Neelima Ela Ada, a traditional delicacy from South Indian state of Kerala. It is a sweet coconut-jaggery stuffed rice flour cakes/parcels steam cooked in banana leaves. Ela Ada’s outer cover is made using the kneaded rice flour dough.
Elayappam/Ela Ada Recipe is a snack which is cooked using steamer. One would like to enjoy the real taste of steam foods when it’s taken immediately out from the steamer. That’s how you feel the real difference between the direct cooking vs steam cooking. I always love to have steam foods and this is not an exception either. One thing special about this Ela Ada recipe is that it is healthy and gluten free.
This snack is traditionally prepared in most parts in Kerala and enjoyed during festivals and occasions like Vishu, the New Year of Keralites. Ela translates to banana leaf, which is used to cover Ada that is prepared using rice, coconut and jaggery. The smell and flavour of the banana leaf in which the Ada is wrapped only adds to the taste of the steamed snack.
Ela Ada can be made using wheat and rice flour and the fillings can vary. It makes for one of the healthiest delicacies out there since it is steamed and not fried in oil or ghee like most snacks are.
So try this yummy and healthy Ela Ada Kerala Recipe.
Ela Ada Kerala Recipe
Equipment
- Idli Cooker
Ingredients
For Filling of Ada
- 1 tsp Ghee
- 1 cup Grated Coconut
- 250 gms Jaggery
- 50 ml Water to melt jaggery
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
For Dough of Ada
- 1 cup Rice powder
- 1½ cup Water
- 1 tsp Ghee
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 Banana leaves, cut into rectangles of about 6-8 inches width X 10-12 inches height
Instructions
- Keep mixing gently to avoid the jaggery sticking to the surface of the pan, and melt the jaggery completely.
- In a wide sauce pan, roast a whole cup of freshly grated coconut in two teaspoons of ghee. Roast it for a few minutes until the colour of the coconut changes slightly.
- Once roasted, add the melted jaggery to the pan, pouring it through a sieve
- Mix the coconut and jaggery together. Let it cook till it thickens
- Add some cardamom powder and ghee now.
- Turn off the stove and let it cool.
- For the dough roast 1 cup rice flour on low flame for 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl and cool completely.
- In a saucepan take 1½ cup water, 1 tsp ghee and ½ tsp salt. Let it boil for 2 minutes.
- Pour the hot water over flour and mix using a spoon.
- Once the water is absorbed and the dough has cooled slightly start kneading with your hand.
- Knead to a smooth non-sticky dough by greasing little ghee to hand.
- Now, take a banana leaf and cut it up into several pieces, to seal and cook the Ada's.
- Take some dough and roll it in your palm to form small balls.
- Flatten the dough and place it on the centre of the banana leaf piece. Pat the dough to flatten it evenly.
- Now, place some of the jaggery-coconut mixture in the centre and spread it.
- Fold the leaf and seal it, making sure to press down on all sides.
- Once the steamer/idli cooker is ready, place the banana leaf on the tray and put it in the steamer. Steam cook for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Your Ela Ada's are ready to be served, nice and hot.
Notes
- You can substitute jaggery with sugar .If using sugar, simply mix the coconut, sugar, ghee and cardamom powder and use it as a filling.
- You can also add about ½ cup of chopped ripe banana to the filling for another flavourful filling option.
Great recipe