Ada Pradhaman
Filed under: Kheer Or Payasam Recipes
Posted on 18 Apr 2025, by
Ada Pradhaman is one of Kerala’s most loved desserts, often considered the king of payasams. It is traditionally prepared during festivals like Onam and Vishu, and no grand Kerala feast (sadhya) feels complete without it. Ada pradhaman is traditionally made with rice ada (flat rice flakes), jaggery, and coconut milk and typically garnished with roasted cashews and coconut bits. The special spice powder combo of dry ginger powder, cardamom powder, and roasted cumin powder provides that authentic and traditional taste. The dessert reflects Kerala’s culinary essence—simple ingredients elevated through time-honored cooking techniques into something truly divine.
Preparation
00:30 minutes
Resting
00:00 minutes
Cooking
00:40 minutes
Total Time
01:10 Hrs
Servings
5-6 servings
Difficulty
MODERATE
Ada Pradhaman is one of the most beloved traditional desserts from Kerala. It’s often called "the king of all Payasams"– and rightfully so! Rich, flavorful, and absolutely comforting, this dish is a star during festivals like Vishu, Onam, and even in weddings and birthday celebrations. And it is the main dessert in a traditional Kerala sadya (feast).
In fact, in our house, birthdays were never about cake – they were about a big bowl of warm Ada Pradhaman. It’s my mom’s special recipe, and no matter where we are, we follow her method to make it.
Sometimes she’d add a handful of sabudhana (also called chowari or tapioca pearls), and now and then, she would use milk instead of coconut milk. But the traditional recipe always tastes the best!
Main Ingredients:
- Rice Ada, This is the key ingredient – thin strips/flakes made from rice, specially prepared for making Ada Pradhaman. We usually prefer Matta rice red ada, but today I used the regular white ada as that’s all I could find. Both work, but red ada gives a more traditional flavor.
- Jaggery, This gives the Ada Pradhaman its deep sweetness and beautiful brown color. Try to use dark brown jaggery for that rich, caramel-like taste and the deep golden brown color.
- Coconut Milk, Freshly squeezed coconut milk from grated coconut. I used First extract ( called Onnaam Paal – thick and creamy ) and Second extract ( called Randaam Paal – slightly thinner ) in this recipe. Both are used at different stages of cooking.
- Spice Powders, like Cardamom powder, Dry ginger powder and Roasted cumin powder adds a beautiful aroma and bring that authentic Kerala touch.
- Cashew Nuts, Raisins & Coconut Bits, These are fried in ghee until golden and added to the Ada Pradhaman. The crunch of coconut make each spoonful special.
- Ghee, Used for frying the nuts and coconut – it also gives a rich taste to the entire dish.
- Salt, Just a small pinch of salt is added to balance the sweetness and enhance the overall flavor.
- Sabudhana (Chowari) – Optional, Some people like to add cooked sabudhana to the payasam. If you do, cook about 50 grams of sabudhana until soft and add it along with the second coconut milk.
- Use fresh coconut milk whenever possible – it makes a big difference.
- Fry nuts and coconut till golden brown – don’t burn!
- A pinch of salt may seem small, but it really helps to balance the flavor.
- Serve warm, about 10–15 minutes after cooking. That’s when the flavors settle and blend well.
- Payasam tends to thicken as it cools. So adjust the amount of thick coconut milk to get the desired consistency.
Tips & Tricks to Improve Flavor:
Serving Suggestions:
Ada Pradhaman is more than just a dessert – it's a memory in a bowl. Whether it's for a festive feast or a birthday treat, Ada Pradhaman always brings back warm feelings of home.
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- Rice Ada, I used Readymade Ada - 200 Grams
- Coconut oil - 1 Tablespoon
- Water - 6 cups, to cook the ada
- Crushed Jaggery - 350 - 500 Grams, adjust according to your taste preference
- Water - 3/4 - 1 cup, to melt the jaggery
- Medium thick Coconut Milk, Second Extract, Randaam Paal - 3 cups
- Thick Coconut Milk, First Extract, Onnaam Paal - 1 - 1.5 cups
- Dried Ginger Powder / Chukku Podi- 1/2 Teaspoon
- Cardamom Powder / Elakka Podi- 1/4 Teaspoon
- Roasted and powdered Cumin / Jeerakam Varuthu Podichathu- 1/4 Teaspoon
- Cashew Nuts - 15 - 20 Nos
- Raisins - 1 - 2 Tablespoon
- Coconut Bits - 2 Tablespoon
- Ghee - 1 - 2 Tablespoon, to fry cashews, raisins and coconut bits
- A pinch of Salt
Directions
Cooking Ada:
- Take 6 cups of water in a pot and bring it to a boil.
- Once it comes to a good boil, add 200 grams of ada. Just make sure you're using good quality ada.
- Then add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and mix well. Adding coconut oil helps keep the ada from sticking together.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After that, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit covered for 30 minutes.
Melting Jaggery:
- Take 350 to 500 grams of crushed jaggery and 1 cup of water in a heavy bottomed pan. Adjust the amount of jaggery based on your taste preference.
- Heat until the jaggery melts completely. Stir occasionally.
- Once the jaggery has melted nicely, take the pan off the heat and set aside.
Ada Pradhsman Preparation:
- Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Add in the cashew nuts and roast until they turn light golden in color.
- Then add in the raisins and roast until they puff up, transfer everything to a bowl.
- After that, add 2 tablespoons of coconut bits and roast until light golden in color, transfer to the bowl and set aside.
- Now strain the jaggery syrup, add it into the pan and bring it to a boil.
- In the meantime, strain the cooked ada, rinse it with cold water, and drain the water completely.
- Add the cooked ada to the jaggery syrup. Stir and cook until the syrup thickens nicely and the ada is well roasted in the syrup on medium heat.
- Once the syrup thickens, add 3 cups of second extract ( medium thick ) coconut milk.
- Mix well and continue cooking on medium heat until it thickens. Stir occasionally.
- Once the payasam thickens, add in the dried ginger powder, cardamom powder, roasted and powdered cumin and mix well for about 1–2 minutes.
- Now, reduce the heat, add 1 to 1.5 cups of first extract ( thick ) coconut milk, along with the roasted cashews, raisins, coconut bits and mix everything well on low heat.
- Finally, add a pinch of salt and mix well.
- Then turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 10–15 minutes.
- Serve warm.
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