Kanchipuram Idlis
Idlis made with an elaborate tempering of spices.
Servings 6 people
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
Instructions
- 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.