Kanchipuram Idli

Kanchipuram Idli is a special type of Idli from Kanchipuram in Tamilnadu. Kanchipuram is famous for silk sarees. Ingredients Yellow split green gram (Cherupayar parippu)- 1 cup Urad Dal (Uzhundu parippu) - 1 cup Boiled rice - 1 cup Black Pepper - 2 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeerakam) - 2 tsp Asafoetida (Kayam) - 1/2 tsp Ghee - 1 tbsp Curry leaves (finely chopped) - 2 tsp Turmeric powder - 1 tsp Green Chillies (finely chopped) - 5 to 8 Ginger grated - 1 inch piece Cashew nuts - 2 tsp (broken into small pieces) Raisins - 2 or 3 tsp Salt - as required Method Wash and soak rice, green gram and urad dal together for 6 hours. Drain and grind it into a smooth batter with less amount of water as we do for regular idlies till it is fluffy. Add salt to taste and allow the batter to ferment overnight. Heat ghee in a frying pan and add black pepper and cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Take them out of the pan and grind them to a fine powder and add it to the idli batter. Then add cashew pieces, turmeric powder, asafoetida, curry leaves, ginger and green chillies and fry for a few seconds. Mix it also with the batter. Add the coriander leaves just before steaming the idlies. Now place some raisins on the greased idli moulds and then pour the batter to these molds. Steam it in the idli steamer for 10 minutes. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar or Onion chutney.