Rainbow Idada

For Holi, the Festival of Colours, I wanted to create somthing just as vibrant - so I made Surti Idada with a colourful twist. Surti Idada is a traditional Gujarati Farsan from Surat. Similar to dhokla, it's made with rice and urad dal, which gives it its signature soft white colour. Unlike dhokla, it's flatter, fluffier and incredibly light in texture.

Ingredients: For the Batter 60g rice (Surti Kolam)

20g split, skinless urad dal

50ml water

40g yogurt

1/2 tsp green chilli-ginger-garlic paste

Salt, to taste

1/2 tsp Eno fruit salt

A few drops of lemon juice

Cracked black pepper, to taste

Food colour (optional)

For Greasing & Garnishing

1 tsp oil (for batter)

1 tbsp oil (for garnishing)

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Equipment Needed

8-inch greased thali (plate)

Dhokla steamer

Method

Wash & Soak Rinse the rice and urad dal 2-3 times, or until the water runs clear. Add enough fresh water to fully submerge them and soak for at least 6 hours (or overnight for best results).

Grind the Batter After soaking, drain the water completely. Transfer the rice and urad dal to a grinder. Add in a little water and yogurt, then grind until smooth. The batter should be mostly smooth but slightly coarse in texture.

Prepare the Batter & Steamer

Pour the batter into a large mixing bow. Add oil, green chilli-ginger-garlic paste and salt. Mx until fully combined. Grease an 8-inch thali with oil and set it asied. Meanwhile, prepare a steamer by bringing water to a boil in a large pot. (If you have an odli or dhokla steamer, you can use that instead.)

Add Leavening

Once the steamer is ready, add lemon juice to the batter. Sprinkle the Eno fruit salt on top - it will begin to froth. Gently mix the batter in one direction until just combined.

Add toppings Immediately pour the batter into the greased thali. Lightly sprinkle cracked black pepper and food colouring over the top of the batter.

You can use any colours you like. Powdered food colour works the best for a vibrant finish. If using liquid food colouring, it's better to divide and colour small portions of the batter separately, then splatter them on top to create a rainbow effect.

Steam the Idada

Carefully place the thali into the steamer and cover with a lid. Steam on medium heat for 15 mintues. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the idada to rest in the steamer for 3 minutes before removing. To check if it's cooked, insert a toothpick into the centre - it should come out clean. Once done, lightly brush or drizzle a little oil over the top to keep it moist.

Tempering (Optional)

You can prepare a vagar (tempering) with mustard seeds and sesame seeds for added flavour. However, traditionally, plain oil is used. Once ready, cut the idada into pieces of your desired size and garnish with freshly chopped corinader leaves.

Serving

Your idada is now read to serve. It should be soft, light, and fluffy - almost like biting into a cloud.

The green chilli-ginger-garlic paste adds a gentle spiced flavour while the rice and urad dal create a mild neutral base. For the best flavour, serve with a green chutney on the side.

#idada #gujarati #farsan