Ada Pradhaman Recipe – Kerala Style Onam Payasam Recipes

• Store bought ada – 1/2 cup
• Grated Jaggery – 1 cup
• Thin Coconut milk – 1/2 cup
• Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
• Cardamom – 2 nos ( crushed)
• Roasted coconut – 2 tbsp
• Cashews and raisins – optional
• Ghee – 2 tbsp
• Milk – as needed (optional)

• Soak the ada in hot water for 30 minutes & pressure cook it in medium flame for 1 whistle adding water twice the quantity of ada. Don’t worry even if ada turns slightly mushy because if you put them in jaggery syrup,it will separate. Remove the ada and set aside. 
• Alternately, you can soak the ada in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and wash in cold water to retain its shape. I follow this step if the ada is small in size. I use Double horse brand for small sized ada. 

• Chop a coconut slice into small pieces. Chop the cashews and roast everything in ghee. Adding nuts is optional. Add to the payasam at the end.
• Slice the coconut using the back of ladle or knife OR grate a medium sized coconut. Grind it adding 1 cup of water. Strain the thick coconut milk. This is first milk. Set aside. Again grind the mixture adding 1/2 cup of water and take the second milk. Keep aside.

• In a wide bowl, melt the jaggery and strain the syrup to remove the impurities. Add this syrup to the cooked ada. Boil well. Add the 2nd milk and boil for few minutes. Roll boil till its becomes thick and creamy. Lastly add the first milk. Lower the flame completely. Mix well , give one boil in very low flame if needed. Pradhaman should not roll boil after adding first coconut milk. It may curdle. So switch off the stove after adding the first milk..
•  Lastly add the crushed cardamom powder, roasted coconut pieces, cashews and raisins and add to the payasam. Ada pradhaman thickens as it cools down. 

Enjoy !

• Adjust the quantity of jaggery as per your taste.
• Adding dark colored jaggery /Paagu vellam gives a nice color to this payasam.
• Adding cashews & dry grapes in optional. But don’t skip roasted coconut.
• Add more coconut milk  & ghee for rich taste.