Arepuda Adye

Arepuda Adye, a Tulunadu regional delicacy is rice dumplings infused with finely cut colacasia leaves and soaked in a spicy coconut gravy. In Tulu, “Arepu” literally means thick gravy / curry and “Adye” means rice cake.  Everybody makes sure they eat this dish once a year, at a minimum, for its health benefits during Aati month of Tulu calendar. Arepuda Adye definitely does not fall under the fast food category and takes some effort, patience and love to get done – but at the end of its definitely worth it, for you and your family. Check out the detailed recipe for Arepuda Adye here.

Colacasia leaves are an excellent source of fiber and starch resistant, which account for many of its health benefits. These include improved heart health, blood sugar levels, body weight and gut health. It also contains a variety of antioxidants and polyphenols that protect against free radical damage and potentially cancer.

Ingredients for the rice dumpling (adye)

4 cups boiled rice soaked overnight

1/2 tsp tamarind

4 red chillis

1/2 tsp jeera

1 tsp Coriander seeds

Salt to Taste

15 Colacasia leaves (Kesuvina Yele in Kannada)

Method to make Adye (rice dumpling)

1. Grind to a fine paste. Add as little water as possible to grind and maintain as thick paste.
2. Finely chop the Colacasia leaves and thoroughly mix with the batter.
3. The cut leaves should be evenly spread through the batter
4. Make them into small size (golf ball) cakes by hand.
5. Steam for 30 mins or so. Dip a stick into the ball to check if the insides are cooked well
6. Cut the steamed cakes (adye) into cubes and set aside.

Ingredients to make the Arepu (Curry/gravy)

1/2 tsp Fenugreek (Methi seeds)

1 tsp Jeera

2 tsp Coriander

Pinch of Hing (asafoetida)

7-8 dry red chilli

A small piece (marble size) tamarind

A pinch of Turmeric Powder

1 cup grated coconut (can increase based on need for gravy)

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp Urad Dhal

1 large onion finely chopped

2 tsp Jaggery

Salt to taste

Method to make the Arepu (Curry/gravy)

1. Put first five ingredients in a pan with small quantity of oil to lightly roast
2. After cooling them, transfer the contents into a Mixer
3. Add tamarind (this not to be missed considering the itchy nature of colacasia leaves), turmeric powder and coconut.
4. Grind to a coarse masala paste and set this aside.
5. Heat up a wok for seasoning and add 3 tsp oil.
6. Add mustard, Urad Dhal, chopped onion and lightly fry.
7. Add a pinch of turmeric.
8. Now add the ground masala paste into the wok, add jaggery, salt and mix thoroughly.
9. Add water and cook till boil. Remember the rice cakes will absorb some of the water content from the gravy.

Arepuda Adye 

Once the masala gravy is boiling well, add the rice cakes into the boiling masala gravy. Carefully stir to spread the gravy across all the rice dumplings. Be careful to not break up the soft rice cakes in the gravy while stirring.

Arepuda Adye is best served after keeping aside for 3-4 hours, to allow the gravy to soak into the rice cakes.

Check out this video to make the process easy for you.