Idli Sambar (Steamed Rice Cakes with Red Lentil Curry)

This is a delicious low fat dish of South India and can be enjoyed both as a snack and meal. Basically idli is a breakfast dish and is served with curried lentil or chutney or mixed lentil powder (podi).It can also be eaten as a whole meal during lunch and dinner.I am posting the recipes for idli,sambar and coconut chutney.

Idli

2 cups idli rava (cream of rice)
1 cup urad dhal (Black gram,minappa gullu)
salt
pinch of cooking soda (soda bi carbonate)

Soak urad daal for about 3 hrs. Soak the idli rava in water separately. After 3 hours drain the water from the idli rava.Grind the urad daal till soft and fluffy and mix with the idli rava. Mix well.Place the mixture in a warm place for 8-10 hours or overnight to let the idli mixture ferment. The fermentation is slow in winter and quick during summer. The key to soft and fluffy idlis is in the fermentation process.After 10 hours you will find that the mixture will rise to at least double the volume.After fermentation add salt and pinch of soda bi carbonate and mix well.The batter is now ready to make idlis.

Grease idli maker plates with some oil and fill with idli batter. Steam covered for about 10-12 minutes. Remove each idli carefully with a spatula.Your soft and fluffy idlis are ready to eat with some hot sambhar and chutney. Left over idlis can be stored in the refrigerator and when required microwave them for a few seconds.I make upma with left over idlis ...:):) tastes good and quick to make.



For those who don’t have a idli maker…you can still make idlis with a flat bottomed wide vessel. Add 2 cups of water to the vessel. Invert a round shaped cake tin on the base of vessel. Take another round shaped cake tin, lightly grease it and fill it with the idli batter leaving about one inch height for the batter to raise. Place this on top of the inverted cake tin. Steam for 8-10 minutes. Remove the tin and cut into square pieces and serve hot.

Sambar



1 cup tur dal (red gram,kandi pappu)
½ cup of peeled and cubed bottle gourd
¼ cup of chopped carrots into 1” pieces
3 slit green chillis
¼ cup of radish sliced into rounds(optional)
5-6 baby onions whole
1 tomato cut into 4 pieces
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
10 curry leaves
1 tbsp thick tamarind paste
2 tsps sambar powder(MTR is a good brand)
4-5 cups water
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp asafoetida(hing,inguva)

Soak the daal for 15 minutes and drain.Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook it along with vegetables except baby onions and tomatoes for about 7- 8 minutes after the pressure is reached.
Once its cooked add 2 cups water,sambar powder,tamarind paste,baby onions,tomatoes,turmeric pwd,sugar,green chillis,curry leaves,coriander leaves and salt and let it cook for 12-15 minutes on medium heat.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.Add 2 whole red chillis and 1/4 tsp asafoetida and remove from fire and add to the boiling sambar. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Remove from fire and serve hot with idlis.



Coconut Chutney

1 cup grated fresh coconut(or cut into 2” pieces)
¼ cup of dalia (chick pea powder,puttanala pappu)
3 green chillis
salt

For Tempering/Tadka/Talimpu:

½ tsp mustard seeds
½ urad dal(minapapappu,black gram)
10 curry leaves (optional)
1 whole dry red chilli

Grind coconut,chick pea pwd and green chillis adding 1 cup of water to a fine paste.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.Add the urad dal and slightly brown it.Finally add curry leaves and remove from fire and add to the ground coconut paste.
Your coconut chutney is ready.Serve with hot idlis.

Corn Fingers (Tea Time Snack)

This snack is a regular at my home. I use left over cooked rice as a binding ingredient instead of potato.Very tasty snack.

1 cup grated corn
1 cup milk
½ tsp pepper pwd
2 tbsp grated cheese
1 cup cooked rice
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp chopped green chillis
2 tbsp maida
1 tbsp cornflour
½ cup water
½ cup bread crumbs
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp butter
salt

Heat butter in a dish and add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.Add the corn,salt and pepper pwd along with milk and let the corn cook in this milk till the milk is absorbed.Now add the cooked rice and cover with lid for 5 mts.
Coarsely mash with laddle the corn and rice mixture.Remove from heat.
Add grated cheese,coriander leaves and green chillis and mix well.
Shape as longitudinal thick fingers as shown below in this picture.



This recipe makes 10-12 fingers.Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile add water to the maida and cornflour to make a flowing batter.
Heat enough oil in a vessel for deep frying the corn fingers.
Dip each corn finger in the maida-cornflour batter and then roll in bread crumbs and deep fry.
Serve with tomato sauce or mint chutney.

Masala Dosa (sourdough crepe wrapped round potato curry)-South Indian Tiffin/Snack

Masala dosa is a South Indian snack/tiffin made with a fermented rice and dal(lentil) batter.If you want to eat dosas on a Sunday morning then you need to start the preparation process for the dosa batter on Saturday morning.

Soak 1 cup urad dal(black gram lentil),2 cups rice and 1 tsp methi seeds(fenugreek)for 5-6 hours.Grind to a fine paste adding water.Let it sit overnight with lid for fermentation.Next day mix the batter well adding salt.The batter(which is similar to pancake batter consistency)is ready for making dosas.

Potato Curry (for the filling)

3 big potatos, peeled and cooked
½ cup of boiled green peas (fresh or frozen)(optional)
1 carrot boiled and cubed(optional)
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 green chillis slit lengthwise
2 big onions finely sliced
¼ tsp turmeric pwd
salt
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup water



For tempering/tadka/taalimpu:

1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds(jeera)
1 tsp urad dal (black gram)
1 tsp chana dal(Bengal gram)
10 curry leaves

Mash potatoes roughly into lumps with hand.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a cooking vessel.Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.Lower heat and add cumin seeds, urad dal,channa dal,curry leaves and fry till light brown.Approx 15 seconds.The tempering should not burn.
Add curry leaves,chopped green chillis and minced ginger.Mix and immediately add the sliced onions.
Fry till transparent,add turmeric and salt.Now add the mashed potato lumps,boiled peas and carrots.Mix and sprinkle 3 tbsp of water and let it cook with lid on medium heat for 3 minutes.Turn off heat and adjust salt.



Heat a griddle(you can use a non-stick pan).Grease the griddle with peanut oil or any other oil. Pour one ladle full of batter over the griddle.



Spread the batter from the bottom of the ladle evenly making circles. Drizzle oil or butter around the edges of dosa and let it cook on medium heat.The dosa should turn light brown.The dosa generally takes 4-5 minutes to cook on medium heat.Take care not to burn it.



Spread some butter over the dosa and then spread potato curry filling in the center of the dosa and fold it towards the center such that it covers the potato curry.





Similarly fold the other side also such that it covers the potato curry.



Your dosa is ready to eat.Dosas can also be served with any chutney , poodi or sambar.Here is the link to my personal collection of chutneys and poodis
It is best to eat the dosa the moment its off the griddle..hot.I have tried to take some amateur pictures of the dosa batter spreading on the griddle....but hey, it tastes good and thats what matters:):):)