Soak 1cup rice for 2 or 3 hours
grind 1/2cup coconut, 1/2cup jaggery, 1tsp cardamom powder to a fine paste, adding very little buttermilk (i used curd, whcih also gives the same result). Now to the coconut paste add soaked rice (without water) in to the blender. Add curd (1/2cup butter milk), soaked poha (1cup) and blend until you crush the rice to coarse pieces like rava. Mix salt to taste and let it ferment in a warm place overnight. This batter is less consistent compared to usual idli batter, this is more of dosa batter consistency.
Grease the idli stand pockets and place few broken cashew pieces and raisins in each pocket, pour the batter and steam until a pierced toothpick coms out clean,approximately 15min. Takka idli is good to eat on its own and does not require any chutney or dipping. It has a rich taste with a well blend combination of sweet ad tangy (not very tangy, just enough to please our taste buds, its because of the buttermilk/curd and fermentation).
note usually idlis are steamed in a pre heated steamer (in which water is already brought to boiling) on high flame for the first 5 minutes and then on a medium-low flame for the next 15minor until it is done. Once idlis are ready, uncover the lid and let it cool a bit (for 5min) before scooping them out.
