Every household has their own secret recipe for podi and it tastes different in every house. When in school, I used to taste podi from my friends’ lunch boxes and each of them would taste different. Podi would differ in texture, taste, and visual appeal. Grainy, powdery, spicy, orange, greenish black, they come in all varieties. Recently, I tried MTR chutney powder (they market podi by that name) and I quite liked the taste of it. Unlike authentic Tamil Nadu style podi, this one is tangy. I believe tamarind is an ingredient in that recipe. Though I liked the MTR taste, being the conservative types when it comes to food, I prefer the authentic spicy taste without any tanginess.
This recipe is a mix of 2-3 different types of podis that I have had.

Ingredients:
Black gram/urad dal/uzhunnu parippu (white or black) – 1 cup
Bengal gram/chana dal/kadala parippu (optional) – 1/4 cup
Raw rice (optional) – 1/4 cup
Dried red chilly – 10
Black pepper (optional) – 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – 6-7 stalks
Asafoetida – size of a marble/2 tsp
Sesame seeds/Til/ellu (white or black) – 2 tbsp
Salt – as required

Method:
In a heavy bottomed pan (preferably iron), dry roast the grains one after the other until the grains turn red. First roast black gram. Then roast chana dal, followed by rice. Okay, I cheated! I roasted chana dal, kept it aside and then roasted the raw rice and black gram together. That works. When the black gram and rice are half done, add red chillies, black pepper, asafoetida, and curry leaves. If you are using asafoetida powder, you can add it towards the end of the roasting exercise. Turn off the fire and then add the sesame seeds and salt. Keep aside and let it cool down a bit.

While the roasted grains are still warm, dry grind them in a mixer. You can choose to make it powdery or grainy as per your preference. Store in a dry air tight jar. Will stay good for 3-4 months.

Choice of oil to be mixed with podi is a personal preference. Podi is served along with sesame seed oil (til oil/ellenna/nallenna) in most parts of Tamil Nadu. No points for guessing the oil that Keralites prefer!

Idlis and dosas soaked in spicy podi are a rage in restaurants these days. Whether you have a chutney and sambhar to go along with it or not, a well-made podi can up the taste quotient of even a poorly made idli/dosa.

The ela ada filling offers a lot of room for creativity. My mother makes three versions, to be precise 4. One with the jaggery and coconut filling; another with jaggery, coconut, and
jackfruit jam filling; another with coconut and sugar filling; and the one with coconut and
salt filling. I have heard that in other parts of Kerala ela ada is made with beaten rice,
jaggery, and banana pieces as fillings. Although I have never had this, it definitely
sounds interesting.

Another reason ela ada is so unique is because they are steamed and contain no oil. One can eat them without feeling guilty although diabetics need to watch out for all that jaggery! Still, its better than sugar intake.

On a day my mother decides to make ela ada, all of us are in high spirits. We split the chores and participate in all the tasks, especially hunting for the banana leaves, cleaning the leaves and tearing them into appropriate pieces, adequately drying them in the sun, grating the coconut, and spreading the rice batter on the leaves. The filling is irresistibly tasty and as soon as it is made, a good portion of it disappears quickly into our tummies. Enough ranting about the ela ada. Let’s look at how to make these wrapped up irresistibles.

Ingredients for filling:

Coconut – 1 (medium size)
Jaggery – 250 gms
Jack fruit jam/Chakka Varatti – 1 cup (optional)
Cardamom/Elaichi powder – 1/2 tsp
Water – 1/2 cup

Method:
Grate the coconut and keep aside. Heat a thick deep bottomed vessel (kadai). Pour water and add jaggery. Let it melt completely. Turn off the fire and sieve to remove dirt from the jaggery. Clean the kadai and pour the jaggery syrup into the kadai and turn on the heat to medium. The syrup starts foaming and then settles down to thicken. Add the grated coconut and stir. When the water reduces and mixture thickens, add the jackfruit jam and elaichi powder. Remove from fire.

This is the stage where my mother has to fiercely guard the filling from me lest there is
none left when it is finally time to make the ada! <<wicked grin>> On a more serious note,
this filling is extremely tempting and is as good to be had without any further additions.

