Ela Ada, also known as Vazha Ila Ada, is a traditional South Indian sweet dumpling made with rice flour and filled with a delicious mixture of coconut and jaggery. Steamed to perfection in banana leaves, this dish has been lovingly passed down through generations.
In the native language, "Vazha Ila" means banana leaf, and "Ada" refers to the dumpling itself
Ela Ada has always been close to my heart - a special treat growing up and a must-have during visits to my grandparents in Kerala. Traditionally prepared for prayers and rituals, it carries both cultural and emotional significance.
Though it once felt intimidating to make, I thoroughly enjoy making it these days. It's a favorite in our home, and the joy of getting it just right and relishing it is something only true Ada lovers will understand.
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Recipe Breakdown - Ingredients
- Rice Flour or Pathiri Podi - This is rice flour, which was used in making neyyappams and is easily available in Indian groceries. Rice flour is also used in recipes like puttu steam cake.
- Water and salt to make a nice dough.
- Vegetable oil to grease hands to make smooth balls
- Grated coconut - Fresh or Frozen (thaw before using).
- Jaggery is preferred; some folks use sugar as well.
- Cardamom enhances the flavor of the sweet filling.
How to make 'Vazha Ela Ada' ?
To make the dough
The outer covering of Ela Ada is quite similar to Pathiri, which I shared earlier. It's a simple dough made from rice flour, salt to taste, and boiling water. You can use regular rice flour or the special "Pathiri Podi" available in most supermarkets.
Steps 1 - 4: The flour and hot water are stirred together using a wooden spoon to form a soft, pliable dough. Once cool enough to handle, it's kneaded into a smooth ball with a little oil. Small portions are then rolled into balls, gently flattened by hand, and pressed using a Pathiri press to get thin, even rounds, ready to be filled and folded.
To make round-shaped rice pathiris (flat bread)
Step 5) The Pathiri press used here is just like a tortilla press, and a handy tool for getting evenly flattened dough. To make things easier, you can line the press with cling wrap or ziplock sheets (cut open on the sides) and lightly grease them with a bit of oil. This helps prevent the dough from sticking and makes lifting it off effortless.
Step 6-9, 10 )Place the sweet mixture of grated coconut and jaggery, cardamom in the center. Seal the edges carefully by pressing them together. Step 11 -12)Wrap the Ada in a banana leaf, place it in a steamer, and steam for about 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through and aromatic.
If you do not have a Pathiri press, no worries! You can place the rice dough ball on a piece of banana leaf and gently flatten it using the inner part of your palm. Then add a spoonful of the coconut-jaggery filling in the center. Carefully fold the banana leaf in half to seal the edges, enclosing the filling. Steam the wrapped ada until cooked through.
How to make the filling of the Vazha Ila Ada?
Make the filling of coconut and jaggery in advance and cool. Heat the coconut and jaggery on a slow flame, with very little water. When the jaggery completely melts, wait for the water to evaporate. Add a little cardamom powder and a pinch of salt to enhance the taste. The consistency should be neither too watery nor too dry.
Useful Tips
- The dough-making can be a little tricky for beginners. But once you master it, and with practice, it just comes naturally. In my preparation, the water-to-flour ratio I use is 2 ¼ cups to 2 cups. I boil around 3 cups of water.
- Start by pouring 2 ¼ cups of water into 2 cups of the flour. Later, add the remaining water if required. The extra water may be necessary when the flour does not soak up completely.
- Since the water is boiling, it's preferable to use a wooden spoon to stir. Please wait for it to cool for about 5 minutes. Once cooled, you can then slowly work your way with your hands. You can add a little oil to smooth the dough.
- The dough should neither be too sticky, or else it will stick on the press, nor too dry that you can't form a neat flat shape. You can see pictures of the dumpling-making process in the pictures.
- If you do not have a Pathiri press, you can shape the adas by flattening the rice ball dough using your inner palm onto a slice of banana leaf, add the filling, and seal the sides by folding the leaf and pressing. Place the wrapped ada in a steamer and steam as usual.
Ela Ada is a soul food, a dish that brings back warm childhood memories and the joy of simpler times. There's something so satisfying about making, serving, and savoring it. I hope you enjoyed reading about this special treat and browsing the photos.
If you are looking for more jaggery-based sweet desserts, do check out the Fried modak, Parippu Payasam, Kayappam, and Unniappam easy recipe. For desserts with coconut, do try the coconut burfi, rava coconut ladoo, seven cup barfi, and mawa gujiya; they are awesome!
Have you tried any recipes that use banana leaves in cooking? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful day!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can directly place the 'Ada' or dumplings in the steamer after spraying it with some oil, and it will still turn out good. If you have the banana leaf available, nothing like it. It will give a nice look and taste even better. Since I had a banana plant growing in the backyard, I was more than happy and excited to use the leaves.
Many types of Asian cuisines use banana leaves for wrapping food, grilling, and steaming. It imparts a nice aroma and flavor to the dishes. Banana leaf retains the moisture of the cooked food. The leaves contain polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties. You can read more about the banana leaf uses here .
Yes, you can keep 'Ada' in a refrigerator for about two to three days. You may want to re-steam it again, so that it softens. It can get hard and dry in the refrigerator. It's best to eat it fresh, after you cook it, for the authentic flavors. I have never tried freezing it, so I cannot comment on that.
Related Recipes
If you tried this Ela Ada Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing from you!
