Karthigai Adai, a traditional South Indian dish celebrated during the Karthigai Deepam festival. Made with a wholesome mix of rice, lentils, and spices, this savoury pancake is both nutritious and delicious. Karthigai Adai is often prepared with ingredients like grated coconut, cumin seeds, and curry leaves, enhancing its rich taste and aroma. Enjoy it as a breakfast item or a festive treat, served with jaggery, butter, or spicy chutneys.
Explore the cultural significance and health benefits of Karthigai Adai, and learn how to make this delightful dish at home to celebrate the spirit of Karthigai. It has pepper and cumin seeds with some chopped coconut in it. The flavour of cumin and black pepper and the bite of coconut bits makes this adai a special one for winter season. Some use raw rice for neivedhyam but on the other days you can make with Idli rice. Having Karthigai adai during winter is very essential.
Differentiation between Adai Dosai and Karthigai Adai
Adai Dosai
- Ingredients: Rice, various lentils, spices (cumin, pepper), and optional additions (onion, curry leaves).
- Texture: Crispy outside, soft inside; thin and dosa-like.
- Serving: Accompanied by coconut chutney, avial, or sambar; enjoyed any time.
- Cultural Context: A nutritious meal option popular year-round.
Karthigai Adai
- Ingredients: Rice, lentils, grated coconut, often sweetened with jaggery.
- Texture: Thicker, softer, pancake-like.
- Serving: Served with ghee or butter and jaggery; made specifically during the Karthigai Deepam festival.
- Cultural Context: Festive delicacy symbolizing prosperity and devotion.
Check out my other adai and dosai recipes
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Karthigai Adai
Equipment
- Mixie
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup Idli rice
- 1/4 cup Urad dhal
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
- 1 small cup Curry leaves
- 1 small cup Finely chopped coconut
- To taste Salt
Instructions
- Take rice and urad dhal in a bowl, wash and soak in water for 4 hours.
- Drain the water and add rice, urad dhal into the mixie jar.
- Add cumin seeds and Black peppercorn into it.
- Grind all the ingredients in the grinder or mixie coarsely.
- Add salt, little water and grind again to a slightly coarse batter.
- Transfer the batter into another bowl.
- Now add the curry leaves and finely chopped coconut bits into the batter and mix well.The adai batter is ready.
- Heat the skillet and once hot, take a small ladle of the batter and spread it evenly in round shape.
- Drizzle oil and allow it to cook till golden brown.
- Then turn it to the other side and cook in the same way.
- It goes best with Dosai milagai podi, butter, jaggery and Podi potta kuzhambu.
Video
INSTRUCTIONS
- Take rice and urad dhal in a bowl, wash and soak in water for 4 hours.
- Drain the water and add rice, urad dhal into the mixie jar.
- Add cumin seeds and Black peppercorn into it.
- Grind all the ingredients in the grinder or mixie coarsely.
- Add salt, little water and grind again to a slightly coarse batter.
- Transfer the batter into another bowl.
- Now add the curry leaves and finely chopped coconut bits into the batter and mix well.
- The adai batter is ready.
- Heat the skillet and once hot, take a small ladle of the batter and spread it evenly in round shape.
- Drizzle oil and allow it to cook till golden brown.
- Then turn it to the other side and cook in the same way.
- It goes best with Dosai milagai podi, butter, jaggery and Podi potta kuzhambu.
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[…] « Karthigai Adai […]
[…] found in stores during the time of the Karthigai Deepam Festival. Aval Pori, Nel Pori, Neyyappam, Karthigai Adai are the traditional recipes made on Karthigai Deepam day as neivedhyam / Prashad. We lit lamp in […]
Delicious healthy
Thank you
Its amazing how many different ways one can make dosa like flatbreads. A wonderful breakfast or light meal option. I can imagine how flavorful the karthigai adai is with coconut, curry leaves and the pepper.
Yes Mayuri ji. This adai tastes totally different from the regular adai made with lot of lentils. And as mentioned we make it for Karthigai Deepam festival which falls in December. The adai is best for the winter season since it has pepper.
Pepper dosa aka Adai look so healthy, crispy and crunchy. Perfect pairing with any chutney for me, sounds yumm.
Thank you jolly 🙂
A unique recipe I must say… addition of three ingredients must have made the adai more flavorful..
Thank you Amrita
I make Idlis using Rava idli never knew this way we can make dosai too.. will soon make this as we love having different kinds of dais for breakfast.. looks so yumm!!
Hi Swathi this is a traditional recipe that we make as a Prasadh for Karthigai Deepam festival that falls in December. This is quite different from the regular adai we make with lentils. Do try it out. You ll definitely love it.
I love Adai. Delicious and nutritious treat anytime.
Absolutely Preethi.Its healthy and delicious 🙂
[…] found in stores during the time of the Karthigai Deepam Festival. Aval Pori, Nel Pori, Neyyappam, Karthigai Adai are the traditional recipes made on Karthigai Deepam day as neivedhyam / Prashad. We lit lamp in […]
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[…] Karthigai adai […]
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