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Calicut Cravings

Recipe

Ela Ada recipe (Kerala steamed rice parcel)

By Abdulla K P PT40M total

Ela Ada — a banana-leaf-steamed Kerala rice parcel, opened to show the coconut-jaggery filling.

The other ada

If Kozhi Ada is the savoury, pan-finished ada, Ela Ada is the sweet, leaf-steamed one — same family, opposite ends of the meal. The banana leaf is worth the small effort: it perfumes the rice dough in a way nothing else replicates.

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Frequently asked

  • What is Ela Ada?

    Ela Ada is a Kerala sweet of soft rice-flour dough spread thin on a banana leaf, filled with grated coconut cooked in jaggery and cardamom, then folded in the leaf and steamed. 'Ela' means leaf — the banana leaf both shapes the parcel and perfumes it. It's a classic tea-time sweet and naturally vegan.

  • How is Ela Ada related to Kozhi Ada?

    They share the word 'ada' — a steamed or folded preparation. Ela Ada is the sweet, vegetarian, banana-leaf-steamed version with coconut-jaggery filling; Kozhi Ada is the savoury Malabar version with a spiced chicken filling, pan-finished rather than leaf-steamed.

  • Can I make Ela Ada without banana leaf?

    The banana leaf is traditional and adds aroma, but you can spread and fold the dough on a greased parchment or a plate and steam it. You lose the leaf perfume but the ada itself is the same.

  • Is Ela Ada healthy?

    It's steamed, not fried, and uses jaggery rather than refined sugar, with no dairy — making it one of the lighter Kerala sweets. As with any jaggery sweet, enjoy in moderation.