Instructions: Soak the rice and the lentils mixed with the fenugreek seeds separately in plenty of water for at least 4 hours.

Drain and grind them separately until fine in a blender adding water as necessary to make a thick pouring batter.

Mix the two batters together and add the salt. (If you grind them together the batter will not be smooth enough).

Leave to ferment in a warm place for about 8 hours.

Pour the batter into a nce cake steamer or egg poacher and steam the cakes for 15 minutes.

To remove slide a sharp knife under each cake and lift.

Set aside and keep warm.

Repeat this process until all the batter is used up.

Serve warm with garlic chutney and sambhar (qv).

Serves 4

There are many different recipes for these 2 south indian specialities. These are from grandmothers kitchen. When I visited her as a child she would make me a pancake the size of a large plate. Rice cakes are made in a special steamer which is a 34 tiered container with 4 hollow craters in each tier. In the absence of such a steamer use an egg poacher.

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