FLUFFY, TASTY, HEALTHY
The AATTUKKAL in our Tirupapuliyur house
was in the முற்றம் behind
the kitchen. It was permanently cemented to the
platform. A huge one, this Aatukkal was the main instrument for my mother to
make batter for those lovely, tasty Idlis, dosais, adais, Vadais and what not.
For several years since early 1950s.
My mother would take the exact measure of
rice required for the family, and then the dal, soak them in different vessels overnight,
she will grind these next morning in the Aatukkal. She will rotate the KUZHAVI
with one hnd and push the rice / dal towards the pestle with the other hand.
This is a hard job but she continued it, week after week, year after year.
Once the two batters are ready, she will
mix them in a larger vessel, adding salt. Then keep it overnight for
fermentation. Next morning, the MAAVU will be swollen and ready for preparing
Idlis.
With (small onion) Sambar and coconut and
pacchai milakai Chutney ready, she will steam the batter into fluffy, tasty,
and healthy Idlis. The Idli Paanai will have six or eight SS plates, each
having four KUZHIS (with small porous holes to let the steam in and out) for
pouring the batter. A clean white cloth will be spread on these Kuzhis where
the Maavu will be filled. At the bottom of the Idli Paanai, water will be
poured, the lid closed, and put on the Aduppu. The steam will cook the Idlis.
Much later, the cloth method was replaced
with the plates smeared with a little Oil, before filling with Maavu.
As the years rolled on, this job of making
the batter and then the Idlis, was shared by my elder and younger sisters, my
wife and brothers’ wives. Later, in 1971, my wife Vijaya and I went to Poona;
here no Aatukkal, so we started using Sumeet Mixie and the Gas stove. The idlis
won’t be fluffy. The non-availability of Puzhungal Arisi at Poona was another cause
for not being fluffy. But we pulled on.
Even after we shifted to Hyderabad in 1974,
this Mixie continued for nearly 16 years. Then our neighbor (another Tamilian)
purchased a “Wet Grinder” in early 1990s. We will give her the soaked rice and
the dal and she will grind it for us. Thanks to this Mrs. Nalini Siva
Subramanian, the old, traditional Idli-taste re-appeared.
Finally, our son purchased a Wet Grinder
for his mother, when we shifted to Madras, in Dec 2001. We get Puzhungal arisi
here in Chennai, the former taste has come back to the Idlis.
When I was studying in Annamalai
University, our hostel cook RAMU introduced to me four new things – Poondu
Milakai Podi, (2) Milagu Saadam, (3) Kadappa (a Kuruma like dish), and (4)
GOTHSU (very popular in Chidambaram). We started making this Gothsu from 2002,
to take with Idli. Everyone in our family likes this.
Idli with gothsu on 3-11-2016
Meanwhile, the market saw innovation like
ready-mixed Maavu in 1 kg sealed packs. Brands like Thaayaar, ID, Modern,
Niigiris are some of the popular brands in Chennai. Many small shops have
installed the Wet Grinders, grind the batter and sell it “fresh”. South Mada
Street, Mylapore, you can get the Maavu, sold “fresh” by Mamis ! However, one
is not sure about the quality of the water used in these ready-mixed Maavus.
Recently, a new company has come out with
their “FRESHY” brand, no additives present, RO pure water used, and home
delivered !! We continue with our traditional Wet Grinder method.
Changes and Innovations later, the basic
principle of making Idli batter and Idlis stands unchanged and solid. Idli is
renowned as a healthy breakfast, easily digestible; can be given to
convalescents, sick people, and even the infants (1 year and above) without any
risk or fear.
Idli This morning 3 Nov 2016
Rajappa
3-11-2016
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