Ela Ada (Steamed Rice dumplings)
Equipment
- Steamer
- Pathiri Press
Ingredients
For the Rice Dough
- 2 cups Rice flour or Pathiri powder
- 2 ¼ cups Water
- 1 tsp salt
Ada Filling
- 2 cups grated coconut fresh
- 1 ½ cups jaggery
- ¾ tsp cardamom powdered
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
To make the Rice Dough
- Boil water and add it to the flour
- Stir with a wooden spoon evenly
- Wait for the dough to cool for about 10 minutes
- Slowly work with your hands to form a big dough ball
- Add oil and form a smooth dough
To make the Filling
- In a pan take the fresh coconut , jaggery and a little water
- Heat on medium flame until the jaggery is completely melted
- Add the powdered cardamom and a pinch of salt
- Stir until the filling has no remaining moisture but not too dry.
To make the Dumpling
- Use the dough to make small balls and flatten with your palms
- Press it on a Pathiri press to get a nice round shape
- Add the filling and gently cover it to form a shape shown in the picture
- Seal the sides and wrap it in a banana leaf
- Place it in a steamer with boiling water
- Steam for about 10 to 15 minutes
- The Ada is ready to be served
Video
Notes
- The dough-making can be a little tricky for beginners. But once you master it, and with practice, it just comes naturally. In my preparation, the water-to-flour ratio I use is 2 ¼ cups to 2 cups. I boil around 3 cups of water.
- Start by pouring 2 ¼ cups of water into 2 cups of the flour. Later, add the remaining water if required. The extra water may be necessary when the flour does not soak up completely.
- Since the water is boiling, it's preferable to use a wooden spoon to stir. Please wait for it to cool for about 5 minutes. Once cooled, you can then slowly work your way with your hands. You can add a little oil to smooth the dough.
- The dough should neither be too sticky, so that it gets stuck on the press, nor too dry that you can't form a neat flat shape. You can see pictures of the dumpling-making process in the pictures.
- If you do not have a Pathiri press, you can shape the adas by flattening the rice ball dough using your inner palm onto a slice of banana leaf, add the filling, and seal the sides by folding the leaf and pressing. Place the wrapped ada in a steamer and steam as usual.
Very tasty👌🏻
Many Thanks for the visit and comments!
It's my pleasure🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
These sound amazing. I love dumplings but very rarely have them.
Thank you so much Nyxie for the lovely comments. These dumplings are indeed delicious.
Hi, sweet Nisha! Wow - this recipe looks yummy. I always learn so much from you. Jaggery is an ingredient I was entirely unfamiliar with. Thank you for introducing me to it. 🙂
I was fascinated by the banana leaves. How is your banana plant doing? Do you have to bring it in during the cooler months or do you just let it stay outside? I've thought about growing one here as well so I am curious about your thoughts! Thanks, Nisha!
Sending all of my love to you and your family. I always pray each of you is well, safe, happy, and extraordinarily blessed! 🌺
Thank you so much Holly! Jaggery is very popular in India, I understand it is not known so much in the west.
This is the first time I've grown a banana plant ,so will have to wait and see how it withstands the winter .It will stay outside this time. I think summers are a good time to grow them if you plan to do so. They thrive well in the hot and humid weather. Thank you again for your kind heartfelt wishes and prayers . Wish you and family the same as well. God bless.
Oh our Finger licking Ela ada, you presented beautifully dear friend !! 💌
Exactly right it is indeed finger licking good for sure. Thank you for the wonderful comment Suni, appreciate it!
Most welcome friend !! 😀
Oh my word does that look good! I love dumplings! I have never tasted jaggery what does it taste like? It must be nice having access to banana leaves too. I wish I could visit you for a week just to taste your food! Lol
Thank you so much for the wonderful comments! Jaggery tastes a little like brown sugar and is said to be better than white sugar, . The banana leaves definitely gives this dish the authentic taste . I'm not sure if the plant will last the winter though .It would definitely be my pleasure to host you Diane. You are very welcome anytime! I bet we would have lots to chat about and I can learn a tip or two from you as well. Have a fabulous day!
Wow, that dough looks amazing, well done on this recipe!
Thanks so much Christy! It was truly satisfying making this 🙂
Perfectly done dumplings! agreed, on the taste made with banana leaf , they have a distinct flavor to it . Love the coconut and jaggery filling, great recipe share! Nisha
Thank you so much Aarthi, the banana leaf absolutely imparts a great flavor as you mention .The coconut jaggery filling in it is definitely loved by most folks. Glad you liked it.
I love that dumplings show up in every culture! And why not, you can't go wrong with bite-sized food with creative fillings 🙂 These seem fun to make and look delicious.
Yes dumplings sure are in every culture! These are definitely fun to make and have. Thank you for stopping by!
I love this sweet dish, we Bengali called this "Puli Pithe".
That's wonderful to know Swarnali that you have a similar dish like this and that you love it. It's really delicious indeed. Thank you so much!
Oh I am a big fan of this, been ages since I had this though, have to try making it now. Thanks for sharing this
Wonderful to hear that Nisha , and happy to know you will try it out as well. Enjoy ! It's my pleasure to share. Thank you for stopping by!
This looks so delicate and tasty. So interesting to see the technique of steaming with banana leaves. 🙂
Thank you so much Ronit, the banana leaves help retain the moisture and imparts a nice flavor as well.
Love it
Many Thanks Chitra!
Beautifully Presented !!
Thank you so much!