Ela Ada / Valsan (Steamed Rice Pancakes With Coconut & Jaggery Filling)

Sometimes I get comments from you saying, that you saved a call back home, since you found the recipe here. Other day, I happened to make a call back home to ask about a recipe. Sample this:

Me: Helloo

Amma: (no hello, nothing…)  we were just saying you haven’t called for sometime, what news there, what are you upto these days, …

Me: huh? I just called you the other day… Amma, sorry, I'm in a hurry, I'm in the middle of making something and I want to take photos before the light goes, so tell me something, I was…

Amma: What time is it there for the sunlight to be out, is it dusty? Here it's raining continuously and…

Me: Amma, I'm in a hurry, I'm in the middle of making something, I'm planning to make ada, so I…

Amma: Ha! Havent you made ada yet? It's such a simple thing to make, the other day also we had Ada when…

Me: No no,  I didnt get a chance to make, anyways I wanted to know how…

Amma: But that ada had banana filling, so you wont like it, I was telling…

Me: I know, ok, now please LISTEN to me, I'm in a hurry, can you…

Amma: Ayyo #$@%^&&**

Me: Hello, hello… what's happening there? Is everything alright, are you ok?

Amma: (no response, just some raised voices in the background)

Me: Hello, hello, are you both ok? what's happening there…

Amma: Hello, hello, you still there? haa… so what were we saying? (as if nothing happened)

Me: eh? what just happened there, are you both ok, what happ…

Amma: Why, what happened… why you are asking we are ok, we both are fine!

Me: Ok, leave it, now tell me I wanted to know about Ada, it's…

Amma: That reminds me just the other day, I went to your site and was checking out your recipes…

Me: Ok. But now tell me this, how long…

Amma: and I was telling Appa that you never cooked anything for us, why you never make…

Me: Hello, I tried cooking for you, but it's different from what you like and…

Amma: No no, not curries, you can make cakes for us, why aren't you making any ..?

Me: Is there an oven for me to make cake, how am I supposed to bake cake when there is…

Amma: Your Appa wants to speak to you…

Me: Hello Appa, yes, tell me, how are things?

Appa: When you are making Idiyappam, you need to roll out the dough really thin, so that you can see the green colour of the leaves through the dough and…

Me: But I'm planning to make Ada and why…

Appa: The “thattu” (base) for Idiyappam has to be really thin, that's how they make it in Changanacherry (his hometown) and that's the perfect way to make it. That's how my…

Me: (on the verge of screaming) But I'm making Ada and not Idiyappam. Why are you talking about Idiyappam now????

Appa: Ok, you talk to Amma now…

Amma: di, when did your Appa learn about cooking, he is giving you instructions…

(Phew!!! Now I know, why it's easier to ask Google to find something, rather than making a call home ;) When was the last time you called home to ask about a recipe? Does this happen to you also?

Ok, I might have exaggerated 10% of the above conversation, but the rest is exactly how my calls back home go on!  Anyways, after all that, I managed to get the details of Ada from them. Ada or Valsan as they call it, is a fav “Nalumani Palaharam” (teatime snack) of my parents. I also like it, but I only eat homemade Ada. I like to eat steamed dishes, while they’re still hot. Because once it cools down the the water residue of the steam kinda puts me off, I know it's weird :)

Ada is another version of Kozhukatta, but the flavour from wilted banana leaves takes it to another level. You can make it two ways, by steaming or roasting on a tawa. I prefer the roasted version, the slightly charred taste from the banana leaves is another flavour altogether.

Click Here For Recipe…