Traditional soft Adhirasam recipe (Athirasam / Ariselu) made with raw rice flour, jaggery and cardamom! Learn how to make melt-in-the-mouth, golden brown festive adhirasam at home with step-by-step photos and foolproof tips.
Adhirasam recipe with step by step pictures and tips, tricks for troubleshooting if Adhirasam breaks or becomes hard or crispy. Adirasam (Ariselu in Telugu) is a deep fried Indian sweet made with rice flour and jaggery.
My MIL is an expert in making Adhirasam. In my apartment, all my neighbours used to call her for guidance during Diwali. I learnt this recipe from her and posting for you all. For making soft adhirasam rice flour, jaggery syrup consistency is very important. My MIL always uses home made rice flour for making this sweet. Recently I found a recipe with store bought rice flour. I will try and post it soon. Do refer the “Notes” section for tips and tricks!
I am happily sharing this post to celebrate my blog anniversary. I thank you all for your encouragement and support !
Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens
- Rice Selection: Standard Sona Masoori or Idli raw rice from Indian grocery stores works best for making fresh homemade processed rice flour. Avoid parboiled rice or precooked flour.
- Jaggery (Paagu Vellam): Look for dark, pyramid-shaped “Paagu Vellam” or “Marthandam Jaggery” at Patel Brothers or local Indian grocers for the deep golden color and authentic chewy-soft texture.
- Stove Heat Management: Electric and ceramic glass-top stoves hold heavy heat. Fry adhirasams strictly on medium-low flame one at a time so the inside cooks through without overbrowning the exterior.
- Drying the Rice Indoors: In colder climates with indoor heating or central air, spread the soaked rice on cotton kitchen towels on the dining table or kitchen counter; 10 minutes is plenty to dry the surface while keeping the core slightly moist for grinding.
Adhirasam Recipe (Traditional Soft Adhirasam)
Authentic South Indian soft Adhirasam recipe (Athirasam / Ariselu) made with raw rice flour, jaggery and cardamom with step-by-step photos and troubleshooting tips.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup Raw rice (approx. 200 g / 7 oz) – or 2 cups homemade processed rice flour
- ¾ cup Grated jaggery (Paagu Vellam) (approx. 150 g / 5.3 oz)
- ⅓ cup Water (approx. 80 ml / 2.7 fl oz)
- ¼ tsp Cardamom powder
- ½ tsp White or black sesame seeds (optional)
- ¼ tsp Dry ginger powder (sukku podi) (optional)
- Cooking oil or ghee to deep fry
Instructions
- For homemade rice flour, wash and soak the raw rice for 2 hours. Spread on a clean paper or cloth and let it air dry for 10 minutes. Grind the rice in batches into a slightly coarse powder (fine to sight, but slightly coarse to touch for that authentic shop-style texture). Sieve and set aside. Rice flour is ready.
- For syrup, powder the jaggery and add water just to cover it. Melt on medium flame and strain through a metal strainer to remove impurities. Return the syrup to medium heat and boil until it reaches soft ball consistency (uruttu padham). Test by dropping a bit in water; it should hold together into a loose, pliable ball without dissolving. Stir in cardamom powder and turn off heat.
- Take the prepared rice flour in a wide bowl and add sesame seeds if using. Make a well in the center and pour the hot jaggery syrup little by little. Mix with a spatula into a soft, pliable, slightly gooey semi-solid dough. Do not add all syrup at once, as the dough will thicken as it cools.
- Transfer the dough to an airtight container once cooled. Allow it to ferment at room temperature for 1 to 2 days (do not refrigerate). On the day of making, take the rested dough and divide into small lemon-sized balls.
- Grease a thick plastic sheet, butter paper or banana leaf with oil or ghee. Place a dough ball and gently pat it with your fingers into a small round disc, about the thickness of a poori.
- Heat oil in a kadai on medium heat. Drop a tiny bit of dough to check temperature; it should rise immediately. Gently slide in one adhirasam. It will puff up and turn golden brown quickly. Immediately flip and cook the other side for 1 to 2 seconds until bubbles subside.
