Nalini'sKitchen: Karthigai Adai /Karthigai Milagu Adai /Arisi Thengai Adai

Today's recipe is an authentic adai made during Karthigai Deepam festival in certain households in Tamilnadu.
As we don't have the custom of making this adai during the festival never got a chance to make it.But I got tasted this one from my neighbor back in India.
Coming to the recipe,so many variations can be made and each household has their own recipe.
Some uses more dhal and less rice,some may use variety of dhals also uses some red chilly along with black pepper.This recipe also, I noted down from my neighbor who used to share this one for Karthigai Deepam..
Also the consistency of the batter needs to be on the thicker side..Here I used the ladle and spread it on the iron dosa pan.In some places a thick batter is made and pat on a banana leaf and transferred to the griddle and cooked.
This adai doesn't need any special accompaniments,tastes good as such.But traditionally butter and jaggery is served as it has black pepper.Off to the recipe.........

Karthigai Adai/Karthigai Milagu Adai

Basic Information

Preparation time ~ 25 minutes
Soaking time - 2-3 hours

Cooking time ~ 4-5 minutes/adai

Makes ~ 3-4

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Idly rice	3/4 cup
Raw rice/pacharisi	1/2 cup
Toor dhal/thuvaram paruppu	2 tbs
Channa dhal/kadala paruppu	2 tbs
Urad dhal/ulutham paruppu	3 tbs
Black pepper/milagu	2 tsp(coarsely powdered)
Coconut(grated)	1/4 cup
Salt	1 tsp
Asafoetida/perungayam	a generous pinch
Coconut bits(finely chopped)	1-2 tbs
Curry leaves	1-2 sprigs(roughly chopped)
Oil	to make

Method

Wash and soak the dhals and rice with water.Let it soak for 2- 3 hours.After soaking completely drain the water and grind the rice,dhal and grated coconut,salt with little water to a bit coarse paste.Transfer the ground batter to a bowl.

To this add the finely chopped coconut,curry leaves . Add in coarsely ground pepper and asafoetida and mix it well.The consistency should be as shown.Heat a griddle in a medium flame,once the griddle becomes hot pour a ladle full of batter and spread it. Do not spread it too thin,it should be slightly thicker.Make a small hole in the center of the batter as soon as after spreading.

Drizzle a tsp of oil in the center and sides, cook it in a medium flame for two minutes.,Flip it to the other side and cook it for couple of minutes,drizzle another tsp of oil. Remove it from the griddle.