Moode/Mude ('Kedige' Flavored Idlis)

Moode/Mude is a very traditional Mangalorean recipe! Moode with mooga ghasssi (sprouted moong dal curry) is a must for breakfast. It can also go well with sambar and coconut chutney. Its a most time made during festive occasion which includes Krishna janmastami, Chaturti and even during Deepavali.
Moode idli batter is steamed in molds made from Kedige leaves (Screw pine), before these molds were made at home, now we purchase it in Mangalore stores. Kedige leaves gives a very special aroma and flavor to the idlis. Moode is usally prepared during festivals and weddings and the molds are available at Mangalore stores during festivals. Moode is very easy recipe, you need a right proportion of Rice and black lentil (Urad dal). I just love this along any veg or even non veg curry!

Ingredients:
1 cup urad dal (Soaked in water for about 4-6 hours, best is 6 hrs)
3 cups idli rava or rice rava/ or 2 cups White rice (Soak white rice in water for 4-6 hours,  I have used rice rava 3 cups and have soaked it for 6 hours)
Salt as per taste

 Method:

• Grind the soaked urad dal to a smooth dal until it froths up and increases in quantity.
• Wash the idli rava and drain out all the water; Add rava to the urad batter and blend well both the contents (About 3-5 minutes). If you are using soaked white rice, drain out all the water and grind until it gets to coarse consistency paste (rice batter can be little course rather than smooth fine).

• Transfer into a large mixing bowl and let ferment overnight or for 8-10 hours; Add salt and mix well.

• Pour into moode ele (kedige moulds) and steam cook for about 20-25 minutes; Moode is done when no grains stick to the fork when pierced.
•  Remove from stove and serve hot with coconut chutney, sambar, gashi or any other side dish of your choice.

 

NOTE:

• It is important to ensure that moode ele stays upright while it cooks. You wouldn't want the moode to fall off and let the water from the bottom of the cooker get in. So, I place each moode separately inside long steel tumblers.
• To remove the moode from the mould, slowly pull out the tiny sticks that hold the mould together; The mould will fall apart automatically. 

Padmashree Raikar

@ gHara javaN 

Sanna's (Mangalorean Fluffy Idli)

Sannas (Konkani), are a spongy steamed savoury rice cakes, made in a typical Mangalorean & Goa style variant of idli, a South Indian dish. They go well with any non-veg to veg curries. Also along coconut chuttney. This typically coastal Indian food is eaten with curries, stir-fries and even on its own. This fluffy rice idli is a must for all christian weddings, also many people make then in home during festive seasons. There's nothing like warm, soft and fluffy Sannas to go with your choice curry! It is very easy to make. Try one in home. And I bet you... You will crave for it again and again ;)

Ingredients:
    3 cups rice [You can use cutsambar rice, idli rice or even boiled rice]
    2 cups of beaten rice/poha [you can also add puffed rice (laye)]
    1 cup grated coconuts
    2 tsps active yeast
    2 tsps sugar (to mix with yeast)
    Salt to taste
    2-4 tsps sugar (to add to batter, its a choice not a compulsion)
    warm water (for mixing yeast)



Preparation:

• Wash the rice well and soak in water overnight.[It is good if the rice is soaked well for 8 hrs]
• In the morning, grind the grated coconut to fine paste (you can also use fresh coconut milk).
• Drain the water and grind the rice into a very fine paste, add the beaten rice while grinding along it.
• Mix the rice and coconut pastes together in a large, deep bowl.

• Take the active yeast & mix it with 2 tsps of sugar and the warm water. Stir well. Allow to sit for a few minutes.
• Add the yeast water. Mix well to form a thick batter.

• Allow this batter to ferment for 3 hours [You can also keep it for 4-5 hours, when it comes to cool climate. But in Mangalore weather, we keep it even for 2-3 hours the batter for Sannas ferment well] 

• Grease an Idli moulds (small ramekin dishes) with a little coconut oil and pour enough batter into the mould/ ramekin dishes to fill about 3/4 of the way.
  

• Put the Idli ramekin dishes into a steamer and steam for 20 minutes at least (or till cooked - a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean) on high flame.
• When cooked, gently remove from the Idli moulds/ ramekin dishes and serve hot with a curry of your choice.

Tips:
If your batter has become little diluted, adjust the batter thickness by adding poha/beaten rice

Idli

"THE" idli
It was always a methodical process in my mind - Grind Rice + Grind (udad dal)lentils + Mix batter + Add salt + Stir with hands + Close lid and set aside overnight + clean grinder(!!!) = "Overflowing, lightly sour smelling batter" ready in the morning. Simple. Right?
One word - "Fermentation". The humid and hot Indian climate has always been an strong ally for fermentation and if you were like me, you never thought to associate something like weather and fermentation together before...

Experiment with the proportions since the weather and quality of ingredients will play a huge part in the end result.

The best way of Idli batter is the "wet grinder". It helps in incorporating more air into the udad dal batter. The more you grind, better the result.
Use the soaking water (where you soaked the rice and udad dal) to grind the batter. Do not throw away the soaking water when you drain rice/udad dal.
Addition of Fenugreek seeds aids in the fermentation process.

Fermentation is better in humid climates.. Try some of below tips in case of cold climate.
Before going to sleep, place the container wrapped in a old shawl/ thick blanket, in the room. By morning, you should see the batter has fermented.
soak some rice flakes in yogurt (with live cultures) and then grind it along with the lentil. The cultures in the yogurt helps in fermentation.
If none of the above works, you can use Yeast mixed with water and sugar, proof it and add it to the batter. It tends to give yeasty taste to the batter instead of the sour, tangy taste.

Some use 3 cup rice and 1 cup udad dal & few prepare along 2 cup rice & 1 cup udad dal. Its better to use a fist full of cooked rice while making the batter. Check out the procedure as follows.

• Soak the udad dal (lentil) and par boiled rice separately for at least 6-8 hrs.
• First add the rice in your grinder and grind it well. The batter will not be smooth but little coarse-grained.
• Remove and set aside in a large bowl. In the same grinder (you don't have to wash/clean) add the lentil.
• Grind it once again. the more you grind, better the idlis. You need to keep adding little water now and then.When the batter is smooth ( feels like satin), remove and pour it along with rice batter.
• Add salt, mix well and set aside
• The next day, after fermenting, stir the batter well. You can use small idle bowls. Grease them with a little of coconut oil. Pour out the batter in each bowl. And keep them in steamer. It takes around 15 mins for the idli . They are done when a little stick/spoon pricked in the middle comes out clean.
• Cool them for 1-2 minutes and then serve warm along coconut chutney and sambar.

Goosberry chutney

Goosberry 2-3 (remove the seeds), 1/2 grated coconut, 3 green chilly, grind well to fine paste. Add salt to taste. Fry musturd seeds, when they pop up, add the curry leaves & a pinch of asefotida. Now garnish it along the chuttney and mix well. It really taste yum along idli & dosa.

Idli along gooseberry chutney