I/We claim:
1. A system for making a steamed batter comprising:
means for shaping batter material into a hollow steamed batter; and means for cutting said hollow steamed batter into a plurality of slices; wherein said hollow steamed batter has an elongated length substantially greater than its width, and said hollow steamed batter is having first and second opposite ends defined by a hole extending longitudinally across said hollow steamed batter.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for shaping includes a detachable die assembly, said detachable die assembly further comprising:
a core member;
an outer member coaxially disposed of said core member, and enclosing a space therein; a top end cover; and a bottom end cover;
wherein said core member and said outer member are held in place by disposing said top end cover and said bottom end cover at two ends of said detachable die assembly.
3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said core member and said outer member are of circular cross-section.
4. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said top end cover has perforations.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for cutting includes a cutting fixture assembly, said cutting fixture assembly further comprising:
a base plate;
a cutting fixture longitudinally disposed on and fixedly attached to said base plate; and
a cutter plate pivotally hinged to one end of said base plate, said cutter plate further comprising a plurality of cutter blades spaced apart from each other.
6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the space between said plurality of cutter blades is variable.
7. The system as claimed in any of the preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein said steamed batter is idli.
8. A method of preparing a hollow steamed batter comprising:
applying a lubricant to an inner surface of an outer member and an outer surface of a core member;
attaching a bottom end cover to a bottom end of a detachable die assembly;
filling batter in space between said core member and said outer member; attaching a top end cover to a top end of said detachable die assembly; and exposing said detachable die assembly to a steam source resulting in said hollow steamed batter.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the steps of:
removing said hollow steamed batter from said detachable die assembly and placing it on a cutting fixture;
cutting said hollow steamed batter into a plurality of slices with a cutter plate.
10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said hollow steamed batter is stuffed with condiments.
11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said lubricant is a cooking oil.
12. The method as claimed in any of the preceding claims 8 to 10, wherein said hollow steamed batter is idli.
13. A ready to eat stuffed steamed batter comprising:
a hollow steamed batter having a length substantially greater than its width, said hollow steamed batter having first and second opposite ends defined by a hole extending longitudinally across said hollow steamed batter, wherein said hole in said hollow steamed batter is stuffed with condiments, and wherein said hollow steamed batter is cut into a plurality of slices.
14. A ready to eat stuffed steamed batter as claimed in claim 13, wherein said stuffed steamed batter is idli.

TECHNICAL FIELD
The subject matter described herein, in general, relates to a steamed batter and in particular relates to a system for making a steamed batter, a method for making a hollow steamed batter and a ready to eat stuffed steamed batter. BACKGROUND
Steamed batter is a commonly known food product. Batter is a mixture of flour, ground grams, fenugreek seeds, salt and water, beaten together. Steamed batters that are appetizing and can be made quickly are sought after. Generally, they are circular and approximately two to three inches in diameter. The batter is allowed to ferment, until it expands to about two and a half times its original volume. The batter is then put into greased molds of a tray up to an optimum level. The molds are having perforations, so that, the batter can be evenly steamed. The tray is placed in a steamer and is steamed for a sufficient period of time. When the batter is steamed properly, the tray is taken out from the steamer. Pieces of steamed batter are removed from the molds with the help of tongs. Steamed batter is then served to the consumer. The consumer divides the steamed batter into smaller pieces with the help of a spoon, fork or a knife and relishes it along with a side dish.
Taste, size, shape and appearance of the eatable are prime considerations in food industry. It is true, that the eatable should taste good, but it is equally true that the eatable should be appealing to the consumer. This is so, because an eatable which is of an abnormal size or disfigured shape will have a de-appetizing effect on the consumer.
On special occasions, steamed batters are required to be made in large numbers within a short span of time, and are served to the consumer. Need of an experienced cook
is inevitable as the demand is high and the production rate is less. But, even an experienced cook faces difficulty in maintaining the overall quality in such situations. Possibility of producing a non uniform steamed batter is high because the molds are not filled with batter, consistently, up to the same level. Also, there is a higher probability of committing human errors in such circumstances.
Side dishes come in various forms of consistency from liquid to semi-solid. The steamed batter pieces are dipped into low viscosity side dishes. With higher viscosity side dishes, the material is spread on top of the steamed batter pieces. While cutting the steamed batter into small pieces and dipping them into various side dishes, there is a very high likelihood of fingers getting soiled by these side dishes. Besides, it is not possible to ensure that each bite size piece of the steamed batter after dipping into the side dishes has reasonably the same ratio of steamed batter and side dishes. This inconsistent ratio makes the eating pleasure inconsistent. Moreover, it has been generally observed that while eating the steamed batter, the consumer pours a large amount of side dish in the plate. This necessitates the supply of a higher amount of side dish than the actual requirement, which results in wastage and an increase in the cost of production.
