Kanchipuram idlis – Idlis made with an elaborate tempering of spices.
Kanchipuram idlis are a speciality from Kanchipuram, a small town in Tamil Nadu. The idli batter is spiced with pepper, cumin, ginger amongst other things before steaming. Different from the regular idlis, this is a must try recipe for idli lovers. Here goes the recipe:
Ingredients
2 cups Rice
1 cup Udad dal (split black gram)
1/2 cup poha (flattened rice)
For Tempering
1 tsp Dried ginger powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Whole black pepper
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Chana dal (split Bengal gram)
1 tsp Udad dal (split black gram)
8 to 10 Cashew nuts
10 to 12 Curry leaves
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp Ghee
Salt as per taste
Method :
- Soak rice and udad dal in water separately for 3 to 4 hours.
- Soak poha for 15 minutes.
- Drain and grind the udad dal with very little water to a smooth paste.
- Grind rice and poha together with very little water to a fine paste.
- Mix the ground udad dal, ground rice and poha together in a deep vessel.
- Cover and keep the batter to ferment for six to eight hours in a warm place.
- After fermentation, the idli batter will become double in quantity and rise.
- To the fermented batter, add turmeric, dried ginger powder and salt and mix well.
- Grind cumin seeds and whole black pepper to a coarse powder and keep it aside.
- Heat 1 tsp ghee and sesame oil in a small pan.
- Add chana dal and saute for a minute.
- Add udad dal, mustard seeds, cumin-pepper powder , curry leaves and saute on a medium flame for a minute.
- Add this tempering to the batter and mix well.
- Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan and fry the cashewnuts. Set this aside.
- Grease the idli moulds.
- Place 1 fried cashew in each idli depression.
- Pour the idli batter in the moulds and steam the idlis in a steamer or idli cooker.
- Steam for 10 to 15 minutes or until the idli is done.
- Serve hot with chutney and sambar.
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