With Vishu round the corner, I present to you the Ela Ada recipe for kids which is a favorite among adults too.
‘Well begun is half done’ – We Malayalees believe so much in this proverb.
Whether it’s the start of a new project or a new Year, we always start it off with a bang. We try to see, hear and do the best of everything so that the rest of the year brings good luck in everything we do.
Vishu – New year of Keralites:
Vishu marks the New Year for us malayaees as per the Zodiac calendar and we make it a point to open our eyes to an auspicious vishukani.
Vishukani is the first thing that you see on the day of Vishu. The belief is that if the vishukani is good, the entire year is good.
For Vishukani an idol of lord Krishna is beautifully decorated with kanikonna and other flowers. Early in the morning, we open our eyes to view Vishukani – auspicious sight of Lord Krishna idol, fruits, kanikonna flowers, vegetables, money, new mundu, mirror and gold.
This year Vishu falls on April 15th.
Starting the day with vishukani and the kaineetam (the money/gold that elders give to young ones) that we get, the crackers we burst and the yummy sadya we eat, everything is auspicious to see, hear, feel and do on a Vishu day.
Prominence of ela ada recipe for Vishu:
I hail from Palakad and here we have this yummy dish called ELA ADA that is specially prepared on the eve of Vishu. Ela ada is also kept along with other auspicious items for the Vishukani.
Usually the morning breakfast on Vishu will be the ela ada.
Ela ada or steamed rice flour parcels can be served as a breakfast or as a snack. It can be served to babies as well omitting the coconut filling.
Health benefits of ela ada:
Ela means leaf. So ela ada is ada made by wrapping in leaf. The ada is basically made with rice, coconut and jaggery.
The smell and flavor of banana leaf in which it is wrapped and steam cooked also adds to the taste of this dish.
Ela ada is steam cooked and counted as one of the healthiest traditional snacking options from Kerala. Your kids will definitely love this, as it will satisfy their sweet tooth.
Ela ada recipe – preparation method:
Mix well jaggery, coconut and cardamom powder in a bowl and keep aside.
Mix rice flour, water and salt to make a dough similar to chapatti dough. Dab a little oil on a piece of banana leaf. Take a lemon sized ball of the rice flour mix and make a thin layers with your finger tips.
Keep the filling on the center and fold the leaf so that it envelopes the filling. Steam the ela ada for 10 to 15 minutes in steamer or idli cooker.
PrintEla Ada Recipe, How To Make Vishu Ada Author: Anu Prabin Recipe type: Traditional Breakfast Ingredients
- Roasted rice flour – 1 cup
- Hot water – as required
- Salt – a pinch
- Banana leaf – 4 to 5 pieces
- Grated coconut – 1 cup
- Grated jaggery – ½ cup
- Cardamom powder – a pinch (optional)
- Oil – a little
- Mix rice flour, water and salt together and make soft dough similar to chapati dough. Take care not to make it watery.
- Mix together grated coconut, grated jaggery and cardamom powder to form the filling. Keep it aside.
- Take a piece of banana leaf and dab a little oil all over the upper side of the leaf. (this step is optional)
- Make lemon sized balls with the dough. Keep a dough ball in the center of the banana leaf and carefully flatten it to a thin layer using your fingertips.
- Now take the coconut-jaggery filling and spread it over the rice layer.
- Fold the leaf and press it well in all sides so that the fillings don’t spill out.
- Steam the ela ada using a steamer or idli cooker for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Your ela ada is ready.
- Remove the banana leaf and serve with a cup of warm milk.
Note:
- You can also make it with wheat flour and a filling of your choice.
- You can replace jaggery with sugar if you want
- The amount of jaggery and coconut can be adjusted to your taste.
- Buy good quality jaggery to avoid impurities
- You can also use the jackfruit jam/ chakka varattiyadu as the filling for ela ada
For this Vishu, try this ela ada recipe and let me know your little one’s response. I am sure your kids will definitely love this.
Happy Vishu.This Vishu see good, do good, hear good and eat healthy!!
