Aadi Kool- Sri Lankan version

Sweet Aadi Kool – A Village Memory, A Family Connection

Back in Malaysia, where I was born and raised in a small Tamil village, the month of Aadi (the 4th month in the Tamil calendar) was marked by special rituals, songs, and—of course—kool. But the kool I knew growing up wasn’t the sweet version. In our home, Aadi Kool meant a hearty, savoury congee with onions, chillies, rice or millet, and a good splash of yogurt—simple, nourishing, and comforting.

It wasn’t until I moved to the UK and married my Jaffna-born husband that I was introduced to a completely different version: Sweet Aadi Kool—a silky, rich, and fragrant porridge made with roasted rice flour, lentils, coconut milk, and the deep, caramel-like sweetness of palm sugar.

When I made it for him for the first time, his reaction was both nostalgic and amused. “It tastes just like back home,” he said, “except the rice ball in Jaffna Kool is much bigger!” I smiled—I’ve always preferred delicate, pearl-sized rice balls, soft enough to melt in your mouth.

As I stirred the pot, I couldn’t help but think of my late mum, who would have been so intrigued by this Jaffna-style version—a sweet pot of warmth from the land of her ancestors, reimagined across generations and borders. 

Ingredients:

Roasted Red Rice Flour 1 cup

Water 11/4 liter

Urad Dhal(Ulunthu)- 2 tbsp

Moong Dhal (Pasipayar)- 2 tbsp

 Palm sugar-100 gram (or according to your taste)

Coconut flesh-1/4 of coconut, diced

Coconut milk- 3 cups 

Salt 1/2 teaspoon

2 cardomon pod

Optional-

Rice pearl balls- (2 tbsp roasted red rice flour, mix with hot water until a dough consistancy, then take a pinch of the dough and roll into a tiny ball 

 

Method:

Boil water and add Ulunthu and Pasipayar (I used without the skin). When cooked, add palm sugar, diced coconut, and rice pearl balls. Lower flame, mix gently and simmer.

In a jug, combine rice flour, cocnut milk and salt-mix welll until no lumps.

Dribble this mixture over a spoon into the pot, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Stir until cooked.

Once cooked. Serve it hot.

A Bowl of Memory, a Taste of Home

This Sweet Aadi Kool is more than just a festive porridge—it’s a beautiful meeting of memory, migration, and tradition. It carries the soul of Tamil culture from village homes in Malaysia and Sri Lanka into kitchens around the world. Each spoonful is rich in ancestral wisdom, seasonal celebration, and the simple joy of sharing something made with love.

So this Aadi, whether you're lighting lamps at dawn, listening to devotional songs, or simply reconnecting with your roots—stir a pot of kool, and let the scent of cardamom and coconut carry you home.