Kanchipuram idli

Method

1. 1 Soak the rice and urad beans for 5 hours, then grind them separately and mix them together. Let the mixture ferment for 8 hours.
2. 2 Mix crushed peppercorns, chopped ginger, cumin, and asafoetida into the fermented dough.
3. 3 Kanchipuram is seasoned strongly with ginger and pepper, and steamed in bamboo tubes rather than in round molds.
4. 4 Roast cashews and curry leaves in ghee, then mix them into the flour along with the yogurt.
5. 5 Pour the batter into leaf-shaped tubes or tall molds and steam over medium heat for 35 minutes.
6. 6 Steaming takes longer than usual because the dough is thick; a shorter steaming time will leave the center still wet.

With an appliance

• Pressure cooker 40 min

  Replace step 5: place the leaf tube or tall mold on a rack and steam under low pressure for 18 minutes, then release the pressure naturally for 8 minutes to keep the cake cooked through without collapsing. The previous steps for mixing the seasoning remain the same.