TRADITIONAL RICE DROP SWEET / MANGALOREAN SAARNA ADAI

Saarna adai is a wonderful Mangalorean kheer which has abundance of tiny rice droplets swimming in a rich thick sauce of coconut milk & jaggery.
The Saarna adai is part of a dying tradition of Mangalore.Not many people have eaten this kheer especially today’s generation whose chances of eating it is very feeble.
I know many of you will be delighted to see this recipe while many may find the process too complicated. Well, according to me sometimes it is important to go that extra mile, to enjoy something truly delicious. Here I have used Saarna kurwai ... it is an utensil from bamboo especially designed for the rice batter to drop through the slots in the centre.  You can also grind the batter slightly thin and run it through a slotted spoon so that they drop directly into the vessel containing the boiling Kheer.

Ingredients:

1 cup parboiled rice
2 cups thick coconut milk / first extract
5 cups thin coconut milk /second extract
150 gm palm jaggery/ cane jaggery
10-12 Cashewnuts
2 tsp ghee
salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash the rice and soak them for 7-8 hours or overnight.
2. Drain the water and grind the rice to a fine but slightly thick paste using little water.
3. Pour the 5 cups of thin coconut milk, jaggery and salt to taste in a large vessel. Place the pan on a medium heat, stirring the mixture till the jaggery dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Do not cover the pan at any stage as there are chances that the coconut milk may curdle.
2. When the mixture has come to a boil ... pour few ladelful of the rice batter into the saarna kurwai ...pressing it with the ladel for the batter to drop into the kheer.. stirring every now & then.
3. After 10-15 minutes, add the thick coconut milk and let it come to a gentle boil. Stir every now & then. Continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes further.
4. Now add the ghee roasted cashewnuts and cardamom pd. into the kheer.
5. Your Saarna Adai is ready to be served. It tastes wonderful whether its hot, warm or chilled.




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