Traditional recipes
KOTTIGE/KHOTTO/GUNDA IDLIS
Most of you must have heard the word “Gunda” (for a thugh or a bully and spelt Goonda) but I was surprised to learn that Idlis are also called Gunda! Well, this term simply applies to idlis steamed in jackfruit leaves. Baskets are made with jackfruit leaves and the idlis are steamed in these basktes instead of the usual katoris. The leaves impart a delicious aroma to the idlis which really makes the effort worthwhile.
I had never heard of idlis steamed in jackfruit leaf baskets until recently when my sister-in-law Diana mentioned about “Kottige” to me when I had made Ediyos. Since I had saved some of the jackfruit leaves in the freezer I was tempted to try these out but could make only a few as each basket requires 4 leaves whereas Ediyos require just one leaf per cone. So here is the recipe, do try them out. Goes very well with chutney, sambar for breakfast or with chicken or mutton curry for lunch or dinner. Understand they are delicious eaten warm with just some coconut oil poured over it.
Kottige/Khotto/Gunda Idlis
Ingredients (This batter would be sufficient for 15 to 20 idlis, subject to size of the baskets)
- 3.5 cups Rice, preferably idli rice (Idli rava may also be used instead of rice and added directly to the urad dal paste)
- 1.5 cups urad dal
- 1 cup poha
- Salt to taste
- Wash and soak the rice and urad dal separately for 4 to 6 hours.
- Grind the rice and poha to a coarse grainy paste.
- Grind the urad dal to a fine paste and mix both together with salt and leave overnight to ferment.
To prepare the baskets, as shown.
- Take two leaves and let the tips overlap, then take two more leaves and place them across so as to have the tips of the four leaves overlapping each other.
- Secure with two pieces of tooth picks on either side.
- Turn the leaves over and pull up the edges of two leaves to make it vertical and secure with tooth pick.
- Do the same to the remaining 3 edges to form a basket.
- Put the fermented batter into the basket to fill ¾ and steam for 30 to 40 minutes.
- When done, remove and leave to cool slightly.
- Serve warm or cold with chutney, sambar or curry.
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