Ela Appam/ Ela Ada - with banana

How many of you knew that ela ada or ela appam is a popular Onam breakfast recipe?

Well, I did not, until quite recently. For me, Onam was all about an elaborate afternoon Onam sadya.

So why not have a breakfast dish as well to spice up the Onam celebration on the blog:)

I have never made ela appam before and I do not remember it being my favorite when my mom made it for us in the evenings after school. It's been so many years now and I definitely wanted to make this.
Banana leaf used to wrap the appam gives the ela appam a distinct flavor and aroma that will tickle your taste buds. I tried the ela appam infusing a little of banana as well. We enjoyed the final product!

Ingredients

1. Roasted Rice Flour - 2 cups
2. Boiled Water - 1.5 cup
3. Jaggery - 250 gms grated
4. Coconut - 1 cup grated
5. Banana - 1 ripened
6. Banana leaf
7. Salt to taste

Method

Mix the jaggery with coconut and keep aside.

Boil water , add salt and the rice flour in parts, continuously folding it together with a fork. Once the entire flour has been folded in, let it rest for a while. Let the mixture cool, meanwhile mash the banana. 

Add the mashed banana into the mixture and fold it well with your hands. Make balls out of the mixture.

Take a banana leaf, wash it, pat dry and run it over the flame. This prevents breakage when you later make the appam.

Place a rice ball on the leaf. Wet your hands and gently press it creating round shape as you go along.

Place a generous amount of filling over one half of the pressed dough. Fold it into half along with the leaf.  Gently press the edges to hold it together.Fold the edges of the banana leaf and place it in a steamer on medium flame for about 10 - 15 minutes.

Ela appam ready. Bite gently into the appam - you can enjoy the flavour of  banana and the banana leaf:)

You may also note - 

• You may replace jaggery with sugar.
• You can add cardamom powder to enhance the flavor.
• You an choose to have thin appam or a little thicker ones but make sure you are generous with the filling that you place inside.