Karadaiyan Nonbu is a festival celebrated mainly in Thamizhanadu. As offering to the Gods, sweet and savoury cakes are prepared. They are often paired with butter – but nowadays, one can substitute this with vegan butter. I love both the varieties of the adais and look forward to the rice cakes. This is true for any festival. As long as there is something different for me to eat.
Recently, my friend launched a vegan butter and I got a pack to sample. My immediate craving was for the sweet adai – and boy! Did it taste wonderful. But I am strictly off refined products, as this butter happens to be. Therefore, I will not have any more of it.

Ingredients
1 cup broccwn rice, roasted
1 1/2 cups date paste
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup grated coconut
1 tbsp cow peas (lobia, karamani), cooked
1/4 tsp cardamom powder (elaichi, elakkai)
Method
Grind the roasted rice to a coarse powder
Heat a wok and add water
Add cardamom powder, date paste and cow peas
When the water becomes hot, add the rice powder
Mix well
When the mixture thickens, set aside to cool
Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions
Roll each portion in your palms and press down to make a 1/2 inch thick cake
Repeat for the remaining portions
Steam these cakes for 15 minutes
Remove from steamer and serve warm
Enjoy!