Travelling is a revelling experience on its own and I take my travels very seriously by cogently switching off from the gadget world, just spoiling and petting my little one to bits. Thats the only time I just let loose and give my self ample time to just calm down my mind and soul. A new place every year has been our yardstick goal and it just works wonderfully for us.
Speaking of new places, this time it was Wayanad, Kerala. It is my second visit to this gorgeous state of Kerala and what a beautiful experience it was. It was like being in close proximity to nature and I knew I was exactly in the right place for some inspiration. I stopped by and hopped in almost all of the gardens that I came across and gasped the semblance that the beautiful flowering plants had to offer.
We had chosen our most trusted haven, the Sterling Wayanad for our stay and the amazing folks here undoubtedly, consistenly make our stay so comfortable and homely. They never fail to surprise us every single time we book our stays with them.
Food is the most favourite part of travel and I always look forward to try the authentic local cuisines. I had tasted the most famous Kadala Curry and Rice Puttu during my first visit to Kerala, way back in 2012 and this time I wanted to savour the ottshyavige, popularly know as the idiyappam.
As we were just about to wind up our breakfast at the resort, in a small span of a conversation with Athul at the restaurant, I just spoke out about my fancy to savour iddiyappam and instantly came an answer from him, “I’ll get it served to you for dinner!” This was his sweetest gesture. Unfailingly Mr. Sharath, the chef, prepped it for dinner just for us with Vegetable Stew.
It was such a homespun experience savouring the most satiating meal and I was stuffed! The vegetable stew was exactly how I wanted it to be. The recipe was original, authentic and there was no tweaking at all. My son who never sits down in a restaurant, gulped down the iddiyapams too. It couldn’t get any better than this I felt. All my gratitude to the whole team of Sterling Wayanad and specially the Manager, Sanju who has a well placed team at the restaurant. You all treated us with utmost care. Thank you!
In a way this is the right time I post the recipe of the idiyappam and vegetable stew on my site. I have used milled rice flour here and this turns out really beautiful and white with fine milled rice flour. For the vegetable stew I have used coconut milk extract and a few spices. I shall post the step – by – step pictures soon as well.
Idiyappam (Ottu Shyavige - String Hoppers) with Kerala Vegetable Stew
- You can definitely use store bought rice flour here ut I personally prefer milled flour because I felt it gives a more softer texture. I have used the Tamil Nadu idli rice for the flour.
Ingredients
-
For the Shyavige
- 3 Cups – Rice Flour
- 4 cups Water
- 2 tsp – Table Salt
- 3 tbsp – Coconut Oil
- Idiyappam Press
- Steamer/Idli Stand
- 3 Cups – Grated Fresh Coconut
- 3 cups – Hot Water (For extracting coconut milk)
- 4-5 – Slit Green Chillies
- 3 tbsp – Coconut Oil
- 2 – Star Anise
- 4-5 – Cloves
- 1 tsp – Black pepper corns
- 2 inch sticks – Cinnamon
- 2 – Bay Leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped finely – Green Beans
- 1/2 cup – Green Peas
- 1/2 cup chopped finely – Carrots
- 2.5 tsp – Table Salt
For the Vegetable Stew
Directions
Idiyappam:- In a wok add oil and water and bring it to a boil.
- Once the water starts boiling , simmer the heat and add the rice flour and start mixing with a wooden spoon.
- Turn off the heat and keep mixing the whole mixture by vigorously mixing with the wooden ladle/spoon. Once the rice flour looks completely combined set it aside covered.
- Once the mixture has cooled down or if you are able to handle the temperature of the dough, take a handful of the dough and insert it into the chakkuli press or idiyappam press. Close it and start piping out the idiyappam into the cavities of the idli plates. Once the the cavities are full cut the strings off. Similarly do this for all the cavities of the idli stands.
- In an idli steamer add water and place the whole stand into the steamer. Steam the idiyappams for ten minutes. Turn off the heat and let the idiyappams cool down. Serve with Vegetable Stew and a Chutney of your choice. Vegetable Stew:
- You need to first extract the thick and thin coconut milk extracts from the grated coconut. Use 1.5 cups of hot water and pulse the grated coconut to a fine paste. Sieve and extract the milk. This is the first (thick) extract.
- Use another 1.5 cups of hot water and pulse the remnant coconut scrapes from the first extract. Sieve and extract the milk. This is the second (thin) extract.
- Cook the chopped vegetables in a pressure cooker and keep aside.
- In a wok add coconut oil let it simmer. Once its hot add the spices including chillies, star anise, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Fry it a little till the spices puff up a little.
- Add the cooked vegetables and the thin coconut milk extract. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the thick coconut milk extract and salt. Let it simmer for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and serve with idiyappams.
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