Uma cooks.......: Elai Adai ( adai steamed in banana leaf)

This Elai (stands for leaf) Adai is a very yummy and healthy snack / tiffin. It is an exclusive dish of Palakkad Brahmin's cuisine. For this you need a filling that is made from jackfruit / banana jam. This is popularly known as chakkavarati / pazhavarati in Kerala. Making this jam at home has almost faded because of the effort involved. But you still get it from the traditional brahmin streets in Palakkad and other places in Kerala and it remains for months if refrigerated. So get and stock a couple of packs when you go to Kerala next time :). If the jam is there, then this dish is very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:
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Chakkavaratti / Pazhavaratti - 5 tbsp
Shredded coconut - 3/4 to 1 cup
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cardamom - 2 , crushed

Method:
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In a kadai ( preferably non stick) , add the jam with 2 tsp of water.
Switch on the flame and mix it till it melts ( as it would be thick after refrigeration). This may take 2 to 3 min.
Add the shredded coconut and mix well till it comes together ( may take 3 to 5 min)
Switch off and add ghee, cardamom.
Mix well. The filling is ready.

Batter:
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Soak 150 grams of raw rice ( Pacha arisi) in water for half an hour.
Drain the soaked water and blend the rice into a smooth batter with a pinch of salt.
Use a mixer to do this. Add water little by little.
The consistency of the batter should be thick and flowing(thicker than dosa batter)

Banana leaf

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Remove the stiff stem in the banana leaf with a knife.
Cut the leaves into 10 inch x 10 inch pieces. (approximately)
Do not cut into very small pieces as it will be difficult to fold and the batter may ooze out.
Wash the leaves and dry them with a towel.
On a medium flame, run the leaf through the flame quickly.
The leaf will turn soft.If you do it very slowly, then the leaves may get burnt.