So here you go with the step by step recipe..
Add coconut, small onion paste and salt to rice flour. Mix well. Add hot water gradually and make a soft and non sticky dough…
Make small balls of dough almost equivalent to the size of a 50 paisa coin. Make a small dip in the ball, using your thumb. Steam these balls in low-medium heat for 8-10 mins…
Add sliced onion, chilli, turmeric, coriander powder, ginger & garlic, salt, curry leaves and water to the beef. Pressure cook the beef …
Heat oil and add chopped onion. When it becomes soft, add small onion…
When the onions turn golden brown, add ginger and garlic. Cook for 2-3 mins. Add masala powders and mix well. Cook till the raw smell goes, around 2-3 mins…
Add chopped tomato and green chilli and salt. Cook till the tomatoes become soft. Add this masala to the beef and mix well. Keep cooking the beef on low flame…
Heat oil and add grated coconut, chopped garlic, fennel seeds, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Fry it till the coconut turns golden brown in colour. Let it cool completely. Grind it to a smooth paste without adding water. Add the ground coconut paste to the beef mixture. Combine and keep cooking on low flame…
Add half of the cooked pidi and half of the thick coconut milk to this. Mix. Add the rest of the cooked pidi and coconut milk. Give a good mix and bring it to boil. It has semi dry consistency and the pidi, should be coated well with the masala. Add more hot water, if required, to adjust the consistency…
Ingredients
For Pidi (Rice Dumplings)
- 3 cups Rice flour
- 3/4 - 1 cup Finely grated coconut
- 7 Small onion / Pearl onion
- 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
- Salt
- 3 cups Hot water
For Beef
- 1 kg Beef (cut into bite size pieces (refer notes for chicken/mutton/prawn option))
- 1 medium Onion (sliced)
- 2.5 tsp Chilli Powder
- 2.5 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 - 1 tsp Crushed ginger and garlic (each)
- 3/4 cup Water
- Salt
- Curry leaves
For Masala
- 2 medium Onion (chopped)
- 15 Small onion / Pearl onion (sliced)
- 1 tbsp Crushed/grated ginger and garlic (each)
- 1 medium Tomato (chopped)
- 2-3 Green chilli (chopped)
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1.5 - 2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup Thick coconut milk
To Roast and grind
- 1.5 cups Grated coconut
- 2 tsp Chopped garlic
- 1/4 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- Curry leaves
Instructions
- Pidi Preparation
- Grind together small onion and fennel seeds (qty mentioned under"for pidi") to a coarse paste. If coconut is not finely grated, just pulse it in mixie for a second.
- Add coconut, small onion paste and salt to rice flour. Mix well. Add hot water gradually and make a soft and non sticky dough.
- Make small balls of dough almost equivalent to the size of a 50 paisa coin. Make a small dip in the ball, using your thumb.This is done, so that the gravy seeps into the pidi. Steam these balls in low-medium heat for 8-10 mins. We steamed the above qty in 3 batches. Keep aside the prepared pidi/dumplings.
- Beef Preparation
- Add sliced onion, chilli, turmeric, coriander powder, ginger & garlic, salt, curry leaves and water to the beef. The qty of spices is mentioned under "for beef" title in ingredients list. Pressure cook the beef. Make sure that the beef retains a crunch and not fully cooked. We will be cooking it further. Once the pressure releases, continue to cook the beef on lowest flame, while you make the masala. Stir it in between.
- Masala Preparation
- Heat oil and add chopped onion. When it becomes soft, add small onion. When the onions turn golden brown, add ginger and garlic. Cook for 2-3 mins. Add masala powders and mix well. Cook till the raw smell goes, around 2-3 mins. Add chopped tomato and green chilli and salt. Cook till the tomatoes become soft. Add this masala to the beef and mix well. Keep cooking the beef on low flame. Make sure you stir it in between..
- Heat oil and add grated coconut, chopped garlic, fennel seeds, turmeric powder and curry leaves (qty mentioned under "to roast and grind"). Fry it till the coconut turns golden brown in colour. Let it cool completely. Grind it to a smooth paste without adding water.
- Add the ground coconut paste to the beef mixture. Combine and keep cooking on low flame.
- By now, the gravy of the beef should be reduced to 1/3rd or 1/4th of the original qty. Add half of the cooked pidi and half of the thick coconut milk to this. Mix. Add the rest of the cooked pidi and coconut milk. Give a good mix and bring it to boil. It has semi dry consistency and the pidi, should be coated well with the masala. Add more hot water, if required, to adjust the consistency.
- Garnish with fried small onion and serve hot.
Notes
HI Maria !!!!
I have been a regular follower since quite a bit long… but first time writing to you :-) This pidi I am going to make this weekend for a newly wedded couple. I am planning a few more dishes too including your plum cake(my hubby being a big fan of plum cakes), daal makhni and jeera rice.
Can I make the pidis one day ahead and refrigerate?? I am planning to make it with chicken.
