Although Navrathri in south India is synonymous with savoury sundal, traditionally sweet payasam is also offered for neivedhyam during Navarathri. I have prepared ada pradhaman, a creamy dessert popular in Kerala & southern Tamilnadu. Onam sadhya menu is incomplete without ada pradhaman. I still remember the delicious ada pradhaman prepared by my aunt lived in Nagercoil and I thank her for introducing us such a sweet delicacy.

Rice flour adai:
Ada Pradhaman is prepared using rice flour flakes called adai which is similar to Italian pasta. The most interesting aspect of Indian pasta is that it dissolves slowly into the water while cooking (without losing its shape or size) and makes its own sauce. Hence it does not require any thickening agent.

Earlier payasam used to be served in wedding feasts along with appalam (or papadam), sweet boondhi & ripe banana on a banana leaf. Nowadays it is being served in paper cups, so children today do not have an opportunity to relish payasam in the same way we did. So let us revive such tradition at home in this festive season by serving ada pradhaman as below. You can also check out my other payasam recipes here.

Ada pradhaman recipe:
Yields : 500 ml
Ingredients:
- Adai – ½ cup
- Powdered jaggery – ¾ cup
- Coconut – ½
- Cardamom – 2 Nos.
- Coconut pieces (chopped) – as required
- Ghee – 1 tsp

Mise en place:

- Wash & soak adai in warm water and keep aside.
- Extract coconut milk as below (I used juice extractor jar and it just took less than 10 min):
- Extract first coconut milk using 100 ml water
- For second milk use 200 ml water
- For third milk use 300 ml water

3. Prepare jaggery syrup in 100 ml water until jaggery is dissolved and set aside.


4. Fry coconut pieces in ghee and keep aside.


5. Powder cardamom seeds using mortar & pestle.



How to prepare ada pradhaman:
- Heat a heavy bottom pan with soaked adai after pouring the third pressed coconut milk into it.
- Bring it to a boil in medium flame.
- Simmer until adai is cooked soft while leaving the pan’s lid ajar.
- Now pour the second pressed milk and allow it to boil in medium flame.
- When it starts boiling reduce the heat to low.
- Pour jaggery syrup through a fine sieve and mix well.
- Pour first pressed milk, cook for 30 sec. and remove the pan from heat.
- Add cardamom powder & fried coconut pieces into payasam and mix together.
- Serve ada pradhaman warm or chilled.

Recipe notes:
- It is preferred to use homemade coconut milk than store-bought coconut milk for its authentic flavor.
- There are hard-to-cook small glassy rice flakes also available in the market, but we need to buy larger white flakes as shown above.
- Care must be taken to prevent the coconut milk getting curdled. So we should NOT
- pour hot jaggery syrup into the coconut milk.
- leave payasam on stove top when done.
So interesting how you prep the coconut. Looks delicious! I always learn so much from you! Thanks for sharing!
Glad that you liked our recipes ! Thanks so much for stopping by !
Nice receipe sure will give it a try
Thanks!
Delicious recipe and your presentation is so good..
Thanks so much !
Looks tasty, will definitely try!
Thank you !
Mostly you make south Indian delicious food
Thanks for stopping by !
Such an awesome and traditional receipe ✌✌
Yes, thank you !
Love seeing this authentic sweet dish as I don’t have experience in it. ?
Thank you !
Lovely combo of flavours 🙂
Thank you !
So simple yet so luscious! I can practically smell that fragrant cardamom already… 😉
Thank you !
This looks absolutely delicious Megala! Love the presentation ??
Thank you !
Such a creamy and delicious recipe. You are introducing many new recipes. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Thank you ! 🙂
How intriguing! I wish I could find those rice flour flakes. They sound like a really fun ingredient to play with, and of course, this recipe looks delicious.
Yes, sure they are ! Thanks so much !!
Happy Navratre to you and your dear ones !
Thank you and wish you the same !
Seems very delicious and tempting but can you tell me what is adai. ? I mean what is it made up of? I’ve never heard adai before. ?
Sure, it is ! Adai (ada) is made of rice flour, it is mainly used in Kerala cuisine !
Ohk! Thank you #Megala. ?
Never prepared this, I thought its very difficult by reading your post I feel it can be prepared. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe .
Nice to hear that, please do try & let me know. 🙂 Thanks !
Wow ! Great presentation, love it, dear !
Thank you !
Such a delicious payasam!!!!!
Yes, it really is ! Thank you !
That fried coconut looks very appealing! Plus a pasta that makes it’s own sauce is quite handy 🙂
Thanks, and thanks for stopping by !
I can imagine the creamy delicious flavor of Adai Pradhaman…It looks so delicous and always so nice to know more about south Indian culture and traditions..Lovely Post Megala !!
Thank you !
It was interesting reading about Indian pasta and all your dishes really make me think about being more creative and doing different things when cooking. It looks great.
I’m delighted to hear that, thanks for stopping by !
I’ve never heard of using a banana leaf in this way! Love learning new things!
Thank you !
Nice .
Thanks !
Looks delicious!! and like the presentation…Lovely.
Thank you !
Looks so delicious… lovely presentation
Thank you !
A lovely recipe at an appropriate time of festivities.
Thank you !
Hey Megala, this is totally new to me. Haven’t heard of it before. So learnt a new recipe today, thanks to you 🙂
Thanks !
Looks delicious! Nice presentation
Thank you !
Megala, this looks absolutely lovely!! 🙂
Thanks Sophie !
Just love your recipes!!! 🙂
🙂 🙂
Looks delicious Megala, it is one of my favorites .loved the authentic presentation on the banana leaf !!
Thank you !