XMXHosea83962264 at 19:33, 18 February 2026

2026-02-18T19:33:14Z

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{{Short description|Dessert made of rice, coconut, and spices}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Adhirasam
| image = Adhirasam2a.jpg
| caption = Homemade adhirasam
| alternate_name =

| region = [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Karnataka]], [[Telangana]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Odisha]], [[Bihar]], [[Uttarakhand]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Chhattisgarh]]
| course = [[Sweet]]
| type = [[Fried dough]]
| served =
| main_ingredient = [[Rice flour]], [[jaggery]]
| variations = [[Anarsa]]
| calories =
| other =
}}

'''Adhirasam''', attarasalu, ({{langx|ta|அதிரசம்}}), {{transliteration|kn|kajjaya}} or {{transliteration|kn|athrasa}} in [[Kannada]] ({{langx|kn|ಅತ್ರಾಸ}}), {{transliteration|te|ariselu}} in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] ({{langx|te|అరిసెలు}}), {{transliteration|mr|anarasa}} in [[Marathi language|Marathi]], {{transliteration|hne|Airsa}} in [[Chhattisgarhi]] or {{transliteration|or|Arisa pitha}} in [[Odia language|Odia]] is a type of [[Indian sweet]] made out of
[[rice]], [[jaggery]], [[ghee]] and sometimes [[coconut]] and with spices like [[cardamom]], [[sesame]], [[Piperaceae|pepper]] and [[ginger]] [[powder]] from [[Tamil cuisine]], [[Karnataka cuisine]], [[Telugu cuisine]], [[Marathi cuisine]] and [[Odia cuisine]]. The [[doughnut]]-like [[fried dough]] has a long history of popularity in Kannada, Telugu, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Tamil civilization. They are similar in shape to [[Vada (food)|vada]], but are not savoury and are eaten as a [[sweet]].

Adhirasam is a popular as an offering to the relatives during [[Deepavali]] and [[Ganesha Chaturthi]] festivals, both at home and in [[Hindu temple|temples]] in [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Karnataka]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Matthews|first=Christine M. E. |title=Health and culture in a South Indian village|publisher=Sterling Publishers|location=New Delhi, India|year=1979|page=254|oclc=6703271}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Annapoorna|first=L. |title=Music and temples : a ritualistic approach|publisher=Sundeep Prakashan|location=New Delhi, India|year=2000|page=77|isbn=978-81-7574-090-7|oclc=45499624}}</ref>

==Historical and cultural significance==
The earliest documented references to Adhirasam emerge from medieval Tamil kingdoms, particularly the [[Chola]] dynasty, where it appeared as a favored item in royal feasts and temple rituals.<ref name="Achaya46">{{cite book
| last=Achaya
| first=K. T.
| title=Indian Food: A Historical Companion
| publisher=Oxford University Press
| year=1994
| page=46
| isbn=0195628454
}}</ref>
According to inscriptions from the 16th century, during the reign of [[Vijayanagara]] emperor [[Krishnadevaraya]], the sweet was made from rice flour, [[jaggery]], [[ghee]] and pepper.<ref>{{cite book|last=Tēvi|first=Irā. Nirañcan̲ā |title=Medicine in South India|publisher=Eswar Press|year=2006|page=118|isbn=978-81-7874-039-3|oclc=122427109}}</ref> At the annual festival at the Panchavarnesvar Temple in [[Thirunallur, Thanjavur|Thirunallur]] (located near [[Kumbakonam]], Tamil Nadu), an offering of 6000 Adhirasams along with 6000 [[Vada (food)|vada]]s is made to the Gods; the entire lot is cooked in the temple kitchen between sunrise and 11 pm, for the prayers that take place at midnight. It is a popular Deepavali sweet preparation for Tamil people.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/as-families-reunite-in-villages-as-a-result-of-the-pandemic-the-focus-shifts-from-the-city-to-a-quiet-rural-deepavali/article33066431.ece|title=The reign of adhirasam|first=Chitra Deepa|last=Anantharam|newspaper=The Hindu|date=10 November 2020|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>

==Preparation==
The authentic preparation takes about a week. First the rice is soaked in water and dried in shade and ground into a fine powder when the rice is 3/4th dried and retains some moisture. For adding sweet "vellam" (jaggery in Tamil) is melted in water by boiling it till it reaches soft-ball consistency ({{convert|235–240|°F}}, if using a candy thermometer) and added to the rice flour along with some powdered [[cardamom]] to make a thick dough. It is then transferred to an [[earthenware]] pot and the top of the pot is closed with a thin white cloth. It is then allowed to [[Fermentation in food processing|ferment]] for about 3–5 days by placing it in the sunlight during the day. Finally, when the batter is ready for preparation, small balls of the dough is taken and flattened using fingers in a small piece of oil-brushed [[banana leaf]] and deep fried in oil until golden brown. Then it is pressed with a flat bottomed bowl to remove the excess oil.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dinamalar.com/aanmeegamnews_detail.asp?news_id=1208&ncat=HIN&ncat1=WRI|title=நல்லூர் பஞ்சவர்ணேஸ்வர் கோயில் (Nallur Panchavarneswar Koil)|date=21 March 2009|newspaper=[[Dinamalar]]|language=ta|access-date=22 November 2009}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Adhirasam Picture.JPG|Adhirasam
File:Aesthetic Adhirasam.jpg|Adhirasam
File:Athirasam of Salem.jpg|Athirasam of Salem
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Karnataka cuisine]]
*[[Tamil cuisine]]
*[[List of fried dough foods]]
*[[List of doughnut varieties]]
*{{Portal-inline|Food}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWuQjXfzrwQ Adirasam Recipe]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.foodista.com/recipe/7JMV5QBJ/adhirasam Recipe on Foodista.com]
{{Doughnut}}
{{Indian dishes|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Karnataka cuisine]]
[[Category:Tamil cuisine]]
[[Category:Indian desserts]]
[[Category:Indian snack foods]]

Adhirasam - Revision history

XMXHosea83962264 at 19:33, 18 February 2026