Ela adai - Rice wrappers with banana,jaggery & coconut stuffing

Ela adai is a delicacy that can bring many nostalgic memories. This is another sweet, which in my home, is usually prepared in the summer months when jackfruit is available in plenty. The filling for the elai adai is prepared using ripe jackfruit bulbs.

In Kerala, elai adai is served in many small tea shops/hotels through out the year. When jackfruit is out of season, aval (beaten rice)/banana takes the place of the main ingredient. This is the first time I am trying with banana filling.

To prepare the filling

I used the Nenthrapazham variety which is a speciality of Kerala. I haven't tried with any other variety of banana.

Ripe bananas - 2 Powdered

Jaggery - 1 1/2 cup

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Cardamon - 1 tspn

Ghee - 1 tblspn

Slice the banana into bite sized cubes. Heat a kadai. Add a teaspoon of ghee. Transfer the banana cubes. Cook till they turn soft.

Add jaggery powder and keep mixing. When the mixture starts to thicken, stir in the coconut. Cook till the mixture comes together and no trace of liquid found.

Finally add cardamom powder and remove from fire.

You can prepare the filling before hand and refrigerate.

For the outer covering

Roasted rice flour - 1 1/2 cup

Hot water - 1 cup

salt to taste

Add salt to rice flour and mix well. Make a well in the center and slowly add hot water. Mix with a spatula. Add enough water to get a soft dough.

Wash and wipe dry the banana leaf. Run it over the flame and you can notice the color change. This makes the leaf more manageable.

Grease a leaf with oil. Take a lemon size of the rice dough. Pat into a circle of 3 inch diameter. Take a spoonful of the filling and place it on one half of the circle.

Fold the leaf such a way that the other half covers the filled one. Repeat with rest of the dough.
I used my MW Idli maker for steaming them. I could steam 3 at a time.

Steam for 7 minutes. Adjust the timing according to your MW and size of the adais you make.

Yummy elai adai is ready.

I am going to make this often since the process is simple and easy when compared to the so called traditional ones, though I will rate them the highest.

I am sending this across to Srivalli for her MEC-Steamed Dishes event.

Instant Wheat Appam and an Award

Neyyappam or Appam is always the traditional one using rice, for me. Never I have bothered to try anyother versions. When I was discussing various quick snacks, with one of my Christian friend J, she told me about this appam. When her kids ask for any sweet dishes, she makes this easily. J said she adds maida (AP flour) also. I made with wheat flour alone to make it a healthier version.

Ingredients
Wheat flour - 2 cups

Jaggery powdered - 1 1/2 cup (Adjust to suit your palate)

Cardamom powder - 1 tspn

Ghee or Oil for frying

Melt jaggery with 1 cup of water. Strain for any impurities. Add the melted jaggery to wheat flour without forming any lumps. Add water to the batter if required, to get a pouring consistency. The batter should be like dosa batter.

Take the appam pan. If you are using non-stick pan, add teaspoon full of ghee into each pit. Spoon in the batter to 3/4th of each pit. After 2 minutes, slowly turn the appams with the help of a skewer and cook for another one minute. Repeat for the rest of the batter.

Spongy appams are ready in less than 15 minutes.

Sowmya of Creativesaga has passed on the Nice Matters Award.

About the award

“Nice Matters Award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.”

Thanks a ton Sowmya for passing the award to me. I know I have delayed in picking up the award and passing it on. Better late than never and I am passing the award to

Gaurav

Prema Sundar

Sagari

Seena

Please accept and enjoy your awards. You all deserve it.

Peach Chiffon Cake

This is a simple peach chiffon for my god brother's birthday. The cake is very soft and spongy with the strong peach flavor. I infused some dried apricot with brandy a week before making this cake. So the flavor of brandy was quite strong as well. Of course, children might not like the brandy so better don't add in any liquor for this cake if serving children.

Another thing is I should have more practice as my skill for cake decoration still very lousy. Look at the cake I've brushed with fresh cream, it is quite messy. I really need to improve.

However, we had a good time having this peach chiffon cake during the birthday dinner. The dried apricot inside the cake is just so match with the peach sponge. I added some peach puree into the fresh cream to make this cake much peachy.

Recipe for 24cm chiffon cake tin:

Egg whites 235g
Caster sugar 118g
Corn flour 13g

Egg yolks 90g
Water 40g
Vegetable oil 78g
Peach puree 118g
Flour 105g
Caster sugar 25g
Dried apricot 118g (infused with brandy **optional)

Fresh whipping cream 250g
Sugar powder 20g
Peach puree 50g
10 slices can peaches
10 Chinese parsley leafs

Method:

1. Whip the egg whites until peak form then slowly add in caster sugar continue whipping until a shiny and smooth consistency. Add in the cornflour and whip until just combine.

2. Mix egg yolks, oil, water, peach puree, flour and caster sugar until everything combine. Then mix in chopped dried apricot.

3. Add in 1/3 of the egg white mixture to (2) until combine. Then add half of the left over egg whites mixture. Then continue adding the remaining egg whites mixture. Slowly and gently combine everything.

4. Pour into the baking tin and bake 60minutes at 160'C.

5. Let the baked cake turn upside down for cooling before unmold it.

6. Whip the fresh cream with sugar powder then slowly mix in peach with spatula. Decorate it with your creativity.

8. Keep the cake in the fridge it could last for 4 - 5 days. Best serve in 3 days.