Ela Ada (Ethakka filling) / Steamed Soft Rice Cakes with ripe plantain filling

'Ela Ada' is a commonly used malayalam word for steamed soft rice cakes prepared using banana leaf jackets and is filled usually with coconut and jaggery with a touch of cumin powder or cardamom powder.It is prepared either as breakfast or as snack.These days we get ready made ones in the frozen section of Indian grocery stores.But friends,this is a very simple but very healthy recipe for kids as an evening snack.Now,getting banana leaves may be a question in many of my US friends here,right?? I too had this in my mind,but now am aware that we can get it in the mexican stores here.So, what's stopping you to prepare this oil free,guilt free healthy food ?Go ahead and give a try!!

Related post : Ottada

If you have no access to the mexican stores,you can prepare them using the regular aluminum wrapping foil.I tried one with that too; you need to oil the foil and then apply the rice flour dough evenly.However,when you compare the softness its not as soft as the ones cooked in banana leaves but the taste is good. At times you crave for an ela ada in a place away from Kerala,you can adjust a bit right regarding the texture using aluminium foil too,Isn't it? I prepared the ela adas using ripe plantain as the filling instead of jaggery. I should admit that it was a big hit like my Plantain Pan cakes and Sweet Plantain Puffs.So not boring much with the write up,just check this out !!!



Note the change in colour of banana leaf once steamed

Ingredients
rice flour 1 1/2 cups
ripe plantain 2
coconut grated 1/2 cup
sugar 3 tsp (optional)
cardamom powder 1/2tsp
salt
boiling water 1 cup

Method

• Take the rice flour in a bowl ,add salt.Keep aside.
• Boil the water in a pan and add slowly to the flour ,make a soft dough like for chapati.
• Boil the sweet plantains with the skin intact in a steamer or idly cooker.
• Mash the plantains after removing skin and add the grated coconut ,sugar, cardamom powder.

• Wash and clean the banana leaves  and cut out small pieces.
• Keep a small bowl ready with water and dip your fingers into it ,take a small ball of dough .



• Place it in the centre of the leaf and spread both sides.If the dough starts sticking to your hands,apply a small amount of water by dipping your fingers into the bowl.

• Then ,place the filling on one side and fold the other half on top of it as a jacket.
• Place an idli cooker or steamer and place the filled leaves into it .
• Steam for about 10- 15 minutes till the ada start to leave the leaf and there is change in colour of banana leaf.

Note the change in colour of banana leaf once steamed

• Serve it hot as breakfast or a healthy snack.

Servings  12 adas

NOTE
* If you are using a aluminium foil wrap,then oil it before applying the dough to get the correct texture.



Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Divya of Easy cooking  for this month