Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Recipe: Nonbu Adai

Among the various things that delayed my blogging as I said yesterday, was the continuing power shutdowns, we have been experiencing since last week. The power shout downs are anywhere between 1 hr to 8 hrs of duration many times a day. With the result, by the time, I settle down to blog, the power fails and by the time the power is restored I am busy with something else. Today we had a power shutdown from 10am to 6 pm and again from 6.30 pm to 7.30pm. They say, there is problem in the orissa grid.

Before we have another power shutdown, let me write about Nonbu neyvedyam.

Nonbu Neyvedyam

As Savitri was in the forest, the neyvedyam for the nonbu was made from very simple things immediately available at the forest. The raw materials are riceflour, jaggery , coconut and moongdal.  It is called Nonbu adai.We have invented a savoury form of adai also to go with it, as in the olden days, we fasted until the nonbu time and that was the first meal we were eating on that day.

Nonbu Adai.

Ingredients:

Rice flour 1 cup
Moong dal 2 tbsps
Jaggery 1¼ cup
Coconut gratings ½ cup
Cardamom powder 1 tsp.

Plantain leaves to steam the adais.

Method:

Roast the rice flour to a golden colour. Roast the moong dal also to a golden red colour. Cook the moong dal with just enough water, until half done. Melt the jaggery in 2 cups of water. When the jaggery is melted add the half cooked moong dal, coconut gratings, cardamom powder and roasted rice flour and cook until all the water is absorbed. Allow to cool.

Make small pieces of plantain leaves. Make small balls of the cooked rice flour (the size of a small orange) and keep on the plantain leaf.  Flatten with the palm  and make a small hole in the centre. Keep the plantain leaves on a steamer and steam for 10 mnts. This is offered with a blob of butter.

Savoury adai.

Ingredients:

Rice flour: 1 cup
Moong dal 2 tbsp.
Coconut gratings ½ cup
Green chillies 2 or 3 cut into small pieces
Mustard 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Hing ½ tsp.
Curry leaves a few sprigs
Oil 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste

Plantain leaves to steam the adai.

Method.

Roast the rice flour and moong dal separately to a golden brown colour. Cook the moong dal in just enough water, until half done. Heat the oil in a pan and add the hing. Add the mustard. When mustard starts spluttering, add the urad dal, green chillies and curry leaves. Add 2 cups of water, salt to taste and the coconut gratings. When the water starts boiling add the half cooked moong dal and rice flour and cook until all the water is absorbed. Allow to cool.

Make balls of the cooked rice flour and flatten on plantain leaves and steam for 10 mnts.


14 comments:

Anonymous said...

thanks ammupatti for the recipes.i am trying it now and thy seem so good.r u tamil?todays tamil nombu and i am trying this recipe.thanks..
one doubt..is it necessary to use plantin leaf?can we just steam it directly in idly cooker?
hope ur power cut problem has solved.

Ammupatti said...

Hi Sunita

See my post about this year nonbu. You can just pat the adai in idli plates and steam. I used to do that earlier. I have banana trees in my garden hence I find it easier to steam in it.

As I have said, I am a tamil speaking kerala iyer.

Hope your nonbu adais came out right.

Best wishes

Ammupatti

Shubha Ravikoti said...

Hello ammu pati... can u guide me wt time is the nonbu observed at this year... iam new here and iam all confused about the indian time n US time... can u guide me @ US pacific time when do u have to type the nonbu charad..please guide

Anonymous said...

Nombu is on 14/3/08 time is IST 7.30 am to 8.30 am
All the best for tatsy prep and nombu

Anonymous said...

Hello ammu paati,

Can I use all purpose flour for the adai? This is my first year for the nonbu. Please advise.

Thanks,
Subha

Anonymous said...

Ammupati, Can you also give instructions on draping a 9 yards saree - iyer style..? Thanks,Meena.

Ammupatti said...

Hi Subha

All purpose flour is maida mixed with baking powder. You cannot make nonbu adai with that. It is best to use rice four. It is available in all Indian stores in the US. or else, soak some rice for 1 hour, drain and powder it in mixie.

Happy first year nobu.

Also tell us all how the adais came out.

Ammupatti said...

Hi Meena

Many people have asked me for instructions to drape 9 yard saree, iyer style. It need to be demonstrated. I am still trying to get a model. Wish me luck so that you all can get a video very soon.

RS said...

Many thanks for your recipe! The sweet adai came out pretty good!

Meenakshi Shivram said...

Dear Ammu Paati,

Is that your name or are you really a paati? I love your recipes and I am going to make my nombu adai your way.

Thanks a ton...

Meenakshi ( Mumbai)

VaniVenu said...

Hi ammupatti,
i am from Mumbai and am going to try this year's karadai/vella adai in your style. by te way, i am also from Puthucode, born in puthucode and brought up in Chennai and nw settled in Mumbai. I will let you know how the adais turned up.
Love,
Vanishree Venugopal

Ammupatti said...

Hi Meenakshi

What is there in a name?

I hope your adais came out well.

Best wishes

Ammupatti said...

Hi Vanishree

I am very excited to get a comment from a fellow Puthucodian. Can you please give me more details about your village and your parents so that I can connect.

Hope you had good results with my recipe of nonbu adais.

Best wishes

Anonymous said...

Came here searching for details on the 9 yard saree. I certainly didn't see any video or instructions that is mentioned in the comments. By the way, I came looking for instructions on the 9 yard style worn by Madhwas. I am married to one and I have been wanting to learn this for some time now. Would be great if you could post instructions or a video for that one too. Thank you.
Vidya