The Authentic and Exotic Kanchipuram Idli

I learnt this kanchipuram idli recipe from a lovely granny born and brought up in tamilnadu.There are many variations of this kanchipuram idli however the recipe shared by this granny was delicious to taste with a mild but appetising spiceiness.

Located on the banks of the Vegavathy River, Kanchipuram has been ruled by the Pallavas, the Medieval Cholas, the Later Cholas, the Later Pandyas, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Carnatic kingdom, and the British.

Kanchipuram has a nickname as the city with a thousand temples.Of the 108 holy temples of the Hindu god Vishnu, 14 are located in Kanchipuram. The city is well known for its hand woven silk sarees and most of the city's workforce is involved in the weaving industry.

Ingredients

• 1 cup urad dal
• 3 cups rice rava (cracked raw rice)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cummin seeds
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp chopped green chillies
• 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 springs curry leaves

Procedure

Soak urad dal for 3 hrs then make a smooth paste and shift it to a large bowl

Soak rice rava in warm water for 1/2 hr then squeeze the rava and mix it with the urad dal paste.Then add salt  and mix very nicely and cover to keep it aside for fermentation for 1 night

Next day heat oil in a pan, add cummin seeds, mustard seeds once it splutters add chopped ginger and green chilles and the crushed black pepper and curry leaves.And fry for 30 seconds then add this directly to the fermented batter and mix nicely.

Now put 2 tbsp of batter into each idli mould depression, and stack the racks one above the other and steam in the pressure cooker or steamer for 15min on medium flame.

Remove them carefully from steamer and let it cool, take a sharp spoon and scoop them out into the plate.

Serve it with chutneys of your choice.

Note:

1. Preparing Rice Rava
Wash and soak the rice for 30 mins. Drain and spread the rice on a thin cotton cloth for about 30 - 45 mins and let it dry slowly. 

When the rice is slightly wet (not completely dry) , take the rice in batches and grind in a mixie to a coarse-fine consistency like idli rava/thick sooji . Sieve it to remove the flour and the rava and use how much ever rava you need to make idlis and rest can be stored for future use in airtight container

2.The fermentation should be proper to get a soft idlies

3.The container should be big enough to hold the batter otherwise after fermenting the batter will be overflow .
4. Traditionally you can also steam in a plate like a cake.

Supertasty Oats Idli With Sesame Tomato Chutney

The most favorite south indian breakfast is undoubtedly the idli.A Idli is the perfect combination of carbohydrates and proteins. And because it's steamed, it uses no oil.It is considered the top 10 healthiest breakfast as per nutrition experts.

This version of idli has been made flavorfull with carrot, cashews and healthier with oats which ups the fiber content.Give it a try and be amazed ...

Ingredients

•     2 cup oats(I used quaker oats)
•     1cup rava/sooji (semolina)
•     2 cup thick butter milk
•     1/2 cup grated carrot
•     1 tbsp chopped cashew
•     1/2 tsp chana dal
•     1/2 tsp mustard seeds
•     1/2 tsp cumin seeds
•     2 chopped green chillies
•     1 spring curry leaves
•     2 tbsp chopped cilantro
•     a pinch of hing
•     1 tbsp fruit salt or ENO
•     1 tbsp ghee
•     salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:

Take the idly racks and spray oil on each idli mould and keep aside.

Dry roast the oats in medium flame for few min until a nice aroma emanates,shift it to mixie and grind to fine powder.

Heat ghee in a pan ,add chana dal ,cashew n fry till light golden brown ,then add mustard seeds,cumin seed and once they splutter add green chilli,curry leaves,hing ,carrot fry for a min ,then add sooji n fry till it become golden brown .

Shift it to some bowl,mix the oats earlier prepared oats powder and let it cool ,once cool add the buttermilk and blend it nicely to semi thick batter like idli batter.

Add ENO to this batter , immediately it become fluffy.

Now put 2 tbsp of batter into each idli mould depression, and stack the racks one above the other and steam in the pressure cooker or steamer for 15min on medium flame.

Remove them carefully from steamer and let it cool, take a sharp spoon and scoop them out into the plate.

Your oats idli is ready.

Serve it with your choice of chutney , I made sesame tomato chutney for this ,which was the perfect combo . Here is the recipe 

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 green chilli
• 1 red chilli
• 2 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• a pinch of hing

Dry roast sesame seeds and keep aside

Heat 1 tsp oil and add green chilli, red chilli and fry for a min, now add tomato, cilantro and turmeric powder, cover and cook till it becomes soft.Switch off flame and let it cool.

Take the roasted sesame seeds and grind it finely, then add the above tomato mixture and make a smooth paste.

Now prepare the tempering by heating 1 tsp oil, add mustard, cumin, hing and once mustard start to splutter add the curry leaves. Then add the tempering to the above grinded paste.

Your chutney is ready. 

 
Note: You can also prepare the oats mixture in previous day and store it in air tight container for next day morning use or refrigerate for upto a week

After mixing the curd to the oats mixture ,steam the idlis immediately  else they will become soggy