Ila Ada /Kozhikatta

Kozhikatta is a snack that is very popular in Kerala Christian families.There is even a festival named after the snack - Kozhikatta perunnal which happens to fall on the morning of Palm Sunday.This is something that is eaten as breakfast , snack or dessert.

The same ingredients can be used to make Ila ada where the rice flour is spread on to the banana leaf and the sweet filling is spread on top of the rice flour and folded over.This is then steamed until cooked.

I have used frozen banana leaves that we get in the grocery stores here to make the Ila ada.

Ingredients:

1. rice flour - 1 cup
2. Boiling water - 1.5 cups(use as needed)
3. salt - to taste
4. grated coconut - 1 cup
5. grated Jaggery - to taste
6. cardamoms - 2 crushed
7. Ghee/clarified butter - 1tsp
8. banana leaves - (if you are making Ila Ada)

Method:
Add salt to the boiling water .
Take the rice flour in a large vessel and pour in the boiling water little by little - mixing with a spoon until you get a soft crumbly mixture.
You might have to use close to 1 cup of water to get the correct consistency.
When the mixture is cooled enough to handle mix it with your hands and make a soft dough(softer than chappathi dough).
Mix the grated jaggery and grated coconut and add in the crushed cardamom and keep this aside.
Apply ghee on your palms and Form lemon sized balls of the rice flour dough .
Place the ball on your left palm and Press this into a thin poori shaped disc with your right hand fingers.
Make sure the edges are thinner than the center.
Place a spoon full fg jaggery coconut mixture in the center and form into balls.

For Ila Ada
Take a rectangular piece of banana leaf smear ghee on it - place a ball of dough in the center and work with your fingertips to spread it out to a thin layer.
Place the coconut jaggery filling on the rice flour and fold the leaf over .

Steaming the Ila Ada and Kozhikatta

Fill 1/4'th of the pressure cooker with water and place the idily stand or steamer basket in it .
Place the kozhikatta /Ila ada and steam for 10 - 15 minutes without the weight .