Ela Ada (valsan), a typical Kerala sweet recipe, traditionally made of rice floor. Grated coconut mixed with jiggery (brown sugar) is filled inside the rise dough, which is layered on a banana leaf. It is then steam cooked in an idly maker or steamer. In this preparation here I used wheat flour instead of rice flour, but the rest of the steps remain same.

For 7 Adas

Ingredients

1. Wheat flour   : 2 cups
2. Water  : 1 ¼ cup
3. Salt a pinch

For filling:

4. Grated coconut  : 2 cup
5. Aval (rice flakes ) :  ¼  cup
6. Jaggery :  1 cup
7. Cardamom powder : ¼ T-sp

8. Banana leaves

Method:-

• In a bowl add the wheat flour, salt and add little water at a time and make a soft dough (little looser than chapati dough).
• In another bowl, add the aval and sprinkle some water and mix it.
• Then add the jaggery , coconut and cardamom powder and mix it.
• Wash the banana leaves and wipe it with a kitchen towel.
• Divide the dough according to the size of the banana leaves.
  ( I got frozen banana leaves, so most of the leaves are broken, I had to cut it into 7 different sized balls).
• In the center of the leaf place the dough and flatten it with fingers, dip the hands in between for making flattening easy avoiding the dough sticking the fingers.
• Then layer the filling (see the pic) and fold the leaf.

• In a steamer add enough water and allow it to boil.
• Once it’s boiled well, place the adas and wait for cooking it . Typically takes 15-20 minutes.
• Can see the color of the leaves changed .
• Switch off the stove and wait for the steam to settle, before taking the adas out.