Kancheepuram Idli

Another one of our favourite breakfasts here in Mysore is idli, which is kind of a dumpling made from rice and lentils.  This is an easy way to make Idli especially if you don’t have idly pans, something which we don’t usually come across much, unless living in Southern India; where funnily enough idli is everywhere as the staple breakfast item.

Usually the Idli’s are made plain without any spicing but the addition of a few cumin seeds in this recipe goes a long way.

1 ½ cups converted / evaporated rice

1 cup urad gram dhal (split black gram)

½ tsp salt

Black pepper

1 tsp ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp asafoetida

1. Rinse in four or five changes of water and then put the rice and gram to soak in separate bowls overnight, or at least a few hours.
2. In the morning place grind rice and dal seperately in a food processor with a little water, adding as much as need be to attain the texture of a thick pouring cream.
3. Meanwhile, heat the ghee or oil in a heavy frying pan and add the cumin seeds. When they begin to darken add the asafoetida, stir briefly and remove from heat.
4. Mix together in a bowl with the salt and pepper the  ground rice and dal and contents of the frying pan. Cover with cheesecloth or a thin towl and leave to ferment for 24 hrs (this process may take longer in a cooler climate than India. You will be able to tell when it is properly fermented as the batter will smell a little sour. If you are in a cooler place you might want to put the batter in the oven with the pilot light on or in s similarly warm – but not hot – place.
5. When you are ready to make the Idli, set up the steaming apparatus. I used a small pan (greased) supported above a steamer in a covered deep pot filled with an inch of water.
6. Steam for about 20-25 minutes. Serve hot or cold with coconut chutney and      sambar.