ADA

Whenever I go to Lulu Center I buy a roll of banana leaves . (5 banana leaves rolled and covered in cling film).  I dont look at the price tag because if I do I wont be able to make ada or kumbilappam with peace of mind.

My mother used to make ada in two ways. The easier way is to steam them  in an "appachembu". The second method is by heating the ada in a thick pan. Ada made by this method has a special name, "ottada"

INGREDIENTS

1. Roasted fine rice flour - 1 cup (pathiri podi is fine)

2. Boiling water - 1 1/4 cup

3. salt - 1 pinch

4. Coconut oil - 1 tea spoon

5. Jaggery - 1/2 cup

6. Grated coconut - 1 cup

7. Crushed cardamom - 2

8. Banana leaf

METHOD

1. Mix the rice flour and salt. Add boiling water and mix with a spoon . Allow to cool a little and knead well,  Add coconut oil and knead again to get a soft dough.

2. The jaggery can either be grated or heated with 2 table spoons of water to get a thick solution. Mix this with coconut and cardamom

3. Boil water in the steamer or appachembu.

4.Cut and clean the banana leaf. Wipe with a cloth.

5. Divide the dough into 4.  Spread each  portion on a piece of leaf using the index,middle  and ring fingers only. If the dough is sticky dip the fingers in water.

6. Spread 1/4 of the poornam (coconut- jaggery mixture) on one half portion of the ada and fold.

7. When all 4 adas are ready, steam them  for 10-15 minutes.