Arashina yele Kai Kadabu or Turmeric Leaves Sweet Dumplings

Ganesha Chaturthi is nearing and people are eager to prepare varieties of snack dishes for the lord. According to mythology, Ganesha loves many snacks and hence they are offered as naivedya during festival. Here in our house we prepare, Kadale Kalu Usli, Kadale Kalu Panchakajjaya, Arashina yele Kai Kadabu, Undlakai and also the Jackfruit leaves Idly (Halasina Yele Kadabu). I wanted to try few more like Modakas and Karikadabu also. I wanted to post those two so that it helps the readers too.Though we do not keep the clay Ganesha Idol at home, celebration is quite special. In my native Hubli, the Ganesha festival is very interesting. In my childhood days we used to visit others house and enjoy the prasadams. People there keep the Ganesha idol for 5 days, with each day different snacks being offered; and finally immerse it in water (well, lakes, river). The 5th day also is very special. They blast many crackers which children enjoy. Usually in streets different varieties of Ganesha are kept. Some arrange few cultural shows at night and the best Street who arranged Ganesha festivals with grand decorations in the entire Hubli city will grab a prize. We used to go out with family to see the varieties of Ganesha to the market place till midnight. Those days became a dream now.

Coming to the recipe, we feel it is a little complicated, but the end result is really good. You get the Arashina yele or Turmeric Leaves here in all Mangalore stores which you can buy it. Clean it with water and wipe it with clean towel to get rid of the dust on it before you start the process. Turmeric Leaves not only gives good aroma to the Kai Kadabu, but also adds a mild flavour and healthy nutrients to the kadabu when we cook it. Preparation is very simple, soak the rice in water morning at least for 2 hours, grind to thick consistency and prepare the batter. Keep it on stove and make it as dough. Prepare stuffing with stuffing ingredients and follow the below process. Try and enjoy this Arashina yele Kai Kadabu or Turmeric Leaves Sweet Dumplings Kai Kadabu in this Ganesha Festival.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Soaking Time: 2 to 3 hours

How to Make Arashina yele Kai Kadabu or Turmeric Leaves Sweet Dumplings:

1. Wash the Turmeric Leaves or Arashina Yele in water. Once washed wipe it with clean cloth to remove the extra dust on it. Spread it on a plate. This Turmeric Leaves or Arashina Yele gives good aroma to the Kai Kadabu.

2. Wash and soak Rice in water for 2 to 3 hours. Once soaked, grind Rice in a mixer grinder to a smooth paste without any residue of rice granules in it. Add enough water to it to prepare dough out from batter. The batter should neither be too thick nor too thin.

3. Transfer the batter to a big pan. Add Salt and Turmeric Powder. Keep it on a stove and bring to boil. Cook by continuously stirring the batter using a laddle without leaving for few seconds also. Keep stirring until the mixture becomes thick and form like a round sticky ball.

4. Switch off the flame, close the lid and leave it to cool but not completely, it should be warm enough to handle. If you do not keep it closed, it becomes dry thus making it difficult to spread on the Turmeric leaves.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the Stuffing. Take a pan, add Grated Coconut, Jaggery and Cardamom Powder and keep it on stove in a medium flame. Stir fry continuously using a ladle. First it leaves the water and slowly it begins to thicken. Once the Jaggery-Coconut mixture becomes thick, switch off the flame and allow this stuffing to cool completely.

6. Take a steamer pot or the Idli Pot. Add sufficient water to it. Place a steamer plate or the Idli plate in it. On the stove, boil the water for about 10 minutes or for few minutes before you keep the Kai Kadabu for steaming.

7. Take a plate; place the cleaned Turmeric Leaf or Arashina Yele on it. Take the cooked rice mixture of medium sized lemon ball and spread it on the Turmeric Leaf as lengthwise. Place 1tsp of the Jaggery-Coconut stuffing and close the Turmeric Leaf. The Rice mixture will stick to each other. Fold the leaves as in the images. Repeat the process with other leaves by arranging one next to the other as shown in the picture.

8. Keep this plate in a Steamer Pot and steam it for about 20 to 30 minutes. Switch off the flame and remove all the steamed Arashina yele Kai Kadabu or Turmeric Leaves Sweet Dumplings to another plate. The leaves change its colour once it is steamed and gives good aroma to the Kai Kadabu. It may leave little water if the stuffing is not properly dried before you stuff.

Tips:

1. Do both the process on low flame. Else the bottom of the vessel sticks to the contents and burns the items. End result you get a burnt flavour.

2. Choose a fresh coconut and a good quality one; by smelling once you break into half.

3. If you have a helping hand, you follow the above steps accordingly. Else do the Stuffing mixture preparation first and then start with the rice batter cooking.

4. Ensure the stuffing is properly fried so that no water residue remains. This helps in getting a perfect Kai Kadabu.