Ela Ada/ Valzhayila Ada - Kerala

Happy Tamil New Year to all my readers

Today is the first day of Tamil New Year. Also known as Chittirai Varusha Pirappu, this day always close to my heart. Today we started our tour to various temples early. We had a nice darshan at Sai temple and then we went to Azhagar Kovil and had a nice darshan of Azhagar. We had the famous azhagar kovil dosai and enjoyed the scenery of the azhagar hills. I am very happy to start this year with all these wonderful darshans. Hope this year atleast fills me with happiness unlike last year.



Today as part of the Indian Food Odyssey, we are visiting Kerala virtually. Known as God's Own Country, it is in the south western part of India and it shares it borders with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. For me Kerala is all about vacations. After marriage, I have gone to Munnar a few times and Thekkadi once. As Theni, my homeplace is near Kerala border, we visit these places quite frequently. Though I don't know Malayalam, it is so much similar to Tamil so that we could understand it a little. I love the scenic beauty of Kerala and I just love to stay there. Boat house of Kerala is in  to visit list for long and I have been pestering hubby dear to take me there. I also have visited Guruvaayur and Malampuzha dam once during school days and those memories are still fresh. 



I love their cuisine with lots and lots of coconut. I do prepare them at home. But whenever we visit Munnar, we had to eat at the road side eateries which serve only non vegetarian dishes. There is only the kadala curry available as the vegetarian version. We used to relish the gravy with Kerala Parotta. The only thing I hate during my Kerala visits is the big brown rice. We are so used to the tiny ponni rice and the Kerala rice seems so much bigger and we usually feel it difficult to chew. I love all types of snacks and pradamans from Kerala. Ela Ada is one such snack. It combines the goodness of rice flour, coconut and jaggery and it tastes wonderful. Somewhat similar to kozhukattai, this is very easy to prepare and has a great flavour as it is steamed in banana leaves. I loved the filling so much. Serve it while still warm and have a nice day!!!



Recipe Source: Kurry Leaves
Makes 8 Ela Ada
Ingredients:
For The Outer Dough:
Rice Flour-1 cup
Boiling Water
Salt-a pinch

For The Filling:
Grated Jaggery-1/2 cup
Water-3-4 tbs
Grated Coconut-3/4 cup
Cardamom Powder-1 pinch

Banana Leaves cut into rectangles

Procedure:
For The Filling:
1. Mix together jaggery and water and heat it until jaggery melts. Strain it to remove impurities.
2. In a pan mix together the syrup, coconut and cardamom powder and cook until the mixture becomes dry and aromatic.
3. Remove from flame and allow it to cool completely.
4. Divide into 8 equal portions.

For The Dough:
1. In a bowl mix together rice flour and salt.
2. Add enough boiling water to make a clumpy dough.
3. Once cool, knead it to form a smooth dough.
4. Divide it into 8 equal portions.

Preparing The Ada:
1. Wash and wipe the babana leaf rectangles.
2. Pat one portion of the dough on the leaf.
3. Place the filling on one side of the dough leaving 1/2 cm at the sides.
4. Close the leaf so that the dough without filling covers the filling completely.
5. Press to seal the dough.
6. After preparing all the adas, arrange them in a steamer and cook for 10-12 minutes.
7. Remove from steamer and allow it to cool slightly.
8. When still warm, serve.
9. Remove the leaf and enjoy the ada..




Add boiling water to flour to make a clumpy dough.



Knead to form a soft dough.



Divide into 8 portions.



Cut out rectangles form a banan leaf.



Prepare the filling.



Spread one portion of the dough on a babana leaf.



Place the filling on one half.



Fold the leaf so that the ada is fully covered.



Make all the adas.



Arrange in a steamer.



Steam cook for 10-12 minutes.



Arrange on a serving plate.



Remove from the leaf.



Enjoy!!!


Some of the picturesque places of Munnar...









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