There is an increasing need for a system by which steamed batters are consumed in a manner that does not soil the fingers and at the same time provides a uniform eating pleasure from one bite to another. The challenge, therefore, is to devise a system and a method in which the shape and size of the steamed batter is consistently maintained. Also, the production level should be high and the system should be simple, so as to avoid the need of a skilled operator. Further, the resulting steamed batter should be hygienic, wastage should be minimized and the cost of production should be low. It is also
desirable to make the steamed batter in such a form that the need for supply of a side
dish, separately, is minimized.
SUMMARY
The subject matter described herein is directed to a system for making a steamed batter, a method of preparing a hollow steamed batter, and a ready to eat stuffed steamed batter that satisfies the aforementioned need.
According to one aspect of the present subject matter, the system for making a steamed batter includes a means for shaping batter material into a hollow steamed batter, and a means for cutting the hollow steamed batter into a plurality of slices. The hollow steamed batter has an elongated length substantially greater than its width, and has first and second opposite ends defined by a hole extending longitudinally across the hollow steamed batter. The means for shaping includes a detachable die assembly. The detachable die assembly further includes a core member, an outer member, a top end cover, and a bottom end cover. The outer member is coaxially disposed of the core member and enclosing a space therein. The core member and the outer member are held in place by disposing the top end cover and the bottom end cover at two ends of the detachable die assembly. The means for cutting includes a cutting fixture assembly. The cutting fixture assembly further includes a base plate, a cutting fixture longitudinally disposed on and fixedly attached to the base plate, and a cutter plate pivotally hinged to one end of the base plate. The cutter plate further includes a plurality of cutter blades spaced apart from each other.
The method of preparing a hollow steamed batter includes applying a lubricant, such as edible oil, to an inner surface of the outer member and an outer surface of the core member. The bottom end cover is attached to a bottom end of the detachable die assembly. Batter is filled in the space between the outer member and the core member. The top end cover is attached to the top end of the detachable die assembly. The detachable die assembly is exposed to a steam source, resulting in the hollow steamed batter. The hollow steamed batter is removed from the detachable die assembly and placed on the cutting fixture. The hollow steamed batter is cut into a plurality of slices with a cutter plate.
The ready to eat stuffed steamed batter includes the hollow steamed batter having a length substantially greater than its width. The hollow steamed batter has first and second opposite ends defined by a hole extending longitudinally across the hollow steamed batter. The hole is stuffed with condiments and the hollow steamed batter is cut into a plurality of slices.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present subject matter will be better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:
The above and other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will be better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Fig. 1A shows a perspective view of a detachable die assembly for making a steamed batter with respect to one embodiment of the present subject matter. Fig. IB shows a top view of the detachable die assembly.
Fig. 1C shows a longitudinal cross section of the detachable die assembly along a section plane A-A of Fig.lB.
Fig.2 shows a perspective view of a cutting fixture assembly for cutting a steamed batter into smaller pieces.
Fig.3 shows a perspective view of a stuffed steamed batter and the corresponding slices. DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
The subject matter described herein is directed to a system for making a steamed batter, a method of preparing a hollow steamed batter, and a ready to eat stuffed steamed batter.
In accordance with one aspect of the present subject matter, the system for making a steamed batter includes a detachable assembly for shaping batter material into a hollow steamed batter, and a cutting fixture assembly for cutting the hollow steamed batter into a plurality of slices. The hollow steamed batter is having an elongated length, a first end, a second end and a hole. The first and second ends are located opposite to each other and the hole extends longitudinally across the hollow steamed batter. The length of the hollow steamed batter is substantially greater than its width. The detachable die assembly further includes a core member and an outer member. The core member and the outer member are coaxially placed enclosing a space between them. The core member and the outer member are held in place by disposing a top end cover and a bottom end cover at two ends of the detachable die assembly. The cutting fixture assembly further includes a base plate, a cutting fixture longitudinally disposed on and fixedly attached to the base plate, and a cutter plate pivotally hinged to one end of the base plate. The cutter plate further includes a plurality of cutter blades spaced apart from each other. The space between the cutter blades is variable. In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present subject matter the steamed batter is Idli.
The method of preparing a hollow steamed batter includes applying a lubricant to an inner surface of the outer member and an outer surface of the core member. The steamed batter is interchangeably referred to as the hollow steamed batter. The bottom end cover is attached to a bottom end of the detachable die assembly. Batter is filled in the space between the outer member and the core member. The top end cover is attached to the top end of the detachable die assembly. The detachable die assembly is exposed to a steam source, resulting in the hollow steamed batter. The hollow steamed batter is removed from the detachable die assembly and placed on the cutting fixture. The hollow steamed batter is cut into a plurality of slices with a cutter plate. In accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter the hollow steamed batter is stuffed with condiments. In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present subject matter the hollow steamed batter is Idli. In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present subject matter the hollow steamed batter is not stuffed with the condiments before it is sliced. In yet another embodiment the hollow steamed batter is left as such without slicing and the lubricant is cooking oil.
The ready to eat stuffed steamed batter includes the hollow steamed batter having a length substantially greater than its width. The hollow steamed batter is having first and second opposite ends defined by the hole extending longitudinally across the hollow
steamed batter. The hole is stuffed with condiments and the hollow steamed batter is cut into a plurality of slices. In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present subject matter the stuffed steamed batter is Idli.