- Remove from oil, place between two flat ladles and press gently to drain excess oil. Drain on kitchen paper towels. Stack the adhirasams once warm to retain their soft texture and store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Always use processed rice flour to make adhirasam. Store bought flour makes the adhirasam hard & chewy. The processed flour should be slightly wet and should not be dry.
- To make processed rice flour, soak raw rice in water for 2 hours. Drain the water and spread the rice on paper or cloth for 5 minutes. Now grind the rice to make a slightly coarse powder. Sieve and repeat the same process and use this rice flour to make adhirasam.
- Based on the texture of rice flour, it absorbs jaggery syrup. The finer it is, the less syrup it absorbs.
- To get the texture of adhirasam like in sweet stalls, make the rice flour slightly coarse. It should look like fine powder, but when touched it should feel slightly coarse.
- The consistency of syrup is very important. It should be a loose, soft ball (uruttu padham). It will not dissolve in water, but should not be tight like a hard ball. When gathered with fingers, it should slide easily.
- The color of adhirasam depends on the jaggery used. Dark golden Paagu Vellam gives the best traditional color and flavor.
- The quantity of syrup may vary based on the moisture in the rice flour. Add syrup gradually. Excess syrup will make adhirasam break or disperse in oil; too little syrup will make it tough.
- If adhirasam breaks in oil, either jaggery is excess or the dough is too loose. Add 1 tablespoon of wheat flour or reserved homemade rice flour, mix well and try again. Do not add too much flour as it can make it hard.
- Adhirasam dough can be preserved for up to 10 days at room temperature in an airtight container without refrigeration.
- If the dough turns too hard after resting, sprinkle a few drops of milk or warm jaggery syrup to restore its soft, pliable texture.
- If adhirasams turn slightly crispy or firm after frying, place them in an idli steamer plate and steam for a few seconds to restore softness. Never re-fry adhirasam.
- Do not deep fry adhirasams for too long as they will turn hard and crisp like murukku.
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Once again I thank all my blogger friends & readers for taking my blog all this way. I need all your encouragement and support for all my future endeavours. I thank you all with this virtual treat of adhirasam.
Welcome back Chithra. Happy new year and congrats on your blog anniversary.
I love this sweet very much, wish i could have that plate right now. Looks yummy.
Welcome Back CHitra, belated new year wishes and belated pongal wishes…I love adhirasam, urs looks really tempting..i never tried adhirasam at home, urs pulling me to try out…Congrats on ur blog anniversary dear..
My BIL mom makes this too and once i was in my sisters place and she just had a box of this, i really enjoyed eating this.
Your look yumm.
Thanku all ladies :)
Hi.Congrats on ur bloganniversary. I used to buy adhiirasam from sarvana bhavan, thanx for sharing the recipe, will try this at home.
Hmm….Yummy adhirasam..I just love them..I used to help my mom when she was making them…they look just perfect..and haa congrats on the blog anniversary and happy new year dear
wow!!delicious sweet…i love this one…give one please..
Congrats on u r blog anniversary….nice to see u back…this is very common sweet in Andhra…we call it Ariselu….your look soft and yummy….
Gorgeous looking adhirsams,I just love adhirsams long time since i had this :( Badly wanting some now!!
I am a sucker in making these,tried twice but failed :(
Happy blog anniversary and congrats on reaching 100 posts milestone,wish you celebrate many more like this :)
Awesome looking adhirasams. My family's all time favourite. You have explained the procedure so well. Thnx for the recipe.
Chitchat
Congrats on your blog anniversary with athirasam
athirasams have come out so well..it used to be my favourite sweet too..welcome back and congratulations. :-)
welcome back.congrats on ur 100th post and blog anniversary.
what a perfect looking adirasams.never tried this.tempting chitra.
amazing click.
Welcome back. Happy New Year. Congratulations.
