Kerala Ottada

Ottada is a traditional Kerala snack that’s simple, rustic, and filled with nostalgic charm. It’s a kind of sweet-stuffed flatbread, usually made using wheat flour and filled with a mix of coconut and jaggery, then cooked without oil – either on a hot griddle or wrapped in a banana leaf and roasted over fire.

This snack is deeply rooted in rural Kerala food culture, especially in the central and southern districts. Interestingly, you might come across different dishes with the same name across Kerala. In the Malabar region, Ottada refers to a type of savoury flatbread. Both versions are usually served for breakfast. But this sweet version is more common as a snack or what we call a “naalu mani palaharam” – that classic evening bite with tea.

Usually, it’s made with wheat flour. Water and a pinch of salt are mixed in to make a soft, slightly watery dough. Sometimes rice flour is also used instead, depending on the family or region. A small portion of dough is flattened by hand on a piece of banana leaf. The filling – made with grated coconut, jaggery, cumin seeds, and a hint of cardamom powder – is placed on one side. It’s then folded over and sealed like a small parcel.

These parcels are then placed on a hot tawa or directly on fire with the banana leaf. Once roasted on both sides, it gives off a beautiful smoky aroma. The outer layer becomes slightly crispy, while the inside remains soft, sweet, and full of flavour.There’s also another version of ada made with rice flour. That one is steamed and served soft, while the wheat version like ottada is always roasted and enjoyed slightly crisp.

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Kerala Ottada

Author: Ushadevi Cooking Method: Grilling Cuisine: Kerala Courses: Breakast

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 10 mins Total Time 20 mins

Servings: 3

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 2 cup Whole Wheat flour
• 2 cup Grated Coconut
• 1 cup Jaggery
• 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Cardamom powder (optional)
• Salt as required
• Rectangular Banana Leves

Instructions

1. Prepare banana leaves by cutting them into rectangular pieces. Lightly pass each piece over a low flame for a second to make them flexible (this prevents tearing while folding).
2. In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, salt, cumin seeds, and cardamom powder. Mix well.
3. Add enough water to make a thick, smooth paste-like dough. This is the base for the ada.
4. In a separate bowl, prepare the filling by mixing grated coconut and jaggery. Combine well until evenly mixed.
5. Take a lemon-sized portion of the dough and place it on a piece of banana leaf.
6. Flatten the dough gently with your fingers into a circular shape (like a small roti).
7. Spread the coconut-jaggery filling on one half of the flattened dough.
8. Fold the banana leaf in half to cover the filling and seal the ada.
9. Heat a pan (preferably a tawa or thick-bottomed skillet). Place the folded ada on it and roast on both sides over low-medium flame until the leaf is slightly charred and the ada is cooked.
10. Remove the banana leaf and serve warm.
11. Your Ottada (Wheat Ada) is ready! Perfect as a tea-time snack or light breakfast.