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“When you steam these idlis and open the pot, the entire kitchen fills with the warm earthy fragrance of black rice. They come out of the moulds a deep purple-grey — and your guests will stop and stare before they eat. Nothing is more Tamil Nadu and nothing is more surprising.”

Ingredients

Sree Kumaran Karupu Kavuni Rice Flakes	1 cup
Whole urad dal (black gram, skinned)	½ cup
Fenugreek seeds	½ tsp
Water for grinding	as needed
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Soak urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in water for 6 hours. Soak Karupu Kavuni flakes separately in water for 4 hours. The flake soaking water will turn dark purple — do not discard it.
2. Grind urad dal and fenugreek first into a very smooth, fluffy batter using cold water. Transfer to a large vessel.
3. Grind the soaked Karupu Kavuni flakes with a little of their soaking water into a slightly coarser batter. Combine with the urad batter. Add salt and mix well with your hands for 2 minutes.
4. Cover and ferment in a warm place for 8–10 hours or overnight. The batter will rise and develop a slight tang. The colour will deepen to a dark purple-grey.
5. Grease idli moulds with a little sesame oil. Pour batter into moulds — do not overfill. Steam on medium heat for 12–14 minutes.
6. Cool for 2 minutes before unmoulding. The idlis will be a striking dark purple. Serve with coconut chutney and sambar. The colour contrast is extraordinary.