Ela ada

Method

1. Crush ¼ tsp cardamom pods, discard the husks and grind the seeds fine.
2. Melt 60 g jaggery with 60 ml water in a saucepan on low heat, 2–3 minutes, until dissolved. Pour through a sieve to catch the grit, then return to the pan.
3. Add 80 g coconut (thawed) and the cardamom. Cook on medium-low for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until thick and sticky and it pulls away from the pan. Cool.
4. Boil 180 ml (about ¾ cup) water with a pinch salt. Pour it over 140 g idiyappam flour in a bowl and stir with a spoon. Cover for 5 minutes.
5. When cool enough to touch, knead for 1 minute into a smooth, soft dough.
6. Cut banana leaf into pieces about 20 cm by 15 cm. Pass each quickly over a gas flame to soften, or use baking paper. Grease lightly with 1¾ tsp ghee.
7. Take a lime-sized ball of dough and press it out on the leaf with wet fingers, about 3 mm thick.
8. Spread a spoon of filling over one half. Fold the leaf over and press the edges to seal.
9. Steam over boiling water on medium-high for 12 minutes, until the dough looks slightly see-through and does not stick when you peel back the leaf.
10. Serve warm. Keeps 2 days in a lidded box in the fridge; steam 3 minutes to reheat.

Tips

• Make the filling on Sunday. It keeps 1 week in a jar in the fridge.

Keeping and freezing

• Fridge: keeps 2 days in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
• Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.

Good to know

• Contains: milk / dairy.
• Asthma: buy frozen grated coconut without sulphites (220–228).