Vazhana Ada
There was a family emergency and I am back in Kerala again.
Here is another Kerala style rice bread recipe steamed in an aromatic leaf called
Vazhana (Edana) and Jackfruit preserve.
Vazhana leaf is mostly coupled with sweet Jackfruit dishes in Kerala.
The plant is from the cinnamon family and the leaves look identical to cinnamon
leaves. When steamed the leaves releases a very unique sweet aroma and
flavour, this in turn perfumes and flavour the dishes.
There are various methods and styles to make sweet jackfruit breads (chakka
ada). This is a simple and quick recipe using jackfruit Jam (chakka varattiyathu)
mixed with fresh grated coconut.
Vazhana Ada
Vazhana leaves-20
Rice flour- 2 cup
Salt- ½ teaspoon
Water- 3 cups
Grated coconut-1/2 cup
Jackfruit preserve-1/2 cup
Method
Mix coconut with jackfruit preserve and keep aside for filling.
Boil water with salt and mix with rice flour, leave to cool and knead until smooth.
Make lime size balls and spread all over vazahana leaves using fingertips.
Keep one teaspoon full of the Jackfruit filling in the middle and fold over the leaf
into half and press around the sides to seal the edges.
Steam cook the filled bread in a steamer for 15 – 20 minutes until cooked.
Jack fruit preserve (Jam)
Jackfruit pieces-500 g
Brown sugar (jaggery) -250 g
Method
Boil brown sugar( jaggery) with one cup of water until all the sugar is melted.
Cook together Jackfruit pieces and brown sugar syrup until all the water is
evaporated and thick.
Malabathrum, or Malobathrum, is the name used in classical and
medieval texts for certain aromatic plant leaves and an ointment
prepared from those leaves. Cinnamomum tamala (sometimes given as
Cinnamomum tejpata)[citation needed] is thought to be one of the primary
sources of these leaves, although other species of Cinnamomum and
even plants in other genera [1] may also have been used. In ancient
Greece and Rome, the leaves were used to prepare a fragrant oil,
called Oleum Malabathri, and were therefore valuable. The leaves are
mentioned in the 1st century Greek text Periplus Maris Erytraei as one
of the major exports of the Malabar coast which is the present Kerala
coast. In the language of Kerala that is, Malayalam, the plant is called
'Vazhana'. It is also known as 'Edana' in Malayalam. The name
Malabathrum is also used in mediaeval texts to describe the dried
leaves of a number of trees of the genus Cinnamomum, which were
thought to have medicinal properties.[citation needed]
Cinnamomum tamala
(Buch.-Ham.) Nees & Eberm.
Malabathrum, also known as Malobathrum or Malabar leaf, is the name
used in classical and medieval texts for the leaf of the plant
Cinnamomum tamala (sometimes given as Cinnamomum
tejpata)[citation needed]. In ancient Greece and Rome, the leaves were
used to prepare a fragrant oil, called Oleum Malabathri, and were
therefore valuable. The leaves are mentioned in the 1st century Greek
text Periplus Maris Erytraei as one of the major exports of the Malabar
coast which is the present Kerala coast. In the language of Kerala that
is, Malayalam, the plant is called 'Vazhana'. It is also known as 'Edana'
in Malayalam. The name Malabathrum is also used in mediaeval texts
to describe the dried leaves of a number of trees of the genus
Cinnamomum, which were thought to have medicinal properties.
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Nomenclature and taxonomy
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Characteristics
Leaves in Goa, India.
The leaves, known as tejpat in Nepali, tējapattā or tejpatta
(तततततततत) in Hindi, Tejpat in Assamese and tamalpatra in Marathi
and in original Sanskrit, are used extensively in the cuisines of India,
Nepal, and Bhutan, particularly in the Moghul cuisine of North India and
Nepal and in Tsheringma herbal tea in Bhutan. It is called Biryani Aaku
or Bagharakku in Telugu. They are often erroneously labeled as "Indian
bay leaves," though the bay leaf is from the Bay Laurel, a tree of
Mediterranean origin in a different genus, and the appearance and
aroma of the two are quite different. Bay leaves are shorter and light to
medium green in color, with one large vein down the length of the
leaf;photo while tejpat are about twice as long and wider than laurel
leaves. They are usually olive green in color, may have some brownish
spots and have three veins down the length of the leaf.photo True tejpat
leaves impart a strong cassia- or cinnamon-like aroma to dishes, while
the bay leaf's aroma is more reminiscent of pine and lemon. Indian
grocery stores usually carry true tejpat leaves. Some grocers may only
offer Turkish bay leaves, in regions where true tejpat is unavailable.
Said plant is available at our nursary. In case any body wish to have it
please do write us on plantzone@rediffmail.com