Kanchipuram Idli/Steamed Rice Cake

Kanchipuram Idli -  oooooh....those yum yum cakes....I have been making Idlis, but somehow K-Idli slipped off my mind all these time...Don't know why! I still remember my mom used to make the K-Idli, when we(me, my sis & bro) were young and it was a feast for us as its mess free and yummy. 

My Idli batter was little sour, so didn't fit for Dosa. Myself and my Mom decided to make Kanchipuram Idli. Thanks to my mother who reminded me the steps to make this healthy, and heavy filling recipe. 

I would like to tell you the whole process of the batter too. You could add 2 tsp of curd when you are preparing this Idli. This is a delightful Idli for kids too, as this is a steamed one and in the shape of cake. We had our toddler boy cut this cake and first he was surprised and gave a look at me why the cake is not sweet. But later when I told him this is Idli cake, donno what he understood. He sat down and had 2 pieces of cakes.

Ingredients:

Idli rice  - 2 cups

Urad dal - 1/2 cup

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Cooking soda - a pinch (optional)

Curd  - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

For Tempering:

Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 2 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Grated ginger  - 1 tsp

Cut Green Chillies  - 2 (optional) - I didn't add this

Pepper - 2 tsp

Cashews - 8 - 10 chopped

Curry leaves - Roughly chopped - 6 -8 

Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

Soak rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds for 4 - 5 hours.

Grind Urad dal/fenugreek seeds and rice separately into fine paste, then mix them together.

Add 2 tsp of salt into the batter and give a nice stir, ferment it overnight. (I put the batter container just inside the oven to have it fermented as its cold mostly here).

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, add all the ingredients given under tempering.

The batter would have raised few inches after fermenting.

Now add salt, curd, a pinch of b. soda and give it a stir.

Mix the tempered ingredients into the batter, again mix.

Grease a steel bowl with Oil(I used gingely oil). Pour the batter into the bowl.

Pressure cook(no weights necessary-just steaming) for 20 minutes.

Cool it off for 10 minutes.

Use knife to loosen the sides of the steamed mould, then turn upside down on a plate.

Cut them and serve hot with chutneys or Idli Podi or Ketchup.

Note: If you have Idli batter thats sour, you could just add the tempered ingredients and steam it in a greased bowl. You could also add urad dal, mustard seeds  for tempering. Its all your wish!!

Sending this to  A.W.E.D. Indian event by DK, guest hosted by Ayisha,

Walking through the memory Lane event by Gayathri &  My Legume Love Affair #33 event by Dee of Ammalu's Kitchen