Ada (food) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ada

Ada in Banana leaf
Alternative names	Ela Ada
Place of origin	India
Region or state	Kerala
Main ingredients	Rice flour, sugar or jaggery, grated coconut

Ada (Malayalam: അട), also known as Ela Ada, is a yummy Indian sweet and a traditional treat from Kerala, a state in India. It's like a special parcel made from rice flour dough, filled with sweet ingredients, and then steamed inside a banana leaf. People often enjoy Ada as an evening snack or for breakfast. You can also find it in some parts of Tamil Nadu.

What is Ada?

Ada is a delicious and simple dish. It's made mainly from rice flour and grated coconut. Other key ingredients include sugar or a special kind of unrefined sugar called jaggery. The dough is thin, and the sweet filling is placed inside before it's folded and steamed.

How is Ada Made?

Making Ada involves a few steps:

• First, a soft dough is made using rice flour and water.
• Next, the sweet filling is prepared. This usually includes grated coconut, mixed with sugar or jaggery. Sometimes, mashed banana is added to the filling for extra flavor.
• A small amount of dough is spread thinly onto a clean banana leaf.
• The sweet filling is placed on one half of the dough.
• The banana leaf is then folded over, enclosing the filling and dough.
• Finally, these banana leaf parcels are steamed until the Ada is cooked through and soft.

Different Kinds of Ada

While the classic Ada has a coconut and jaggery filling, there are some fun variations:

• Sometimes, a special fruit jam called Chakkavaratti (made from jackfruit) is used as the filling.
• There's also a spicy version called Ottada. This one is usually eaten for breakfast. It can be made with rice flour alone or sometimes with a mix of maida (a type of flour) and rice flour. Unlike the steamed Ada, Ottada is cooked on a flat pan called a Tava or directly over a flame.

Ada and Festivals

Ada is more than just a snack; it's an important part of celebrations in Kerala.

• It is often prepared during Onam, a major harvest festival. A special type called Poovada is made for Onam. For this, a white flower called Thumbapoo is sprinkled into the coconut filling, making it extra special and sacred.
• Ada is also offered as Prasad (sacred food) to people visiting temples in Kerala. This shows its cultural and religious importance.