KANCHIPURAM IDLI RECIPE | KANCHIPURAM IDLI

My mom makes ordinary idli but seasoning it with pepper, jeera or sometimes mustard, urad dal channa dal curry leaves and asafoetida in ghee and add it to the usual  idli dosa batter, make idlies for my brother. I never tasted it or may be I didn’t like it. But had no idea about the Kanchipuram idli, but have heard about it as prasadam in few temples and have seen in few blogs too. I had a recipe in my hand written note book. But to be frank, it was a terrible recipe – it was made so artificially with curd, cooking soda and all. When I searched for recipe, I found one in Hindu news paper. Actually not one, many recipes from where ever it is famous. But I took the recipe for my convenience. It turned out good. Many of you would have noticed these idlies as sneak preview to this post when I updated the pictures in my Idli podi post and shared in the Facebook page. So here is the Kanchipuram idli recipe. Also check out the Idli podi post updated with new pictures!

Kanchipuram idli recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Breakfast
Prep Time: 15 hrs    |  Cook time: 25 mins    |  Makes: 20

Ingredients

Raw rice (sona masoori)	1 cup
Idli rice	1 cup
Urad dal (White, whole)	3/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds / methi seeds/ vendhayam	1 tsp
Salt	As needed

To temper

Ghee	2 tblsp
Black pepper, whole or crushed coarsely	1 tblsp
Jeera	1 tblsp
Cashew nuts (Optional)	Few
Curry leaves	1 sprig
Asafoetida	2 pinches
Dry ginger powder (Sukku)	2 pinches

 

Method

1. Soak urad dal & methi seeds, rice as we soak for the regular idli. You can soak together and grind too, I have tried both ways, but I prefer soaking separately and grinding separately as I do for the regular idli. This way it comes out really good with full flavour. If you are comfortable soaking together and grinding, then you can do so, but the texture comes a bit denser than grinding separately. Either way, grind it coarsely. 
2. Mix and keep in a large vessel overnight for fermentation. 
3. Before making, spoon the batter using ladle and mix required salt and the items given under ‘To temper’ table as needed and mix gently. Do not over mix. Boil water in idli pot and I used my cooker inner vessel, lined with a aluminium foil at the bottom. You can use banana leaf if you have too. This makes easy for taking out the idli after steaming. You should grease the vessel as well. Pour batter to it, say 1 & 1/2 inches height. 
4. Steam for 15 – 20 mins until the tooth pick (or a knife) inserted comes out clean. Let it be for a minute aside and invert in a clean platform. You can run a knife through the sides to make it easy for the idli to come out when you invert. 
5. You can cut into triangles like pizza wedges or like me – I used a big coffee filter’s bottom. You can use a steel tumbler too, to cut out. But you should be ready to eat the left outs from the cuttings .

Notes

• Do not avoid methi seeds, otherwise the flavor will be different with more urad dal flavor’s dominating.
  
• You can pour the batter in greased tumblers or bowls or steam as usual in idli plates as well.
  
• Make sure you grind coarsely like rava/ semolina/ sooji, otherwise texture wont be the same.
• Keep the container with batter for steaming only after the water boils in the idli pot. This ensures soft texture of the idlies. 
• Also keep less water only as required, otherwise there are chances for water overflowing inside the vessel. Even too less water may end up in burnt bottom. So better keep an eye. If needed in between add some water.

Enjoy hot with chutney or sambar or Idli podi as I did. Its quite filling, one can eat only 2 or 3.
 

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