Banana leaf Idlis – Idlis steamed in baskets made of banana leaves.
In Karnataka, it is very common to use leaves of various trees in cooking, the common ones being banana, jackfruit, turmeric and screw pine. The leaves of jackfruit, banana and screw pine are used to make baskets in which idlis are steamed.
Jackfruit leaves are shaped into baskets (known as Kottige) or cones to steam idlis. Screw pine leaves are weaved to make cylindrical moulds which is known as Moode in Tulu and Kannada. The use of these leaves goes beyond just culinary preferences . They hold cultural and traditional significance too and is often made for festive occasions. These leaves impart a distinctive flavour and aroma to the idlis. The use of leaves also work great from the point of sustainability.
Although jackfruit leaves and screw pine leaves are the popular ones to make idli moulds, banana leaves also work well. The idlis steamed in banana leaf moulds turn out very soft. So, here is how banana leaf idlis are made.
Jump to
About Banana Leaf Idlis
Banana leaf idlis are nothing but idli batter steamed in banana leaf baskets. Small baskets are made using banana leaves and are filled with idli batter. They are then steamed like regular idlis.
How to make Idli batter
To make idli batter, we will need the following:
1 cup split black gram (Udad dal )
2 cups of parimal rice
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
½ cup of cooked rice or flattened rice
salt to taste
To make the batter, firstly wash and soak udad dal for 5 hours. Wash and soak rice and methi seeds for 5 hours. Drain the water and grind udad dal to a smooth paste. Transfer udad dal batter to a large vessel/bowl. Next, drain the water from rice and tramsfer to a mixer jar. Add cooked rice, water as required and blend to a fine paste. (If using flattened rice, it needs to be soaked in water for 15 mintes) . Add rice batter to udad dal batter. Add salt and mix well. Cover the vessel/bowl and keep aside for 7 to 8 hours for fermentation. After 8 hours, the batter would have fermented and doubled in quantity.
Step wise instructions with pictures
To make banana leaf baskets, wash the banana leaves and cut them into squares .
Place one square part over the other. Slit the leaves as shown in the picture.
Shape the leaves into baskets using tooth picks to secure them.
Once the banana leaf baskets are made, fill these baskets with idli batter. Place the batter filled baskets on a steamer plate.
Place the plate in the steamer in which water is already boiling.
Steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
Once done, take the idlis off the steamer.
Serve banana leaf idlis with milagai podi, chutney and sambar.
Recipe Card
Banana Leaf Idlis | Idlis steamed in Banana leaf moulds
Ingredients
For the Banana leaf baskets
- 2 to 3 banana leaves
- Few tooth picks
For Idli batter
- 1 cup split black gram (Udad dal )
- 2 cups of parimal rice
- 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- ½ cup of cooked rice or flattened rice
- salt to taste
Instructions
For Banana leaf baskets
- Wash the banana leaves and cut them into squares .
- Place one square part over the other
- Slit the leaves as shown in the video below
- Shape the leaves into baskets using tooth picks to secure them.
For Idli batter
- Wash and soak udad dal for 5 hours.
- Wash and soakrice and methi seeds for 5 hours.
- Drain the water and grind udad dal to a smooth paste.
- Transfer udad dal batter to a large vessel/bowl.
- Next, drain the water from rice and tramsfer to a mixer jar.
- Add cooked rice, water as required and blend to a fine paste. (If using flattened rice, it needs to be soaked inwater for 15 mintes) .
- Add rice batter to udad dal batter.
- Add salt and mix well .
- Cover the vessel/bowl and keep aside for 7 to 8 hours for fermentation.
- After 8 hours, the batter would have fermented and doubled in quantity.
How to proceed
- Once the banana leaf baskets are made, fill these baskets with idli batter.
- Place the batter filled baskets ona steamer plate.
- Place the plate in the steamer inwhich water is already boiling.
- Steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Once done, take the idlis off thesteamer
- Serve hot with milagai podi, chutney and sambar
Recipe Video
Different variety of idlis
Cone Idlis
Regular Idlis
Thatte Idlis
Ragi Idlis
Rava Idlis
Barnyard Millet Idlis
Rasam Idli
Tri-coloured idlis
Idlis using idli rava
Ragi Udad Idlis
Oats Idlis
Kanchipuram Idlis
Ramasseri Idlis
Tomato Rava Idlis
Some Chutney Recipes
Green Coconut Chutney
White Coconut Chutney
Orange Coconut Chutney
Onion Chutney
Tomato Chutney
Chana Dal Chutney
Kara Chutney
Neer Chutney
Andhra style raw mango chutney
Tomato Coconut chutney
Thank you for stopping by. If you like/ tried this recipe, leaving a comment below the post will enable more readers and cooking enthusiasts to discover these recipes. Also, if you are on Instagram, do share a picture of the dish and tag @vanitascorner to be featured in my stories.
Do follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Subscribe to my youtube channel for easy video recipes.
Happy Cooking!!
