Sugar athirasam, also known ascheeni adhirasamorsakkarai adhirasam, isa variation of the traditional South Indian deep-fried sweet made with rice flour and white refined sugar instead of jaggery. It is a festive delicacy, particularly popular during Diwali, and offers a different taste profile from its more common jaggery counterpart.
Key characteristics
Ingredients:The primary components are freshly ground raw rice flour, refined white sugar, water, and ghee. Flavor is often enhanced with cardamom powder, and some recipes may also include sesame seeds.
Flavor profile:While traditional jaggery athirasam has an earthy, caramelized sweetness, the sugar version has a cleaner, slightly more neutral sweet flavor.
Texture:A perfectly made sugar athirasam is soft and spongy on the inside with a crisp outer layer. The texture is highly dependent on achieving the correct "soft ball" consistency of the sugar syrup, a step that requires careful attention. If the syrup consistency is off, the final product can turn out hard.
Preparation:The process begins by soaking raw rice, grinding it into a fine flour, and then mixing it with a cooked sugar syrup. The resulting dough is left to rest for a few days to ferment slightly, which helps achieve the desired texture. Small portions of the dough are then flattened and deep-fried in oil or ghee.
Appearance:Like the jaggery version, sugar athirasam is typically a disc-shaped sweet that is flattened before frying.
