The Vegetarian Curry Bible

After your batter has gone nuts, you are ready to make idlis. Stir (don't

beat) the batter slightly, just enough to evenly distribute the bubbles

and not enough to make it subside. Grease idli cups (you can use egg

poachers if you want) with spray-on oil or butter, and fill them (almost

full) with the idli batter and steam in an idli vessel (basically, a big

steamer) for about15 -20 minutes.

The same idli batter can be use to make Sannan. Pour the batter in the

container of a pressure cooker (previously greased with oil) about3 /

4full and steam for15 - 20minutes as above. Take out and cut into

pieces with a spatula.

Idli

Ingredients

•

1 cup black gram (urad) dal

1 teaspoon methi seeds

1/ 2teaspoon salt

2 cups cream of rice

spray oil or ghee for greasing cups

Method

Lightly wash urad, and cover with chlorine-free water. Grind methi and

mix with urad, along with salt, and allow to soak uncovered for 3

hours. Soften the cream of rice by soaking for the final 15 minutes.

Without washing, grind urad in food processor to a fine paste. Add

cream of rice to paste, and grind again until mixed well. Place in

ceramic bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place until

double in bulk. The amount of time this will take depends on the

temperature. The batter will double in 8 hours if the temperature is

over85 degrees, and at lower temperatures it can take as long as 30

hours. If the batter doesn't rise, don't despair, just find a warmer place.

A small microwave oven, with the door open just enough to turn on the

light, works well, as does a cold oven with the light on.

Many silly people substitute rava (sooji, cream of wheat) for rice,

especially in colder climates like the Frisco Bay Area, because their

batter doesn't rise. This is an unnecessary compromise, and people so

inclined may just has well go to Pasand and eat their idli bricks. The

fermentation process depends on the presence of wild yeast, which

appears to stick well to the urad and to the methi. Soaking the dal

uncovered allows you to "catch" additional yeast from the air. Don't use

baking soda, baking powder, yeast, or yogurt to "help" fermentation.

I've conducted controlled experiments on these agents, and methi

outperforms them. Yeast starts fast, but it poops out and leaves your

idli tasting like elephant cacoos. Baking soda, baking powder, and

yogurt retard fermentation.

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