The adrasams look great. I attempted them once and it was a real flop. Never tried them again. But I just love to binge on them
Congrats dear…Athirasam looks yummy and delicious…
How were the holidays at home Chitra?
Two in one celebrations??? Congratulations.
and a befitting sweet…my favourite too.
A very happy new year and happy pongal to you Chitra.
Congrats on your blog anniversary too:)
The sweet looks tempting…my mom and mil are also expert in making sweets and in cooking:) and all the neighbours call them for their guidance (especially while making traditional sweets)
Cheers and do visit,
Rachana
rachanakothari.blogspot.com
Welcome back Chitra…Happy New year and Happy blog anniversary :) Nice tempting sweet too!
The athirasams look so yummy..I love them but honestly never made them as the pagu patham is the tricky part..amma always makes it for varalakshmi viratham and diwali..I was thinking of trying it and there you gave the recipe and pix..
Will make it and let you know..
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary to "Ratatouille – Any one can cook" !!!!
your perfect Adhirassams are making me mouth water!!! it's been some time since I ate these back in India. my grandma makes them so well;
i have never tried these at home but your instructions and the tips below the recipe push me to go ahead to try the recipe. very cruel temptations, delicious sweet!!
they look just perfect..it was a disaster when I tried this a couple of years ago..never attempted again
Looks perfect chitra… Welcome back…
I love these sweets and would love to have one…
I like these very much but I never get the sugar consistency right..always turns very hard..urs loooks perfect and yummy.Can u send some over??
Never tried adhirasam – I bookmarked!
Congratulations on your blog anniversary! Adhirasam sweet looks delicious, something new to me!
love athirsam but never tried making them at home.paati used to make them so well!have bookmarked your recipe. happy blog anniversery :-)
Thanks a lot dearies for ur sweet wishes & comments.. do try this & let me know..:)
I never tasted this,heard a lot abt this,thanx for sharing.looks so awesome..
my fav sweet for diwali!!! Thanks for sharing
Congrats on reaching this milestone Chitra ! And athirasam is a great way to celebrate, looks delicious ! Bookmarked :-)
Hey u r back with a sweet bang…. ;-) Congrats on your milestone…. & wishes for many more…. Missed u while u were not around….
I loved the perfect looking athrasas…. PICTURE PERFECT!!!! The texture, the color…. verything perfect…. Loved & saved it too…. Convey my regard to your genius mother in-law….
Hope u have a gr8 year ahead….
Ash…
(http://asha-oceanichope.blogspot.com/)
This the perfect and mouthwatering Athirasam..Thanks for sharing !
Lovely Athirasam, Congrats on your Anniversary and wishes for many more to come.
This looks perfect. I have never dared to make this one its my MIL who prepares athirasam.
good to have you back! It does require great skills to make such a flaky athirasam!
yummy adhirasam….U r so talented!
Lovely looking sweet. Happy 2010 and first blog anniversary. Enjoy and keep on blogging! :))
Hi
Congrats on your blog anniversary..first time here..sweet looka yummy and great click too…following your blog,so i don't miss any post..
cheers and do visit
WElcome back Chitra. Happy blog anniversary.
Athirasam looks perfect. It does require quite a bit of practise to get it right. Yours have come out really well.
Happy blog Anniversary.
wow looks so perfect..nice click too
oh my… looks very tempting. i love adhirasam. i miss it:(
Chitra, its a perfect way to start this new year… I just love adhirasam, am bookmarking this!!! Looks very tempting!!!
Chitra,
Athirasam looks reallly good. I will try some time
Yummmmm post :))
This reminds me of roat that would be made to be served at poojas.
My favorite sweet,looks great.
athirasam is simply inviting.
Its been a while, how are you? Welcome back.
Adhirasam looks perfect, looks very authentic, I still cudnt perfect his recipe, mine always breaks…got to try ur version soon, thanks for the recipe:)
Thanks for visiting my blog…I will definitely be following your recipes…
Love this traditional recipe…my mom makes it quite a bit…I was actually planning to try out this recipe soon..
Thanks for the wonderful tips on making it.