Idli Milagai Masala

Special Chilli Powder Accompaniment to Idlis

Ingredients

split black gram 200 gm

red chillies 5

oil 2 teaspoons

asafoetida a pinch

salt to taste

Roast the split black gram and red chillies in oil. When it is cool powder in a mixer. Add salt to taste and powder again. Store in an airtight container.

This powder is eaten along with Idli. It is mixed with a spoonful of oil mixed to form a paste. When Idli has to be stored and served later, this paste is applied as a paste on one Idli and another Idli is placed on top of it. Then the paste is applied on that Idli and the process continues. On a large vessel all the Idlis are kept together and they remain soft for a long time.

Procedure for preparing Idli

1. Soak three cups of rice in water for about 8 hours.

2. Grind the rice in a mixer/grinder. The rice should be ground to a fine paste for dosa and to a coarse texture for idli. That is the rice should not be ground too much. When you take a bit of the paste in your hand it should give a rough feeling. Do not add too much water while grinding.

3. Sock one cup of split black gram for about half an hour. Just before grinding the rice, the black gram can be soaked. By the time the rice is done, the black gram will be ready for grinding.

4. Grind the split black gram to a fine paste. Do not add too much water for grinding. Sprinkle spoonfuls of water occasionally and grind. As you grind more and more, the content of the paste will increase. One cup of split black gram paste will almost be equal to three cups of rice.

5. Now mix both the rice paste and split black gram paste well. Add salt to taste and mix well. You can grind them together once more if you like, so that they are mixed well.

6. Leave it overnight for fermenting.

7. The next day you will see that the floor has come up and the content has increased.

8. There are special idli plates available in the market. You can also spread the floor on small plates with curved ends and steam cook them in a pressure cooker. Do not put the weight of the cooker. It will get done in about 20 mts. Alternatively, you can take a vessel with a tight lid, pour water at the bottom, place a stand, keep the plate on top and cover the vessel and cook on medium flame.

9. You can smear the idli plates or ordinary plates with a teaspoon of oil before putting in the floor. This will ensure that the idli doesn't get stuck to the plate.

10. Serve the idli with idli milgai podi.