Manda Pitha

Ingredients :

• Broken Basmati rice ( 1 1/2 cups )
• milk ( 2 cups ), water ( 2 cups )
• pepper powder ( 1/5 tsp )
• cardamon powder ( 1/4 tsp )
• salt ( 1/4 tsp or to taste).

For the pura

• Coconut ( finely grated, 1 no )
• mall lumps of jaggery ( 6-7 tsp )
• raisins ( 1/2 cup )
• ghee ( 1 tsp )

Procedure :

• Soak the rice for 10-15 mins. Wash and drain all the water ( Use a colander, do not dry under the fan or the sun ).
• Put in a grinder and grind into a fine powder.
• Grate the coconut or grind the pieces in a mixer-grinder. Cooking Bring the milk and water to boil.
• Add salt, cardamon and pepper powder.
• Add the rice flour in small batches and mix continuously so that no lumps are formed.
• Stir the mixture on a low flame for about 15 minutes till it takes on a softer consistency than the dough used for making rotis .
• Switch off the flame at this stage. Allow the dough to cool down a few degrees till it is tolerable.
• Rub ghee all over your hands and knead the dough for 5 mins to make it smoother.
• Heat a pan. Add ghee followed by the raisins and stir fry for 1 minute. Add grated coconut and jaggery at this stage. Fry for 5-6 minutes and remove from the stove.
• Rub some more oil over your hands. Break small balls out of the dough. Flatten out and put some of the coconut stuffing on it.
• Close and mould into balls. Spread some banana leaves over the idli plates.
• Put the balls over it. Close the lid and steam 20 mins. Allow to stand with lid covered for 5 mins.
• Take out of the idli vessel.Now Manda Pitha is ready.