Kanjeevaram (Kanchipuram) Idli

Normally idlis are bland, plain and white in colour. Here is Kanjeevaram (Kanchipuram) Idli that is different. It is a colorful, seasoned idli. The seasoning gives nice taste and flavor to the idli. This is also offered as prasadam in some temples.

This is steam cooked as a big cake or cooked in small deep cups instead of using the standard idli-stand.

Ingredients

• Par boiled rice – 1 cup
• Raw rice – 1 cup
• Split black gram or urad dal – ¾ cup
• Dried ginger (sukku in Tamil) – small piece
• Asafetida – 2 pinch
• Cooking soda – pinch (optional)
• Salt – as per taste
• For seasoning
  • Mustard – 1 tea spoon
  • Urad dal – 1 tea spoon
  • Bengal gram – 1 table spoon
  • Chopped cashew nut – 1 heaped table spoon
  • Crushed pepper – 1 table spoon
  • Cumin seed – 1 tea spoon
  • Chopped green chilli – 3 no
  • Curry leaves – few
  • Ghee – 2 table spoon
  • Oil – 2 table spoon

Method

• Soak raw rice and parboiled rice together for 3 hours; soak urad dal for 30 minutes; grind soaked dal to a paste (no need to grind more; it can be slightly coarse).

• Grind rice to a coarse paste.

• Mix both rice and dal paste; the batter should be like idly batter; add dry ginger powder, asafetida powder, salt and mix well.

• Keep it for fermentation (it may take 8 to 10 hours depending on hot/cold climate).

• Heat a pan with oil and ghee; add mustard, urad dal, Bengal gram and fry well; add cashew nut, crushed pepper, cumin seed, chopped green chilli, curry leaves; fry well and remove; when it cools little, add in the batter.

• Add cooking soda also and mix well; now the batter is ready.

• Grease small containers (I used small steel cups, katori); fill three-fourth with batter and steam cook for 10 to 15 minutes or till done.

• Serve hot with any chutney. I served it with Red Chilli Flavored Coconut Chutney.

• Here is a closer view of Kanjeevaram (Kanchipuram) Idli.