Wheat ottada, No oil or sugar

Ada is a traditional delicacy in Kerala. The pancake is usually made with rice flour, but can be made with wheat and ragi flour too. Wheat ottada is called gothambu ottada in Malayalam. This is an evening treat that both Mom and Dad get involved in preparing. The savory wheat parcel is filled with coconut mixed with a smidgeon of salt. The ada is dry fried inside banana leaves and the scent of the roasted leaves along with the cooked ada inside is heavenly. The sweet adas generally have a filling of coconut, jaggery, banana or jackfruit.

The components...

Wheat flour - 1 cup 

Water - 2 Tbsp

 Coconut, freshly grated - 3/4 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Banana leaf - cut into rectangle pieces

 

The process...

Wash the banana leaves under running water. Wipe with a clean cloth and set aside.

Take wheat flour in a bowl and make into a dry paste by adding water little by little. Make small balls. In a separate bowl, mix the pancake filling; coconut and salt.

Take one of the cut banana leaves and one of the balls. Spread the dough gently onto the banana leaf with the tip of your fingers, working from the inside toward the outer edge. Try to make it as thin as possible without breaking the spread. Sprinkle the prepared coconut filling. 

Fold leaf and place it on a heated frying pan. When the green leaf turns dark brown on the edges, turn it over. Once both sides are brownish, remove from pan. Alternatively, you can also heat the leaf directly on flame using tongs. Yummy ottada is ready!