Topic started by Shoba (@ bb220-255-37-67.singnet.com.sg) on Wed Apr 7 02:12:45 EDT 2004.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Dear Mrs Mano, Mr Trivedi,

Before I launch into my queries, I wish to thank the both of you for your valuable recipes/site..and advices dished out :-)patiently and generously on the forum!

Now for my doubts...

Soda Bi Carb, baking soda, cooking soda- are they all one and the same?

ENO fruit salts-how different in function is this from the above?

Recipes, especially Idli/Dosa varieties made from ingredients other than rice & urad dal, call for baking/cooking/bicarb soda. What is the function of adding this, mostly a maximum amount of ~1/2 teaspoon. Does it tend to make idlis hard once cooled? But then again, when added to say bajji/pakora batter it makes it crisp.

I would greatly appreciate if you could respond. I'm trying out various types of idlis & rotis at the moment.

Best Regards,
Shoba

Responses:

• From: Mrs.Mano (@ 213.42.2.24) on: Wed Apr 7 05:52:00 EDT 2004
  
  Dear Shoba!
  Eno Salt is an ayurvedic powder which helps to remove acidity in the stomach and gives some relief. It contains itself soda bi carbonate and citric acid. It is also used as a rising agent as soda bi carbonate in recipes like dhokla, some varieties of idlis and pancake batters.
  Soda carbonate is used in some recipes like paniyarams, appams, etc just before making them. It is true that soda bi carbonate is used in some restaurants to . The idlis added with s.b.carbonate will not be hard when they are cooled down.
  Idli is a very good and healthy food containing so many vitamins and we loose those vitamins if we add soda bi carbonate in the idli batter.
  Soda bi carbonate, baking soda and cooking soda- all are the same ingredient.
  
  
  
• From: Kanna (@ 220.226.35.236) on: Wed Apr 7 07:01:14 EDT 2004
  
  Mrs Mano, Adding thease Soda Bi carbanate is good or bad for health?.
  
  
• From: Shoba (@ pcproxy2.singnet.com.sg) on: Fri Apr 9 23:34:24 EDT 2004
  
  Mrs Mano, thank you very much for responding. The other day I made mung daal/green gram dal/paasi paruppu/cherupayar idli..and the recipe called for 1/2 tea spoon cooking soda. I followed all the measurements to a T, and the idlis came out average-as in, the taste was very good and it was easy to make. The texture, to me, wasnt satisfactory coz although it wasnt "hard", it was heavy but soft inside. It didnt have the porous spongey look of normal idlis. I have never eaten mung daal idlis before..so I'm not sure how they ought to be. Do you have any thoughts on this?
  
  Here's the recipe for Mung Daal/Green Gram daal/Cherupayar Idli:
  
  Dehusked Mung daal- 1 cup
  Grated fresh coconut-1 1/2 table spoon
  Green chillies-6
  Powdered Asfoetida- 2 pinches
  Thick sour curd- 1/2 cup
  Cooking soda- 1/2 tea spoon
  Salt- 1 teaspoon
  Oil- 1 1/2 table spoon
  Mustard seeds- 1/4 tea spoon
  
  Method:
  
  1. Soak daal for 2 hours.
  
  2. Grind coconut, green chillies, asfoetida and salt to smooth paste.
  
  3. Grind daal separately WITHOUT ADDING WATER, till coarse rawa consistency.
  
  4. To the ground daal, add the coconut-chilli-asfoetida-salt paste and sour curd.
  
  5. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds and pour
  over the batter, along with cooking soda.
  
  6. Mix well and steam idlis the usual way immediately.
  
  I think this recipe is from Mrs Mallika Badrinath's cookery book.
  
  Do you think the rawa consistency of the batter contributes to the texture of the idli? As in, if ground smoother than rawa, then the idlis end up a bit "gaathram"..?
  
  Hope to hear your/ and anyone else's comments...
  
  Shoba
  
  
• From: Mrs. Suhera Farook (@ 195.229.241.170) on: Sat Apr 10 00:51:18 EDT 2004
  
  Does any know how to make Kollu (Horsegram) Idli or is it the same way of Green Gram Idli ?
  
  

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