Elai Vadam – Thin, Spicy & Traditional South Indian Snack

 🌿 Traditional Elai Vadam — thin, spicy rice vadam steamed on banana leaf and dried naturally for perfect crunch!

 Elai Vadam (Homestyle Version)

Elai Vadam (also known as Ilai Vadam) is a traditional South Indian vadam prepared by spreading fermented rice batter on banana leaves, lightly steaming it, and drying it naturally.

Flavoured with green chillies, cumin, hing, sesame oil and lemon juice, this vadam is thin, mildly spicy, slightly tangy and very light.
It can be enjoyed fresh after steaming or dried and deep-fried later.

 Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Soaking Time: 4–5 hours
• Fermentation Time: 1.5–2 days
• Steaming Time: 1–3 minutes per batch
• Drying Time: Overnight / Sun drying
• Cuisine: South Indian
• Course: Snack / Side Dish

 ⭐ Ingredients

 ✅ For Rice Batter

• Raw rice – 2 cups
• Salt – to taste
• Water – as required

 ✅ For Spice Mix

• Green chillies – 10–12
• Jeera (cumin seeds) – 1 tbsp
• Hing (asafoetida) – a pinch
• Lemon juice – 1 to 1½ lemons (adjust to taste)
• Sesame oil – 1 tbsp

 ✅ For Greasing

• Water – as needed
• Sesame oil – few drops

 👩‍🍳 Method

 Step 1: Soaking & Grinding

1. Wash raw rice thoroughly and soak for 4–5 hours.
2. Drain the water completely.
3. Grind the rice into a fine smooth paste, adding water little by little.
4. Add salt while grinding.

 Step 2: Fermentation

1. Transfer the rice batter to a clean container.
2. Cover loosely and ferment for 1.5–2 days (can be kept up to 3 days).
3. After fermentation, the batter will be thick and slightly sour.
4. Add little water if needed to bring to thick pouring consistency.

 Step 3: Prepare Chilli Paste

1. Add green chillies and little salt to a mixer.
2. Add 1–2 tbsp water if required.
3. Grind to a coarse paste using pulse mode.

 Step 4: Mix the Vadam Batter

1. Add chilli paste to the fermented rice batter.
2. Add jeera and hing; mix well.
3. Add lemon juice and adjust to taste.
4. Add 1 tbsp sesame oil and mix thoroughly.

 Step 5: Prepare Banana Leaf

1. Mix a little water and sesame oil in a bowl.
2. Clean banana leaf, pat dry and grease lightly using a brush or cloth.

 Step 6: Steam the Elai Vadam

1. Heat water in an idli cooker or kadai until boiling.
2. Place banana leaf on a plate or stand.
3. Take a small ladle of batter and spread very thin like dosa.
4. Steam for 1 minute only.
5. Remove, rest for few seconds and gently peel off.

If banana leaf is not available, use greased thattu idli plates and steam for 2–3 minutes.

 Step 7: Drying

1. Dry the steamed vadams under sunlight or at room temperature overnight.
2. Once completely dry, store in an airtight container.

 🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Serve with:

• Hot rice and sambar or rasam
• Curd rice or lemon rice
• Enjoy fresh steamed vadam as a spicy evening snack

 💡 Tips

• Spread the batter very thin for crisp vadams
• Lemon juice enhances taste and shelf life
• Do not over-steam — 1 minute is enough
• Always dry completely before storing

 🥗 Nutritional Benefits

• Naturally fermented and easy to digest
• Lemon juice supports digestion
• Sesame oil provides healthy fats
• Light, thin and not heavy on the stomach

 🧊 Storage

• Dried elai vadams stay good for 2–3 weeks
• Store in airtight container away from moisture
• Fry only required quantity

A thin, spicy, traditional Elai Vadam that brings back nostalgic flavours 💛
Perfect crunch with every bite!

 🎥 Video Tutorial