Kanjeevaram Idli and Chutney

Ingredients :

• Raw rice 2 cups [Heaped]
• Whole black gram [Dehusked] -  2 cups [Levelled]
• Salt - As required
• Oil - 5 tbl sp
• Melted ghee - 4 tsp
• Whole black pepper - 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
• Fresh thick curd - 1/2 litre
• Cooking soda - 1/4 tsp.

Method :

Soak dal and rice together for 2 to 3 hours. Then grind till coarse rawa consistency. [Batter should be thick]. Do not add washed water. Allow to ferment till next day. Before steaming add oil, ghee, pepper, cumin, curd and soda, to the batter. Grease big cooker plates and pour batter for 1 inch thickness. Steam till it is cooked. [Approximately for 30 to 40 mins]. Your kanjeevaram idli is ready. Serve hot along with coconut chutney, or Idli chillie powder [Melagapodi].



                                                    Curd Idli

Ingredients :

• Raw rice - 2 cups [Heaped]
• Black gram - 1 cup [Dehusked]
• Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
• Black pepper - 2 tsp [Whole]
• Bengal gram dal - 1 tbl sp
• Rock salt [Kal uppu] - As required
• Sour thick curd - 2 cups
• Green chillies - 8
• Cooking soda - 1/2 sp
• Oil - 4 tbl sps.

Method :

Soak dhal and rice separately for 2 hours. Grind dhal with just enough water till frothy. Grind rice with green chillies till coarse rawa consistency. Mix both together with sour curds and salt before removing from grinder. Put pepper, cumin seeds, and bengal gram dhal on top of the batter and close with a lid. Allow to ferment for 15 to20 hours. Next day before preparing idlis, pour hot oil and soda, to the batter. Mix well and pour on greased cooker plate, for 1 inch depth. Steam till cooked. [Approximately 1/2 an hour].

Variation :

Finely cut coriander leaves, curry leaves and ginger can be added to the batter before steaming
In all curd based idlis use thick sour curd only for better results.



                                                    Rawa Idli

Ingredients :

• Fine rawa - 2 cups [Heaped]
• [Bombay rawa]
• Oil and ghee - 5 tbl sps
• Green chillies - 6 to 7 [Chopped]
• Sour thick curd - 2 cups
• Finely cut onions-  1/2 cup
• Cut coriander leaves
• and curry leaves  - 2 tbl sps
• Cooked peas - 1/2 cup [Optional]
• Salt - As per taste
• Cooking soda - 1/2 tsp.

For Garnishing :

• Grated carrots - 2 tbl sps
• Grated fresh  coconut - 2 tbl sps

For Seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1/4 sp
• Black gram dhal - 1/2 sp
• Bengal gram dhal - 1 tsp
• Broken cashewnuts - 1 tbl sp.

Method :

Mix roasted rawa with curds without forming lumps.Then heat oil, add seasonings ans finely cut onions.Fry for 2 to 3 mints in medium flame.Pour over curd, rawamixture with salt, chopped chillies, cut coriander leaves, curry leaves, and soda. Then mix well and immediately pour in greased idli plates and steam for 7 to 10 mins till cooked. [To add carrots or coconut, sprinkle it on greased idli plates and then pour rawa mixture on top].

For best results pre heat pressure cooker with water first and then keep idli plates inside.


Variations :

Same measurements can be used for vermicelli [Sameya]. If vermicelli is thick adjust curd level according to that. Both rawa and vermicelli can be mixed equally in the same recipe. Samba wheat rawa can also be used. Use more curd for that, soak in curd for 10 to 15 mins and then steam.

To prevent worms in rawa, dry roast till it becomes luke warm. cool and then preserve in air tight containers.



                                                    Green Gram Dhal Idli


Ingredients :

• Green gram dhal - 1 cup
• Grated fresh coconut - 1  1/2 tbl sps
• Green chillies - 6
• Asafoetida - 2 pinches [Powder]
• Thick sour curd - 1/2 cup
• Cooking sods - 1/2 sp
• Salt - As per taste
• Oil - 1 1/2 tbl sps
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 sp.

Method :

Soak dhal for 2 hours. Then grind coconut, green chillies, asafoetida, and salt to smooth paste. Grind dhal separately without adding water till coarse rawa consistency. Mix both the ground paste together with sour curd. Heat oil and spultter mustard seeds in it and pour over the batter with soda. Mix well and steam idlis in usual way immediately. [No need to ferment this batter].



                                         Bajra Idli [Kambu]

Ingredients :

• Bajra - 2 cups [Heaped]
• Boiled rice - 1 cup
• Red gram dhal [Tuar] - 1 cup
• Rock salt - As per taste
• Oil - 3 tbl sps
• Cooking soda - 3/4 sp.

Method :

Soak bajra and rice together for 6 hours in enough water.soak dhal separately for 1 hour. Grind dhal to smooth frothy paste and bajra- rice mixture to coarse rawa consistency. Mix both together with salt. Allow to ferment for 20 hours. Next day pour hot oil which is seasoned with mustard seeds to the batter along with soda. Mix well and steam idlis as usual. Serve hot with onion chutney.