Adhirasam

Steps

• 0) Rinse the rice well and soak it in water for 2 hours. Then, drain the water completely and spread the rice in a cloth, so the excess water gets absorbed. Leave it for 30 minutes but the rice should not be completely dry, there should be little moisture content (when you press your hand over the rice, it should stick).
• 1) Now, transfer the rice to a mixer and pulse it to a semi - coarse powder. Put the ground powder over a sieve and sift it till you get a rava / sooji like mixture. Also, you can grind the remaining rice particles in the next batch.
• 2) For making the Jaggery Syrup/Paagu. First, crush the jaggery and cardamom pods. To a pan, pour 1/2 cup of water and add the jaggery.
• 3) Heat in medium flame, till the jaggery completely dissolves. When bubbles start to appear, simmer the flame and keep a bowl of water nearby. Once the jaggery syrup thickens a little, just take a bit of jaggery in your fingers and start to check the jaggery consistency by dropping it in the water. 1st stage - it dissolves in water, 2nd stage - not dissolve, you will be able to make a ball, it should be soft, jelly-like ball and slide from your fingers. Switch off the flame immediately.
• 4) Strain the jaggery syrup and now add the rice flour very slowly in a sprinkled manner. Then add 2 to 3 tsp of ghee, sesame seeds and mix again.
• 5) The dough looks soft, shiny and pliable now. Keep covered and set aside for 1 day. If making later, keep refrigerated, it stays good for 1 month. After 1 day, add 1 tsp of ghee, knead the dough again and make medium-sized balls. In a banana leaf or plastic sheet, grease little ghee or sesame oil, then place the ball and flatten it, not too thick or thin, just medium thickness.
• 6) Heat oil in a pan, add 1 or 2 athirasam at a time and simmer the flame. Once it puffs up, flip to the other side and fry it golden colour. Do the same with the remaining dough.
• 7) Keep the fried athirasam over a tissue paper and press it with a dosa ladle or tumbler or flat bowl (as athirasam sucks a lot of oil).