Wishing you all the best in your life… God bless you and your lovely family :-)
Hi Tina,
Thanks a lot for being a regular follower of MM :)
I guess you can make it ahead, but next day when you use it, just make sure to steam it on stove top for a few mins and then continue with the recipe.
Hope you have a great time with your guests :)
Cheers
Maria
Awesome recipe! Loved the concept of the pidi. Never heard of this before. Super.
Thank you! It’s a traditional Kerala dish. It’s made in different style in different parts of Kerala. Sometimes the meat is served on the side and sometimes the pidi is cooked along with the meat.
Btw, are you the same Chowder Singh who was featured in India Today, August 19th edition?
If so, I enjoyed reading your post about street food.
Cheers
Maria
Yup! The one ‘n only Chowder Singh :) Somehow, I’ve never seen the Pidi in South Kerala. This must be more or a North or Central Kerala dish. Am I right in guessing so?
Nice to meet you here :) Yeah, as far as I know, it’s more common among Christians in Central Kerala and Muslims in North Kerala.
So I guess you are familiar with Kerala food?
Hi maria,
This dish looks yummy..had something similar to this from my friends house for easter..think her mom bolied the pidis instead of steaming and the chicken curry was served along with d pidis.
Can i try with the store made pathiri podi?i also have double horse palappam mix…which one wud be better?
Thanks Reshmi!
I guess the pidi is made in different style in diff places. Pathiri podi is good to make pidi.
Hope you’ll like it :)
Cheers
Maria
Thanks Reshmi!
I guess the pidi is made in different style in diff places. Pathiri podi is good to make pidi.
Hope you’ll like it :)
Cheers
Maria
Hi maria,
This dish looks yummy..had something similar to this from my friends house for easter..think her mom bolied the pidis instead of steaming and the chicken curry was served along with d pidis.
Can i try with the store made pathiri podi?i also have double horse palappam mix…which one wud be better?
Hi Maria
We prepare a similar dish with shell fish. And it is a delicacy at my place. When there is a shortage of shell fish, chicken is the alternative.
Melisha
Hi Melisha,
I remember one of my friends making your version… This recipe can also be made with chicken or prawns.
Cheers
Maria
Maria, thanks for sharing this recipe. The rice flour you take should be roasted one? once i tried making this and the pidi become so sticky and rubbery. should i use any particular rice for this?
Hi Deepthi,
I use the store bought palapam/idiyappam podi for making this. It comes roasted. I think the pidi becomes sticky and rubbery, when the water qty is high.
Hope this comes out well. All the best!
Cheers
Maria
Hi Deepthi,
I use the store bought palapam/idiyappam podi for making this. It comes roasted. I think the pidi becomes sticky and rubbery, when the water qty is high.
Hope this comes out well. All the best!
Cheers
Maria
Maria, thanks for sharing this recipe. The rice flour you take should be roasted one? once i tried making this and the pidi become so sticky and rubbery. should i use any particular rice for this?
Maria, thanks for sharing this recipe. The rice flour you take should be roasted one? once i tried making this and the pidi become so sticky and rubbery. should i use any particular rice for this?
The pictures look amazing Maria! Happy Easter!
http://www.myweekendfoodexperiments.wordpress.com
Thanks Preveena :)
Thanks Preveena :)
The pictures look amazing Maria! Happy Easter!
http://www.myweekendfoodexperiments.wordpress.com
I am hearing of this item for the first time! sounds yum!
di, I think this is not very common in our side, may be that’s why. If you’ve time, try making this. I think you will like it :)
di, I think this is not very common in our side, may be that’s why. If you’ve time, try making this. I think you will like it :)
di, I think this is not very common in our side, may be that’s why. If you’ve time, try making this. I think you will like it :)
I am hearing of this item for the first time! sounds yum!
I am hearing of this item for the first time! sounds yum!
Looks really tempting! We in Kannur n Tellicherry make the pidis a bit different by soaking raw rice n ponni ari. Also both the jeeras are added along wih the coconut. The way my mom makes is a bit quicker n ofcourse the most tastiest. .we add chicken curry to the pidies n simmer in low flame till they are succulent with the rich flavour !!
Lovely pics n ur recipes are simply woww! ! :)
Thanks Lubna!
I guess it’s made differently in different parts :)
Thanks Lubna!
I guess it’s made differently in different parts :)
Looks really tempting! We in Kannur n Tellicherry make the pidis a bit different by soaking raw rice n ponni ari. Also both the jeeras are added along wih the coconut. The way my mom makes is a bit quicker n ofcourse the most tastiest. .we add chicken curry to the pidies n simmer in low flame till they are succulent with the rich flavour !!
Lovely pics n ur recipes are simply woww! ! :)
Looks really tempting! We in Kannur n Tellicherry make the pidis a bit different by soaking raw rice n ponni ari. Also both the jeeras are added along wih the coconut. The way my mom makes is a bit quicker n ofcourse the most tastiest. .we add chicken curry to the pidies n simmer in low flame till they are succulent with the rich flavour !!
Lovely pics n ur recipes are simply woww! ! :)