Ela Ada – pronounced Yella Ada is prepared from coconut, jaggery and rice flour. It is one of the most loved and prepared desserts and usually serves as an evening snack or for breakfast. Ela means banana leaf in which ada (or the filling with dough) is encased and steamed. It’s a healthy dessert as its steamed not fried and uses jaggery instead of sugar. The flavour of the banana leaf permeates the dough and lends it a unique aroma during steaming.
Ela Ada is prepared in several parts of Tamil Nadu as well and can be prepared with wheat flour as well but the one with rice flour is more popular. The fillings too can vary depending on one’s taste.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients for Dough
• 1 cup - Rice Flour
• 1 tsp – ghee
• ¾ cup - boiled water
• Banana leaf to wrap
• A pinch of salt
For filling
• 200 gms - Jaggery (it has to be melted for the filling with a little water)
• 3 tsp – ghee
• 1 cup – grated coconut
• ½ tsp - green cardamom powder
Method
• Take less than half a cup of water in a pan, put the crushed jaggery into it and, put it on medium flame
• Keep stirring the jaggery until fully melted. Keep aside
• Take a wide saucepan and melt 2 tsp of ghee, add the grated coconut and roast till it changes colour slightly
• Strain the jaggery water and pour into the coconut mix. Keep stirring the mixture till the water has fully evaporated, then add the cardamom powder to it. The mix should be almost dry at this point.
• Add another tsp of ghee to keep the mixture a bit moist. Keep aside to cool completely
Preparing the dough
• Boil some water in a pan and add a pinch of salt. Once the water is boiling, take it off the flame
• Take rice flour in a bowl, add ghee and start kneading the dough with a ladle by adding the hot water. Knead it quickly till you get a tight dough. Keep aside
• Take a banana leaf, slice it down the length into two and then cut five portions on each side making 10 almost equal parts
• Grease your palms with ghee, and divide the dough into 10 balls
• Take the first ball and a single portion of the leaf and pat down the dough like a small, round pancake. It should be slightly thick in the centre and thinner on the edges. Next, spread the filling inside the pancake and seal the banana leaf by bringing together its edges. Prepare all the Ela Adas like this
• Take an idli steamer, place all the banana leaves into the trays and steam the Ela Adas for about 15 minutes
• They are ready to serve while still hot
Ela Ada is one of the healthiest snacks that one can enjoy without guilt. It is easily digested and as per Ayurveda combines properties of Vata and Pita. It’s a strength giving food.