Fig.lA shows a perspective view of a detachable die assembly 100 for making a steamed batter with respect to one embodiment of the present subject matter. Fig.lB shows a top view of the detachable die assembly 100, while Fig. 1C shows a longitudinal cross section of the detachable die assembly 100 along a section plane A-A of Fig.lB. The detachable die assembly 100 includes an inner tube 106 placed inside an outer tube 108. The inner tube 106 is coaxially present inside the outer tube 108 creating a space 112 between an outer surface of the inner tube 106 and the inner surface of the outer tube 108. A bottom end cover 104 is attached at a bottom end of the tubes 106 and 108. Similarly, a top end cover 102 is attached at a top end of the tubes 106 and 108. The inner tube 106 and the outer tube 108 are cylindrical in shape. The top and bottom ends of the tubes 106 & 108 are also referred to as "two ends". The outer tube 108 is hollow and is larger in diameter than the inner tube 106. The top end cover 102 is having perforations 110 for allowing passage of steam. Also, the detachable die assembly 100 is made up of a food grade material.
In one implementation the following process is used for making the hollow steamed batter. The process is initiated by applying edible oil to the outer surface of the inner tube 106 and the inner surface of the outer tube 108. Edible oil prevents sticking of the batter material to the walls of the tubes 106 and 108. The batter material is then filled in the space 112 from the top end of the die assembly 100. The batter material is filled up to two-third volume of the space 112. Remaining one-third volume is left unfilled to allow expansion of the batter material during steaming process. To steam the batter material, the die assembly 100 is exposed to a steam source. The steam source is a steamer (not shown in the figure) in which steam is being produced and the rate of production of steam can be varied. Steam enters the detachable die assembly 100 through the perforations 110 in the top end cover 102. After steaming the batter material for a predetermined time period, the hollow steamed batter (not shown in the figure) is taken out by dismantling the die assembly 100. In yet another embodiment the die assembly 100 can be made of any other shape such as cubical, pyramidal etc and the steam source can be a water heater. Also, the lubricant can be cooking oil.
Fig.2 shows a perspective view of a cutting fixture assembly for cutting a steamed batter into smaller pieces. Cutting fixture assembly 200 includes a base plate 202, a cutting fixture 204, a cutter plate 206 and a plurality of cutter blades 208. Cutter blades 208 are attached to the cutter plate 206 and are spaced apart from each other. The space between the cutter blades 208 is adjustable. The cutter plate 206 is pivotally hinged at one end of the base plate 202, with the help of two brackets 210 allowing the cutter plate 206 to move about the brackets 210. Brackets 210 are rigidly fixed to the base plate 202. The cutting fixture 204 further includes cavities 212.
In one implementation the process of cutting the hollow steamed batter into a plurality of slices is as explained. The hollow steamed batter is filled with necessary condiments so as to form a stuffed steamed batter 214. The stuffed steamed batter 214 is then placed longitudinally on a longitudinal depression present in the cutting fixture 204. Thereafter, the cutter plate 206 is pulled towards the cutting fixture 204. The cutter blades 208 first come in contact with the stuffed steamed batter 214, thereby cutting it partially.
Cavities 212 provide passage to cutter blades 208, so that the stuffed steamed batter 214 can be cut thoroughly. When the cutter plate 206 attains the fully lowered position, the stuffed steamed batter 214 is cut into accurately sized slices. The relative position between the cutter blades 208 can be varied and this enables the system to produce slices of varying thickness.
Fig.3 shows a perspective view of a stuffed steamed batter and the corresponding slices. The stuffed steamed batter 214 is having an elongated length which is substantially greater than its width. The stuffed steamed batter 214 is having a first end 302, a second end 304 and a hole 306. The first end 302 and the second end 304 are located opposite to each other. Various condiments are filled in the hole 306. The stuffed steamed batter 214 is placed on the cutting fixture 204. When the above described cutting process is complete, finely cut slices 308 of desirable shape and thickness are obtained, which are ready to be served to the consumer.
In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the fully steamed batter can be served without condiments. The fully steamed batter can also be served without slicing in accordance with another embodiment of the subject matter.
The previously described versions of the subject matter and its equivalents thereof have many advantages, including those which are described below. The stuffed steamed batter 214 can be cut into accurately sized slices 308. The time taken to finely cut the stuffed steamed batter 214 is reduced as the possibility of variation in shape and size is minimized. This results in an increase in productivity as the time taken to prepare the eatable is reduced. Also, the position of the cutter blades 208 can be altered, thereby allowing the size of the finely cut slices to be varied according to the requirements. Further, the process of consumption is hygienic as the consumer does not need to mix the stuffed steamed batter 214 with a side dish. The system can be operated by a relatively inexperienced operator and the wastage of side dishes is minimized, thereby resulting in a reduced cost of production.
Although the subject matter has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. As such, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment contained therein. For example, in one embodiment of the present subject matter the hollow steamed batter is Idli. Applicant intends to encompass within the language any structure presently existing or developed in future that performs the same function.