Ingredients : ( 1 cup = 240 ml )

• Raw rice - 1.5 cups
• Jaggery - 1 cup
• Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
• Dry ginger powder - 2 pinch
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
• Sesame oil / Refined oil - for deep frying

Method : 

1. Wash and soak rice for 3 - 4 hours.
2. Transfer to a strainer and drain the water completely.
3. Spread on a clean cloth for 15 - 20 mins in room temperature.
4. Grind to a powder, not really fine like a store bought flour.
5. Sieve it with the big hole sieve.
6. Transfer the flour to a bowl. Press the flour firmly, cover and keep aside.
7. Meanwhile take jaggery in a pan, add water just to immerse it. Heat slightly.
8. Stir till it dissolves. Strain and remove the impurities.  
9. Again boil the syrup. Boil in medium flame and stir occasionally.
10. Keep checking the syrup consistency by pouring in water which is kept in a bowl.
11. At beginning stage, the syrup will dissolve as you pour in water, then at next stage it will improve, continue cooking. 
12. At last the syrup gets thicker and when you pour in water, then it won't get dissolved and you will be able to gather it with your fingers and form as loose ball.
13. This stage is called as soft ball consistency.
14. Meanwhile, add sesame seeds, cardamom powder and dry ginger powder to the rice flour. Mix well and keep aside.
15. Now when the jaggery syrup reaches soft ball consistency, switch off the flame, pour immediately on the flour.
16. Gently mix with the ladle.
17. You may need not pour all the syrup for sure. So be careful after you add 3/4th syrup and keep mixing. The dough will be gooey and sticky it will be very very loose. Don't worry after some hours it will get absorbed and get stiff. 
18. Add sesame oil mix well.
19. Keep it overnight or 2 days if possible at room temperature in an airtight container.
20. Grease parchment paper or ziploc pouch or banana leaf with oil or ghee.
21. Take a lemon size ball flatten it slight thick. Peel carefully and drop in hot oil.
22. Cook till golden brown on low flame. 
23. Drain from oil. Squeeze out the excess oil with help of the two spatulas.
24. Cool and serve in an airtight container.

Note :

• Colour of the adhirasam may vary, it depends on the colour of the jaggery. 
• More soaking rice makes softer adhirasams.
• Do not let it dry for long time as it will give rubbery adhirasam. Moisture should be there.
• Use big hole sieve i.e rava jalladai.
• Keep it overnight or 2 days if possible at room temperature in an airtight container. You can keep it as such for 2 - 3 days. 
• If you want to store more, you can refrigerate it. But let it be out overnight or a day before using it.
• The dough should be very loose when you make adhirasam. If it is stiff, then adhirasam will become hard and chewy. So you need to add a tbsp of milk and knead well and try making again. 
• The syrup consistency is very important. If syrup passes the soft ball consistency, it will get hard or get dissolved in oil.
• Sieving is not necessary, but make sure it is powdered fine.
• The jaggery syrup will be depending upon the quality of rice, some need more, some need less. So for safer side, make more. The given quantity will be more or exact, keep that in mind while mixing.
• In case, the adhirasam is chewy or hard, steam it for 3 minutes in idli plates / steamer. So that it becomes soft. This step is just for trouble shooting.

Step by step pictures of making adhirasam : 

Soak rice for 3 - 4 hours
More soaking - softer adirasam

Transfer to a strainer and drain the water completely 

Spread on a clean cloth for 15 - 20 mins on room temperature

Moisture should be there. Do not dry completely

Transfer to a mixer grinder 

Grind to a powder.
Not really fine like a store bought flour

Sieve with a big hole siever. 

Press the dough firmly

Cover and keep aside 

Take jaggery in a pan 

Pour water just to immerse the jaggery. Heat slightly, Stir till it dissolves 

Strain it to remove the impurities

Again boil the syrup in medium flame. Stir occasionally 

Keep checking the syrup consistency by pouring in water which is kept
 in a bowl. At beginning stage, the syrup will dissolve as you pour
 in water, then at next stage it will improve, continue cooking

At last the syrup gets thicker and when you pour in water,
then it won't get dissolved

You will be able to gather it with your fingers and form as loose ball.
This stage is called as soft ball consistency 

Add sesame seeds, cardamom powder and dry ginger powder to the flour 

Mix well 

Pour the syrup immediately 

Mix well with the help of the ladle. It will gooey and loose
 but no need to worry

Add sesame oil

Mix well 

Keep it overnight or 2 days if possible at room temperature
 in an airtight container

Take parchment paper / ziploc pouch / banana leaf.
Grease with oil 

Take a lemon size ball 

Flatten it slight thick

Give round shape 

Peel and gently drop in hot oil. Cook on low flame 

Drain from oil 

Squeeze the excess oil with help of the ladle 

Its done 

Place on kitchen tissue 

Cool and store