Ingredients for rice paste:
Raw rice (or rice powder) – 250 gms
Water – As needed
Gingely oil/til oil (optional) – 1 tsp

Method:
Wash the rice and soak it in water for around 2-3 hours. Grind to make a fine and smooth
paste. The batter should not be too watery or very thick. The consistency should be such
that you should be able to spread it on a leaf using the back of a spatula. If you are
using rice powder, simply mix water to the rice powder to prepare the batter. Keep the
batter aside. You can add the gingely oil to the batter at this stage. This is optional.
Wash, clean, and cut the banana leaves into small rectangle or square pieces. Turn on the
gas stove flame to medium and show the banana leaf over the flame lightly ensuring that the leaf turns color but does not get burnt. This makes the leaf flexible and it can be folded
easily without it breaking or causing it to tear.

Take the banana leaf bit and spread it inner side facing up. Take a ladle full of rice batter and spread it across the leaf leaving half inch space free on all sides. The rice batter should be spread like a thick dosa.

Take a spoon full of the filling and place it on one side of the rice spread on the banana leaf. Spread the filling in such a way that half the area of the spread rice should have the sweet filling as a topping.

Grab the two ends of the leaf where the rice batter is without topping and fold this to the other ends of the leaf. Now the leaf has one folded side and three open sides. Lightly fold the top of the leaf and then the sides of the leaf that are open to make a sealed packet.

Repeat these steps to make similar packets until you either run out of batter, filling, or leaves. Leftover filling is not a problem at all. It is so delicious by itself and can be finished in a jiffy!

If you run out of filling mid way, instead of the filling you could add some grated coconut and sprinkle a spoon of sugar and make these sweet parcels. If you have a diabetic in the house, you could add adequate salt to the leftover batter, spread it on the leaf, and add grated coconut. You see, there is a parcel for everyone!

Arrange the sealed packets on an idli stand and steam cook for around 10-15 minutes. Turn off and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.

When you open the packet, if the filling or the rice batter sticks only to one side, then it means that it is adequately cooked.

The aroma of steamed banana leaf combined with jaggery, jackfruit jam, and rice is heavenly.

Ingredients:
To Soak:
Raw rice – 2 cups

At the time of grinding the batter:
Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds (Jeera) – 1 tsp
Salt

After grinding the batter:
Drumstick leaves– 2 cups
Gingely oil – 2 tablespoons

Preparation Time (for batter): 10 min
Cooking Time: 5 min

Method:
Wash and soak the raw rice for 4-5 hours. Grind the rice along with the cumin seeds and grated coconut. The batter should be smooth and neither too thin nor thick. Add enough water to the batter to get a spread-able consistency. Clean the drumstick leaves and add it to the batter. Add the required amount of salt. Mix well.

Heat girdle and pour about a full ladle of batter on to the griddle. Spread the batter around carefully using the bottom of the ladle.

Close the dosa with a lid. The fire should be on medium.

Remove the lid after about 40 seconds to a minute.

Pour 1/2 tsp oil around the dosa and flip it over. The dosa does not need to be closed with the lid now. Let it cook for about 30 seconds. Serve hot directly onto the plate!

List of accompaniments:
This tasty dosa can be served with sambhar or chutney.

Health Benefits/Alerts:
You can store this batter in the fridge for 2-3 days.

This is a very healthy diet and tastes great even when cold. This is a great way to intake drumstick leaves. Drumstick leaves have high medicinal value and is beneficial in treating many ailments. They are rich iron content and contain seven times more vitamin C than oranges! Spreading this dosa on the girdle can be a little tricky and needs some expertise.

Skill Level:
Medium

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Ingredients:

Rice flour : 1 cup
Water : 2 cups
Coconut oil : 1 tbsp
Mustard : 1 tsp
Urad dal : 1tsp
Chana dal : 1tsp
Curd chilly/Red chillies: 1 or 2
Curry leaves : few
Hing : ¼ tsp
Grated coconut: 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat a teaspoon of coconut oil in a pan. Add one cup of water and salt and bring to boil. Mix the rice flour with a cup of water and add to the boiling water. Keep stirring continuously.

When the dough leaves the sides of the pan and forms a thick lump, remove from the stove.

Let the dough cool for 10 minutes. Smear a little oil in your palms and knead the dough. Take small quantities of the dough and make small lime-sized balls.

Place the rice balls in an idli tray and steam in a steamer or pressure cooker for 20 minutes. Allow to cool.

Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and crackle mustard, urad dal, chana dal and the curd chillies. When the mustard crackles, add hing and curry leaves. Add the steamed kozhukatais and stir for 5 minutes. Stir carefully or else the kozhukatais might break. Add freshly grated coconut. Turn off and serve and serve with coconut chutney. This is a healthy breakfast/snack item as it is steamed.

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